I made this box 6 months ago, but keep forgetting to post it. By "made" I mean
hand-finished, as the box itself came from a craft shop ( I think Michael's, but I
have seen them in other places as well.) The nice metal clasp on this box comes in
handy if you use it to store pens during travel, or want to prevent curious household
pets from opening it.
The box came in a lightweight, light-coloured unfinished wood. It cost under $5.
I coated it twice with a fast-drying wood finish. I used cherry, but the colour is
of course up to you.
I then cut to size and inserted a piece of those velvety pen-slot sheets that are
sold at pen shows and can also be gotten online. You can either glue the liner
to the bottom of the box, or leave it unglued in case you want to switch to a
different colour liner later. The liner stays put securely with friction even when
not glued down.
For the final step (and after waiting until the wood finish dried thoroughly), I
painted the top of the box with casein paints. First I painted the sage green
background; then added the very simple cherry blossom design. I used casein because
I like it and already own casein paints, but you can certainly use something more practical,
such as acrylic or craft paint. If you are not feeling very painterly, you can also cover the
lid with a collage of images, and then use a clear lacquer on top for durability.
It is an easy and inexpensive way to make a very nice, durable and personalised pen
box. I store my maki-e collection in mine.
Best,
QM2
