Decadent Rose Lina Cavalieri Beauty Box

There is something intrinsically satisfying about pouring in hours of work to create something beautiful. My newest collage jewelry box required hours of work, but I am so pleased with the results! 

This large, octagon-shaped jewelry box was originally salvaged from a second-hand shop, then sanded down and recreated into a one of a kind piece of functional collage art. This intricate, one-of-a-kind beauty box was inspired by a photo of Lina Cavalieri, who was frequently referred to during her time as the "world's most beautiful woman".

Here are some of the steps I took to create this upcycled collage jewelry box:

• The exterior of the jewelry box was hand-painted with two coats of rose acrylic paint and a light coat of ivory paint. I sanded down and distressed the surface between and after the coats of paint. Two coats of varnish was used to seal the paint and collage work.
• The bottom of the jewelry box was created by assembling various rectangles of decorative paper and vintage dictionary pages. 
• I glued vintage scrabble pieces that spell out the word "BEAUTY" with super-strong, craft contact adhesive. 
• The sides were decoupaged with vintage dictionary pages that were hand-stamped with black flowers. The trim has tiny, hand-cut paper hearts

Sometimes I enjoy creating things that require an almost pain-staking attention to detail. I also enjoy transforming ordinary objects into unique pieces of art. The goal to make something beautiful is always my strongest motivation. For me, beauty is food for my soul, the force that soothes suffering and brings me bliss. One of my most favorite quotes by D.H. Lawrence is, "The human soul needs actual beauty more than bread."