Gilded Owl Keepsake Box – Stencils, Gilding, Mica and More

Giveaway Time!

This project is part of the USArtQuest & StencilGirl Blog Hop – and what would a blog hop be without a giveaway! We’re giving away USArtQuest Decorative Papers and Perfect Pigment Acrylics and a $25 StencilGirl Gift Certificate to one lucky winner! Just leave a comment on this project to be entered. For even more chances to win, visit all 8 blog posts and leave a comment on each one! One comment per project. Each comment is an entry! Comments close on September 19^th @ 11:59PM Central. Here are the 8 links:

• StencilGirl Talk (Day 1: 9/15/2015) – our host!
• Carolyn Dube – Mixed Media Cards
• Janet Joehlin – Baby’s Room Decor
• Mary C. Nasser – Collaged Notecards
• StencilGirl Talk (Day 2: 9/16/2015)
• Gwen Lafleur – Travel Journal
• Joe Rotella (Me!) – Owl Keepsake Box
• Kirsten Reed – Textured Journal

What You’ll Learn

This project is packed with techniques, including three different ways to use stencils!

• Using a stencil with double-sided adhesive paper and gilding/mica glitter
• Using a stencil with paint
• Using a stencil with embossing paste
• Creating shades of acrylic paint
• Creating custom colored embossing paste

Gilded Owl Keepsake Box

Materials Used

How To Make a Gilded Owl

1. Make a photocopy of  the Three Owls and a Branch Stencil. I put a sheet of light blue paper behind it when I copied it so I could see the details in the stencil.
2. Trace around the owl using a thick marker. The goal is to outline the silhouette of the owl.
3. Photocopy the tracing and cut out the silhouette.
4. Cut out a rectangle of Cut Bond Create big enough to fit the owl silhouette. Peel off the backing sheet and apply it to a piece of black cardstock.
5. Trace the owl silhouette on to the Cut Bond Create that’s applied to the black cardstock and cut it out using scissors. You should now have an owl silhouette that has cardstock on the back and Cut Bond Create on the front.
6. Peel off the front of the Cut Bond Create to expose the adhesive.
7. Carefully lay the Three Owls and a Branch Stencil on to the exposed adhesive. Center it on the silhouette. You should have a border as thick as the marker line that’s covered by the stencil.
8. Lay pieces of Gildenglitz on to the exposed adhesive until it is all covered.
9. Burnish the Gildenglitz with the Texture Sponge until there are no loose pieces. Remember to reclaim any Gildenglitz you burnish off. You can use those bits and pieces next time you gild!
10. Slowly pull off the Three Owls and a Branch Stencil. I found it easiest to turn the piece upside down (so the stencil was against my work surface) and peel the cardstock away from the stencil. Try to avoid touching the exposed adhesive as much as possible so it doesn’t loose it’s stickiness.
11. Sprinkle Mica D’Lights on the exposed adhesive. This “closes” all the exposed adhesive and “fills in” the lines that were covered by the stencil.
12. Polish your gilded owl by going over it with cotton balls in a circular motion.

How To Make a Gilded Moon

1. Cut out a square of Cut Bond Create big enough to fit a circle as big as you want your moon. Peel off the backing sheet and apply it to a piece of black cardstock.
2. Trace a circle on to the Cut Bond Create that’s applied to the black cardstock and cut it out using scissors. You should now have a circle that has cardstock on the back and Cut Bond Create on the front.
3. Peel off the front of the Cut Bond Create to expose the adhesive.
4. Lay pieces of Gildenglitz on to the exposed adhesive until it is all covered.
5. Burnish the Gildenglitz with the Texture Sponge until there are no loose pieces. Remember to reclaim any Gildenglitz you burnish off. You can use those bits and pieces next time you gild!
6. Polish your gilded moon by going over it with cotton balls in a circular motion.

