From Plain to Fabulous- a step by step story, part 1

I have these cardboard paper mache boxes. I love them, they are inexpensive, they are hearts, and I love brown paper covered things for some reason.


I have had these for a long time; I was going to do something with them but never did.
That is the opening to this post http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2010/09/from-plain-to-fabulous.html
where I briefly tell how to make the heart boxes and turn them into gifts, storage, or wish boxes (God boxes).
I thought it would be nice to have a step by step to follow. So I made and photographed the step by steps for you to see how I did it.

You will need:

Cernit black
Paper mache heart boxes
Crafter’s pick “Ultimate” glue
Pearl-ex pigments I used sparkle gold, brilliant gold, spring green, silver and rose gold
Lumiere paint in True gold
Flower/leaves cutter set
Clay Machine
Plastic Handle Scalpel-SCP
Clay Slicing Blade SB
small piece of copper screen
Plumeria Border Rubber Stamp from Rubber Stamp Plantation

Condition the black Cernit until it is smooth and pliable. Cernit works best when conditioned by hand. Flattened with the fingers or pancaked and then run through the clay machine.
Roll the flattened Cernit through the thickest setting on the clay machine.

Take the top of the heart box and place it on top of the rolled out Cernit. Trace around the top with the scalpel to cut out a heart.

Place some of the ultimate glue on the cut out heart.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Spread the glue over the surface of the cut out clay heart with your finger.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Place the heart and center it on the top of the cardboard heart lid.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Press the cut out black heart to the cardboard box lid starting on one side and press down to the other side. The clay will want to slide if you go too fast so go slow and press firmly.
It is best if you press it down well and make sure you press everywhere. If there is a place that you have not pressed it down it might bubble up there.
 
 
 
 
I made and used a "Believe" word mold, you can find the instructions here. http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2008/09/making-word-molds.html I also found some larger letters that are just wonderful and used them here. They are made by De Boles and can be found in good health food stores.

Push some black clay in to the mold. I do this by rolling a coil of clay that is as long and as wide as the mold and then pressing it in.
 

 
 

I also hold the mold in my hand and press with my thumb in to the mold with my fingers on the back of the mold.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I slice off the excess of clay to level with the top (some would call it the bottom though ;-D) of the mold.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stay tuned for Part 2...
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2010/10/from-plain-to-fabulous-step-by-step_23.html