Is your Mother a drama queen? Chances are, no. But we bet she would still enjoy an evening at the theater.

Check out how designer Daniela Costa transformed a Ready-to-Go! Shadowbox into a “Dramatic Theater.” How perfect an “envelope” this would make for your expression of love and appreciation as well as a place to tuck in some actual tickets. After all those years of sweeping after you it’s time to sweep your Mom off to say… dinner and a show?

To take a class from Designer Troupe member Daniela Costa, check out www.theartlife.typepad.com

Dramatic Theater
Designed by Daniela Costa

Materials:

• Ready-to-Go!® Blank Board Box 5” x 7 1/4” x 2 1/8” Shadow Box
• Pale Pink and Turquoise Paint
• Golden –Gold Glaze
• Gesso
• Theater Collage Sheet for Front and Inside Cover
• Paper for “floor” of Theater
• 4 -1 ½ inch wooden spools for bottom of theater
• 4 inch round mirror for inside of Theater
• Angel for Top of Theater
• Picture of Ballerina
• Various Ribbons
• Kraft Knife
• Sandpaper
• 2 “ clay pot
• Craft moss
• Mini flowers

Instructions:

1. Cut out front Theater frame from Collage Sheet. Cut out middle of frame. Place onto top of box and trace opening with pencil. Cut out opening with kraft knife to make window. Use Sandpaper to smooth edges.
2. Paint entire box with pale pink paint. Let Dry. Once dry, cover entire box with golden glaze to give it the shinny antique finish.
3. Paint flowerpot with gesso and brush turquoise paint around it making sure some of the white gesso shows through. Place moss and flowers in pot. Set aside.
4. Trim “back panel paper” for back of theater as necessary and adhere to back of theater. Cut black and white harlequin floor from collage sheet and adhere to floor. Be sure to cut slits at the sides so you can fold the “floor” down onto the front of the inside of box.
5. Cut Ballerina from collage sheet. Adhere gold wings to back of ballerina. Fold Gold sheer ribbon in half and adhere to back of ballerina. Using a kraft knife, make a hole at the middle of the top of the box. Pull ribbon holding ballerina through hole until you can see your ballerina through the window of the front of the box then tie in place. Adhere oval mirror to back panel of theater.
6. Adhere front theater frame to front of box. Adhere gold corner pieces to top corners of box. Adhere red Berwick theater tickets and gold star to front of box. (Don’t’ glue them it they are real!)
7. Cut out curtains from collage sheet. Please notice that you are only using the top portion of the curtains. Cut away the rest and discard. Cut out black and white harlequin floor and adhere to bottom of box. Make sure to cut slits so that the paper wraps down the front. Take curtains and using color pencils shade the curtains in pink. Adhere to front of inside of box.
8. Adhere gold trim to top of inside of box. Place bling chain onto trim. Tie a bow with black sheer ribbon and adhere to front top of box. Tie burgundy lace around front of box. Using sandpaper “grunge up” the white angel. Color angel with pencils. Adhere mini mushroom bird to palm of hand of angel. Adhere angel to top of box, and tie turquoise sheer ribbon around the neck.