How To Prepare the Cigar Box Base

1. Clean the Cigar Box to prepare it for painting by removing any loose labels, etc. If the box is very glossy, applying a coat of gesso (black gesso would be even better!) might make it easier to paint.
2. Paint the entire box, inside and out, with Mars Black Perfect Pigment. Let dry thoroughly.
3. Using a makeup sponge, dab Titanium White Perfect Pigment through the Night Sky Stencil on the cover of the box to create the stars. I like to put a very small amount of paint on Studio Paper and use that as my palette as it makes it much easier to dab paint on/off the makeup sponge. Let dry thoroughly.
4. Stencil leaves around the sides of the box using three shades of green Perfect Pigment.
   1. Put three small “puddles” of Dark Green Perfect Pigment on a piece of Studio Paper.
   2. Add a very small amount of Wheat Perfect Pigment to one puddle of Dark Green. Mix well.
   3. Add a very small amount of Marks Black Perfect Pigment to another puddle of Dark Green. Mix well.
   4. Now you have three shades of green that will work well together since they all have the same base – Dark Green!
   5. Use a different makeup sponge for each puddle and stencil different size leaves around the sides of the box. I stenciled one color at a time, dried it with a heat gun, and then moved on to another color.
5. Create a blue glaze by mixing Dark Blue Perfect Pigment with Clear Perfect Glaze. Remember, for it to be translucent, you must use more glaze than paint. As soon as the paint “overpowers” the glaze, you’ll start to get an opaque color. I like mixing the glaze on a piece of Studio Paper. Brush the glaze over the top of the box to create a dark blue night sky. Let dry thoroughly.

How To Create the Textured Branch and Leaves

1. Apply masking tape to the Three Owls and a Branch Stencil to cover up the leaves and anything close to the branch.
2. Create a dark brown embossing paste by mixing 101 Artist’s Cement Light with some Mars Black and Burnt Umber Perfect Pigment.
3. Place the Branch Stencil on the lid of the box and use a Palette Knife to generously apply your custom colored dark brown embossing paste to the branch. Keep it a little thick.
4. Gently dab a piece of bubble wrap in to the embossing paste to create little peaks and valleys. Then lift up the stencil. The end result should be a lumpy-bumpy branch! Let dry thoroughly – probably overnight – since the paste is thick. Remove the masking tape from the stencil and clean it with water right away so the paste doesn’t dry on it! Let the stencil dry too before using it again.
5. Create a dark green embossing paste by mixing 101 Artist’s Cement Light with some Mars Black and Dark Green Perfect Pigment.
6. Place the Branch Stencil on the lid of the box  and line it up with the branch you created. Use a Palette Knife to apply your custom colored green embossing paste to the branch. Sprinkle Prills on to the exposed paste and gently push them in to the paste with your finger. Lift up the stencil.  The end result should be leaves with Prills for texture! Let dry thoroughly – probably overnight – since the paste may be thick. Remember to clean the stencil with water right away so the paste doesn’t dry on it!

Creating the Sparkling Liner Papers

1. Lay out a piece of Fanciful Flowers Black Embossed Art Paper on your work surface.
2. Tap your clean finger in to a little water and shake off the excess. Water should not be dripping from your finger.
3. Rub your finger in to a color in the Mica Watercolor Paint palette.
4. Gently glide your finger over the raised (embossed) parts of the paper you want to color. Repeat the process over and over again until you have the paper colored just the way you like it. I get the best results when I work with one color at a time and clean my finger before changing to a new color.
5. Let dry thoroughly.
6. Cut the paper in to pieces to fit the inside lid and the inside sides of the cigar box.

Assembling the Gilded Owl Keepsake Box

1. Drill a hole through the lid of the box with the Proxxon Bench Drill Press TBM 115 and Bit. Insert the Idea-Ology 2-Part .375″ Hitch Fastener and screw tight.
2. Adhere the embossed papers to the box using Great Tape Double Sided Adhesive Tape or your favorite Aleene’s Quick Dry Adhesive.
3. Cut a piece of black felt to fit the inside of the box. Apply Great Tape Double Sided Adhesive Tape to the bottom of the felt and adhere the felt to the inside of the box.
4. Adhere the gilded moon to the lid of the box using Great Tape Double Sided Adhesive Tape or Aleene’s Quick Dry Tacky Adhesive.
5. Adhere the gilded owl to the lid of the box using Great Tape Double Sided Adhesive Tape or Aleene’s Quick Dry Tacky Adhesive.

These techniques work great in art journals, on canvas, on ATCs, on cards and even on fabric!

Enjoy Your Gilded Owl Keepsake Box