Jewelry Boxes!

This past week I had a few days off so I really started to get into my new jewelry box project. This project grew out of a few different past projects. I would say it's a mix of my Female Ancestors Embroidery Project and making my portfolio box for job interviews.

Mary Edmunds

The above image is one of many embroideries I made for my graduate thesis project last year. I collected photographs and information of my direct female ancestors and with that information I embroidered their image clearly and simply and then embroidered their history and secrets in white thread around them.

The portfolio box for my interviews was a simple handmade clamshell box with decorative paper. This is a required project for all Lesley Grads for the Visual Art Education Program and it seems that people either love making them or hate making them. I absolutely loved making my portfolio box. I actually ended up making a second one for my sister-in-law for Christmas last year and made a photo album and guest book to go inside it for her and my brother's wedding. 

So this fall I really wanted to make another box but I didn't know of anyone who needed one and I honestly have enough 3D projects hanging around my apartment. Then I was at a comic convention with my boyfriend Alex Cormack helping him sell Poe Twisted (which he has two comics in) when I realized that there were a lot of girlfriends at this convention who looked board and had nothing to look at or buy. I started to think of what would interest me at these conventions and what I would like to make and came back to boxes. They eventually turned into jewelry boxes but they still seemed a bit boring. Back to the drawing board I started to think of how I could make the boxes more interesting for both the viewer/future owners and myself. I thought back to how much I enjoyed making the embroideries but I knew that people wouldn't want my ancestors on their jewelry box so I picked a few of my favorite style icons of the 50's and 60's. Including Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Elizabeth Taylor.

Audrey Hepburn in red and white

Elizabeth Taylor in blue and orange

Elizabeth Taylor in green and purple

Audrey Hepburn in blue and red

For more images check out my etsy shop.

So far I'm having a great time making these boxes. I have already made some sketches for my next batch which will include longer boxes and removable trays. I'm also working on cut out cover designs for Billie Holiday, Coco Channel, Dorothy Dandridge, Natalie Wood and Rita Hayworth. 

If you have any suggestions/requests for style icons please let me know!