Valentine Paper Clay LOVE BUG Treat Box!!

Coming up with something unique for Valentines Day can be a challenge.  


 I needed a way to "wrap" two concert tickets, and the usual gift cards and holders were so generic, so I came up with the "Love Bug Box" and buried the tickets in the candy!

It's a cute little paper mache' box, that you can stuff with numerous treats for your special someone!

Step 1: Supply List

Box with a lid, I used a paper mache' box with a tin lid
Scrap book paper to cover the box
Red Marker
Heart Stickers
Paper Clay
Toothpicks
Acrylic Paint- red, pink, black and off white
Wire for the antennas and wings
White glue
Styrofoam balls- 2' and 1 1/2"
Clay tools 

Step 2: Making Your LOVE BUG'S Head

Start with the smaller size Styrofoam ball.  I coat the ball with white glue to help the paper clay adhere better. Take a piece of paper clay and semi flatten it out in your hands then press into the styrofoam ball.  Repeat this process until the entire ball is covered.  Roll three smaller balls which will be the forehead & cheeks.  Mold these three balls into the main ball as seen in the last two photos. Place a toothpick into the bottom of the head to help adjoin to the body.

Step 3: LOVE BUG Beginning the Body

Take your larger styrofoam ball and press it onto a flat surface creating a flat spot on the ball, as seen in photo one.

Next roll it on the hard surface, squishing the sides together until it has a teardrop shape, as in photo two.

Add a little glue onto the flat spot then attach the head, inserting the toothpick into the body portion- photo four.

Roll a small ball for the nose and three coils for the hair.

Place the nose and coils onto the head and smooth, smoosh and mold to the head. Making two nostrils with a sharp tool or toothpick.

Add a mouth with a sharp tool.

At this point insert two long skewers into the bottom of the body and set aside to dry a little.

Step 4: Finishing the Body

After the head has semi dried, start covering the body with clay, the same way the head was covered.
1st glue
2nd flatten clay in your hands then mold into the ball
3rd roll two small balls which will be the ears. 
4th flatten  and shape the ears between your fingers, then with a tool or toothpick make a small slice on the head where you wish to place the ears and mold the ear pieces to the head.

Step 5: Shoes, Arms and Heart

Using two balls of paper clay, flatten and shape them into "shoes" placing a hole in each shoe with the same skewer as in the body. With a toothpick you can draw in the shoe markings then set aside to dry.

Heart- using a piece of paper clay begin with a ball and shape into a heart, pressing the back flat so it will set against the belly.

Arms- Roll two coils of similar size for the arms and two smaller balls, one for each hand.

Attach the heart by smooshing and molding clay into body.  

Wrap arms and hands around the heart and mold them to the body also.

After attaching all parts, set aside to completely dry, about 24 hours.

Step 6: Sanding, Painting

Once the entire "BUG" is dry, any rough spots can be sanded down.  After sanding whip off the dust and paint in the colors of your choice!  I painted the face, hands & ears flesh color, the body and back of head red, with pink hearts, hair, arms and shoes black.
Finishing touches were the strips on the arms, spots and dots on the body, pink on the toes of the shoes and paint in the eyes, ears and mouth.  Cut off the skewers so there is just enough to slip into the shoe holes to make stand upright.  At this point you also want to paint the outside of the box using an off white color.

Step 7: Putting the Bug Together

Glue the shoes onto the lid, then glue the body into and onto the shoes. You may need to use stronger bonding glue for this step, I have used E6000.

Step 8: Decorating the BOX!

After the paint on the box has dried, measure and cut your scrapbook paper to size. Add an additional 1/2'' to the top edge to turn down into the inside of the box, glue around the entire box, piecing nicely where necessary. On the top edge, cut slits around the top, so the paper will turn into the box nicely and glue in place. See photos for additional information.

Step 9: Lettering and Finishing Touches on the Box!

Remembering the rim on the lid, measure down enough so your lettering is not under the rim of the box when your done.  In the photo you can see a light pencil mark which is the ending line of the rim of my lid, so I knew to keep the words beneith that line.

Using a red marker, free hand the words of your choice, mine were "LOVE BUG", going back over the letters to darken and widen.  Add stickers and any trim that you wish.

Step 10: Wings and Antenna

Using several lengths of wire approximately 12'' long each, wrap in a circular motion around your fingers, see photo two.

With an additional piece of wire twist around the wings to secure and wrap around the neck.  Any leftover ends curl by wrapping around a paint brush.

Attach to the LOVE BUG!

Antenna's  are made by wrapping a length of wire around a paint brush, then stretching it out to loosen the curl.  Sandwich the wire between two heart stickers then using the E6000 glue to the head.

Step 11: FINISHING TOUCHES!!!

Add any additional stickers, tags and embellishments to make your box personal.  Fill the inside with your chosen gift and you are done!!  You've just created a unique, one of a kind gift for your "LOVE BUG"!!

If you've enjoyed this instructable please leave a comment and vote for me!  Thanks for looking!