Personally I love having boxes to store precious memorabilia and often time it is hard to find the perfect box for that special something, so I decided it was nigh time I create one of my own.

Supplies:
1. Stone Mosaic Tiles ( I got my tub from Michael’s)
2. Painters Tape
3. Paint Brushes
4. Keepsake Box (This can be made from stiff cardboard or wood, whatever you prefer.)
5. Gloss Paint (Gloss because you need less coats and it creates a nice sheen when dry.)
6. Tacky Glue (If you can find it use the kind that comes with a brush)
7. (Not Pictured) Liquid Gold Leaf *optional

Step 1:

Step One:
To get started I like to lay out my tiles before gluing. This helps me have an even spread of color, find the choice pieces and make sure everything lines up. When designing my boxes I found that the tile size didn’t allow for full coverage of the lid. With the suggestion of one of my besties, Kat, I kept a board around the edge for gold leafing.

Step 2:

Step Two:
Once all my tile were laid out I taped off my border with painters tape. This helps you remember where your edges are when gluing. Be gentle so you don’t knock your tiles out of alignment.

*Tip: For keeping you color placement at the ready I used a large flat object and placed it over the top of my lid. Very quickly I flipped the lid over, transferring the design to the flat surface, leaving the taped lid free to work with. Sometime I had to re-arrange a few of the tiles but this is the best way for moving them off the surface while retaining the design you spent time creating.

Step 3:

Step Three:
Begin gluing in segments. If the box is small you can cover the entire surface then place your stones. But if the box measures than, say, 4 inches across, work in sections so your glue doesn’t dry before you get to it.

*Tip: Don’t put down too much glue. Too much will cause the tile to slide out of place as others are pressed against it. Be mindful to stay within your tape lines (if doing the gold leaf option)

Step 4: Detail

Finishing:
Once the glue set, remove the painters tape and paint your box. To get the fine edge between my paint and gold leaf I used painters tape to make off the section I wanted my gold leaf. I recommend taping off first, painting the box, THEN going back and doing the gold leaf. You’ll want to tape twice. Once will block off the section you want the gold leaf. When the paint dries, remove the tape and tape again, this time along the paint edge and even along the stone so you don’t get any leaf on them. Remove when dry and touch up!