Claire’s mannequin box lovingly created by her mother, Wendy

Detailed instructions by Wendy on how she created her treasured memory box out of a paper mache dress form mannequin:

I used the following supplies, materials and tools:

6” paper mache mannequin purchased from All Dress Forms

Acrylic metallic paint (I used Stewart Gill Metallica, Amourosa)

Black Gouache paint

Acrylic paint

Silver stamp pad

Matte Gel Medium

Mulberry paper (white)

Wire form mesh

Silver wire (.45mm, 26swg)

Copper wire

Jump ring

Decorative thread (around 15”)

Beading thread

Selection of beads

Crystal heart

Glass tubes

Hi-tack double-sided tape (terrifically tacky tape)

Ephemera

Tiny copies of photographs

Rubber stamps (Celtic style)

You will also need a scalpel (with new blade) to cut the mannequin into two pieces, a drill with a tiny bit or a sharp-pointed awl to poke holes through the paper mache, a pair of pliers, a beading needle and a sewing needle.

Draw a line on the mannequin where you plan to slice it into two.  Using the scalpel carefully cut along the line.  A new blade is essential to ensure a clean cut.

Paint a layer of gel medium on the inside and on the cut edges of the form to ensure all the paper is securely stuck down.  When this is dry, paint with the black paint. (I used gouache, as I wanted a matt finish).

I scanned photos into my pc, shrunk them and then printed them using my inkjet printer* onto standard ink jet paper.  I used pages from old books, pieces torn from glossy magazines, and quotes printed on the ink jet.  I tore most of the edges of my bits and pieces.  Collect enough to almost cover the inside of the mannequin.  I glued these into place using matt gel medium and painted a second coat over the whole area to seal it. *It is wise to leave these printouts for around 24 hours to allow the ink to dry thoroughly before you cover with gel medium.

Lay the two mannequin halves down onto a piece of scrap paper and draw around the lower half to make a template for the wire form.  Cut the wire form slightly bigger than the template.  Use a bone folder or the handle of your scalpel (without blade attached) to fold the edges of the wire using the template as a guide.  Check that the wire fits into place inside the mannequin.  Once you are sure that it fits perfectly, stick a piece of the hi-tack sticky tape onto the folded edge.  Pull off the tape backing and put the wire form into place.  Press it down firmly along the sticky edges and leave it to set.  After 24 hours this should be well and truly stuck into place.

Paint the outside of the mannequin with the metallic paint.

Color the mulberry paper using watered down acrylic paint (I used warm blue and cool red which gave me a range of pinks and purple). Once the paper is completely dry, use a small paintbrush and plain water and ‘paint’ the shapes that you want onto the colored paper. Gently pull each side of the wet line and the paper will pull apart into the shapes that you want leaving a ‘hairy’ edge. Pat the paper flat and leave it to dry.  Then stamp on the images using the silver inkpad.

Decide where you want the holes to be.  Place the mannequin pieces onto a flat surface and drill the holes, I drilled from the outside to the inside.  I put four holes across the waistline of both back and front pieces and one on the neckline on the front.  I put holes on the widest part of the hip-line and shoulder (right hand side of the front, left hand side on the back).

Glue the pieces of stamped mulberry paper into position (I used gel medium).  Use a needle and gently poke through the holes from the inside, (where you have covered over the holes with the colored paper)

Using beading thread, tie one end securely to the jump ring and thread through the hole at the neck on the front piece, from the inside to the outside.  Thread three tiny beads onto the thread and then the crystal heart, thread back up through the beads and through the hole.  Tie off securely to the jump ring.  Thread the letter beads and small beads and attach to the jump ring.

Make the hinges. Cut a piece of silver wire around 1-1/2” long.  Curve it around a pencil or piece of dowel to form a ‘u’ shape and thread on three beads.  Push one end through each hole on the shoulders, from outside to inside.  Use jewelry pliers to make a loop on each end of the wire, rolling towards the hole so that the two pieces of the mannequin are held quite closely together. Trim off any excess wire. Repeat this with a second piece of wire at the hips.  Check that the two sides of the mannequin open and close easily, adjusting your loops as necessary.

Thread the decorative thread with some heavy beads**, pass it through the hole at the right hand side waistline of the front of the mannequin from the outside to the inside, back up through the next hole, thread beads, down into hole and back out at opposite waistline. Thread on three beads and pass thread into hole at left on the back of the mannequin.  Up through to front, add beads, back down and up at the opposite side of the waistline. Thread heavy beads with a smaller bead on the end, and then pass the thread back up through the beads again.  Tie a knot (in between beads so that it won’t show) and dab a tiny spot of glue onto the knot.  (When this has dried, trim the excess thread away).  At the opposite end, pick up your thread, add a small bead and thread back up through the beads, tie a knot and dab on the glue.  **I used heavy glass beads to ensure the thread hangs nicely.**

I printed off a tiny copy of Claire’s birth certificate, rolled it and tied it with silk thread.  A poem was rolled and a circle sticker holds this closed.  I used inkjet tracing paper to print the lyrics of a song, rolled it and wound wire around to hold this closed.  A lock of hair went into one glass tube and a handful of rose quartz chips into the other.

When closed, the beaded thread ties into a loose knot or a bow.

Created and documented by Wendy of the UK.

Thank you, Wendy, for sending your instructions on how to create a treasured memory box of our own.