help / suggestions please

[culpepper]

I bought this in a charity shop the other day (see pic below) - couldn't resist it as it is lovely - want to alter it and make it pretty / better etc - but am stumped as to how to do it without losing the loveliness of the wood :(

it is 5 1/2 inches square
just over 2 inches deep with lid on
just over 1 inch deep inside

any suggestions gratefully received

[leeann21]

why dont you emboss it , using a script stamp?

[culpepper]

oh I like that idea :) - might have to expreiment on some scrap wood first tho - thanks

[mwquilt]

What a lovely thing.

You could maybe make some sort of artwork to go behind the fretwork lid, so it shows through at the front....maybe with some bits of three dimemsional
(ribbon/fabric/beads?) decoration that could twine in and out of the fretwork.

It is lovely, and I agree that you want to try and preserve the beauty of the wood.

Hope we will see your completed work when it's done!

Marina

[culpepper]

Thanks - I like that suggestion - I'm into 3d and fibres and stuff - I'll give it a go- and I think it may go with the embossing suggestions as well - I was wondering what to do with the lid :)

[hannah-s]

what about using a semi transparent paint and then sanding it lightly when dry to emphasise the grain in the wood?
you could make a book or lots of loose tags to fill the box and decorate the inside of it with inks on top of the sanded paint or something?

hope thats given you some ideas!

[culpepper]

oooh that suggestion is fab too! so many good suggestions i might have to go looking around for another box so i can try them all!

thanks for that one- sounds like fun too :)

oh- just thought- if i sand the varnish off and try inks on it will the grain show through the inks? that might look interesting too?

pam