Gifts

A couple of years ago I wanted to come up with a special gift for a high school graduate. I have known this young lady since she was 18 months old.

I thought about it for a long time and was trying to remember what I had loved the most when I graduated from high school.  What I remember the most was a beautiful velvet jewelry box that came from the posh store in town.  It was a brown floral velvet with a pale pink velvet interior. It was about six inches in diameter.  After many years of faithful service it finally gave up the ghost. But I always felt that I carried a little elegance around with me wherever I went - college and then working life.

The box above is not quite the same thing but it was heartfelt in the same way.  It has decoupage of a Paris street map, poetry, fabric, handmade paper.

These are easy to do.  Find a box (cigar box used here). Collect paper scraps, fabric scaps, buttons, old cards, sheet music etc.

Paint box with a latex paint.  Let it dry and sand lightly so that some of the materials underneath show through. You can also use a second color if you like.  Use mod poge and attach all of your bits and pieces. Do a final mod poge finish all over.

Anyway, it was a hit.  I even got a thank you card.