Making a One-of-a-kind keepsake box

So, there's not big secret on how to decoupage. If you've done it you know that it's a pretty straightforward, though time consuming, process. It can be a great beginner's project, but it can also take years to perfect (and I'm far from that end of the spectrum!). But I thought you might like to know the why's and how's of some of my work, so here's a semi-tutorial and explanation!
There are lots of different ways to decoupage, this is just what I've found works best for me:

Materials:
~Foam brushes
~Smoother
~Acrylic paint
~Mod Podge or other decoupage medium
~Scissors
~Varnish
~Wood box
~Screwdriver
~Paper, embellishments


I have a great big stack of vintage and antique sheet music and lithographs in varying conditions of decay. The first thing I do is pull out several pieces that I have been wanting to use and lay them out.

I think I'm going to use one of these:

The one on the right is in better condition, so I'm going to save that one for a bigger project where I can keep more of it together.


First I unscrew all the hardware from the box. You can leave it on, but it will look sloppier to try to paint around it, and decoupaging around it would definitely be a challenge. A little screwdriver from a kit works just fine.


Next it's time to paint the inside. Sometimes I cover the exterior completely in paper, but I think to show off the nice artwork from this piece I'm going to paint the top too.

I decided to use a nice, deep blue because it will really compliment the colors in the artwork.

While that dries, I start to take apart the different elements of the piece I'm going to use. It's very tattered at the edges and the paper is creased and thin, but most of the individual components can be saved and used. Once they're under varnish they'll be preserved for a long, long time.

Once the top is painted and dry, I can experiment with the placement of different elements. Nothing is getting glued down yet so I can play around with how things will look.

I have some nice Victorian style flower pieces I want to use, as well as a cool ad for a violin from some other sheet music. I like to go for an organic, almost naive look, like this is a collection of mementos and memories from someone long ago.

Now that the paint on top is dry and I know what I want to put on there, it's time to start gluing the pieces down. Use a foam brush to evenly and lightly coat the entire surface with Mod Podge (even if you're not covering the whole surface, you want it to be consistent in color and shine). While that dries to tackiness, coat the back of your pieces lightly and place them down on the surface. To help them lay perfectly smoothly, use something to smooth it down tightly as you place it down. I have a plastic smoother, but you can use anything, even your fingers if you're careful.
Once that dries COMPLETELY, cover the entire surface plus the paper again in Mod Podge. If there are any wrinkles they will generally go away on their own. This is the best step to keep them from happening though, so really make sure you smooth down all the way. While that dries I can start to work on the bottom of the box.

Using the same method I use torn up pieces of music (really old, crummy condition music only!) to cover the bottom. Same thing here, coat the wood surface, then individually coat the pieces and smooth them down. Coat with more Mod Podge as each side is completed. This gives it a really nice, smooth look. If the edges of the music stick up past the edges of the box you can either sand them down later or carefully trim with scissors. There's one more cool piece from the sheet I want to use, so once all the music is dry I can add it to the front.

Now while all that dries, I can varnish the top which is dry. The Mod Podge does a good job sealing and adding a little shine to the the box, but varnish is really going to give it a nice finish, plus protect the box. Use a different foam brush and carefully "paint" on a layer of varnish all over the surface and sides. Allow this to dry completely (at least a couple of hours usually). I usually apply at least 4 or 5 coats, but sometimes will do more. You really need at least 3 to get a nice gloss going. If at this point you still have wrinkles, a little trick is to poke a teeny hole or two (best in a dark spot) with an exacto knife and gently press out the air. Continue to layer varnish after that.
If using a non-gloss paint, then I like to give the interior a coat of varnish to seal it as well. Eventually as all the elements on the box dry you can apply varnish to everything.

Once everything is absolutely dry (and between all the different pieces drying at different rates, this can take a couple of days) you can reassemble the box.

This is what this one became:
Voila! http://www.etsy.com/listing/67136084/the-girl-i-loved-in-sunny-tennessee
It's really fun, and there are endless possibilities with different ephemera, colors, and boxes. It's also a great way to put to use old ephemera which is just rotting away or forgotten. These can be used to keep jewelry, love letters, photos, or anything you want to keep in a special place.