Appliqué Treasure Chest

A Gift Box For Small Treasures

By Shaaron Chambers

How to make an appliquéd treasure chest for someone you love.

I made these as gifts for my granddaughters.

The message in the box is sort of a family tradition - something we always say to them. This is a great gift-inside-a-gift.

When finished, you can put money, a gift card or small gift inside - which is just what I am going to do. :-D

Treasure Chest Materials

Small paper mache treasure chest - example is 5"x 4 ¼"x 4"
Appliqué of your choice
1 1/8" wood peg
4 ½" wood pegs
Old pieces of costume jewelry and chain
Delta Ceramcoat gold metallic and black acrylic paint
Paintbrush
Soft cloth
Paper plate
Toothpick
Aleene’s Clear Gel Tacky Glue

Making the Treasure Chest

Paint the chest with two coats of gold paint. Let dry completely.

Place a quarter size amount of black paint on the paper plate.

Using the soft cloth, dab a small amount onto the cloth and lightly wipe the black paint over the gold and then smooth the paint out with another part of the cloth.

Add more black to the edges of the box than the rest of it to give it a more worn and old look.

When the box is dry, apply the appliqué with Tacky Glue to the top of the box.

I have outlined the appliqué with some old chain using a toothpick to lay down a thin stream of glue.

Glue a 2" piece of chain on the lid at both ends to resemble rope handles.

Add a piece of decorative jewelry just above this. I used a pair of old earrings, using wire cutters to remove the loop on the top of each earring. Use a course nail file to smooth out any rough edges.

Paint all the pegs black.

Glue the four feet on the bottom and the larger peg on the front top for opening.