Tea box order

My first order in São Paulo to make a few boxes! This gives me hope that my 'business' of box-making may start sooner than later! This order is for a tea box and two jewelry boxes with a glass lid.

The lady that ordered the boxes has lived in Burkina Faso for some time and has fond memories of those years. I happen to have quite a few African batiks and she choose one of them to cover the tea box with.

As some of you have asked me before how I make the boxes, I made a few pictures along the way.

The measurement of the box is 25 x 22.6cm by 8.5cm total height and I used 3mm board for the outside box. One piece of fabric is used to cover the whole box. First, the bottom part is covered with the fabric and than the top part. The very last part to be covered with fabric is the back side.

By using one piece of fabric you get a playful combination of the colours in this fabric.

When I make a box with an elevated lid, I always make an inside box, also called a neck, with thin spacers in between the outside box and the neck. This makes the lid close smoothly over the neck. Are you still with me? ;-)
The thin spacers are made out of 1mm board and are slightly shorter then the bottom box itself. The ribbon is put into place as well as the paper for the bottom. 

After this the neck is cut to measurement from 2.5mm board and sticks out 1.5cm above the outside bottom box. This gives a nice colour contrast and keeps the lid in place on top of the bottom box.

As a 'handle', a bead of stone is put in the middle of the lid with some wire. Sorry, I am very bad at remembering the names of stones, put the colour is a deep warm yellow. 

I am almost there! Last thing to make is the   dividers to make 9 compartments for the teabags. These are also cut out of the 2.5mm board and covered with the same paper I used for the inside bottom. Finished! Were you able to follow me?

I hope she likes it! Now I have to make two more boxes, this time with a glass top...

Ciao from Brazil, Hilde