Jewelry Cabinet... Finished!

I've always wanted some kind of special showcase to hold my jewelry.  It seems like a shame to buy something pretty and then stick it in a drawer or box where you can't see it.  Half the time I forget what's in those drawers and boxes and end up wearing the same pieces over and over.  So I was thrilled when I found this jewelry curio a few days ago.  Still, it needed implements inside the box on which to hold the jewelry, so I had myself a little crafting afternoon.  The idea was tree branches, but instead of, say, spray painting some manzanita branches, I decided to make the branches and cover them in sweet printed fabrics.  

Here's the close-up of the tree with the door open.  I wanted it to look a little rough around the edges so it would have more of a vintage look, so I ripped the fabric into skinny strips and let the fringe show.  In addition to the main tree, I created individual branches in contrasting fabrics that are attached from the top of the box and descend into the interior. I also made a little rock for attaching pins, like my fun little bakelite parrot.

The way I went about making the tree form was by using armature wire, a very soft, bendable wire that is used in sculpture and can be found at art supply stores.  I simply bended it into the shape I was going for and made sure I created a little base that would allow it to stand.  In this case, bending the bottom into a tripod shape worked perfectly.

Once the shape was right, I started wrapping it with the strips of fabric, using hot glue to hold it secure at various spots.

The finished tree only took about an hour.   I think something like this would be cute sitting by itself on a dresser too.  And the same idea could even work with real branches wrapped in fabric or ribbon and placed in a vase.  Hmm, maybe I have another project to take on!