How to Make Your Mom a Heart Shaped Jewelry Box for Mother's Day

You're probably reading this because you either specialize in crafts, or because your kids want to make your wife/mother something for her special day. Either way, a home made jewelry box is a beautiful keepsake for a mother to keep gifts from her "precious jewels" in for years to come. While hand made gifts are always special, this one is actually useful! For this project, you'll need a wooden heart-shaped box, wood paint, wax paper, stencils, ribbon, glue, and a strip of velour, velvet or a silky material in a solid color that will match the painted designs on the box. (All of these items can be found at your local Michael's craft store and at most hobby/craft supply retailers.)

First, select two to three shades of paint will complement each other well (think neutrals with neutrals, pastels with pastels, vibrant colors with other vibrant colors, and so on). Next, take the lightest shade and paint the entire jewelry box with it. Place it on the wax paper and allow it to dry completely. Next, use stencils to decorate the box with just a few delicate and sparsely placed floral designs (think ivy and roses). It's really not as hard as it sounds, and the stencils will give the designs an elegant and precise look. Allow the box to dry again on wax paper for at least twenty four hours.

Next, you'll want to line the inside of that newly decorated jewelry box with the strip of velour or silk that you have selected. This will create a soft storage space for your mother or wife's jewelry. Simply place four or five drops of glue on the corners of the bottom, and again throughout the center. Be careful not to apply too much, or it will seep through the fabric. Now, take the remaining fabric and glue it to the sides and all the way to the top. Cut off any excess smoothly and discard it. Be sure that it there are no visible signs of the wood beneath. When your mother or wife opens the box, she should be looking at nothing but a smooth, luxurious finish.