This is a class I’m teaching at GenCon50! Sugar skulls! Marigolds! Bread of the Dead! Learn all about Dia de Los Muertos while making a shrine that honors a loved one who passed away. Include images from famed muertos artist, Patrick Murillo. You will use papers, found objects, flowers, words, glitter, paint and more.
Cigar box, clean
craft knife
decorative scrapbook paper
acrylic paint
loose glitter
thick cardboard
Day of the dead image
Sculpey polymer clay (to make skulls)
1 strand of Mardi Gras beads
4 balls or blocks for feet
hot glue
dimensional squeeze paint
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- Use a craft knife to remove the lid from the cigar box and set aside.
- Cut a piece of scrapbook paper to fit as the background of the box. Use hot glue to attach.
- Paint the inner borders and quickly sprinkle on the loose glitter over the wet paint.
- Apply the La Catrina picture (figure A) to a piece of scrapbook paper to act as a border. Flip it over and glue a piece of thick cardboard to the back so it will give a dimensional look when in the box.
- Apply hot glue to the back and set the picture in the center of the box.
- Pinch off four dime-size pieces of clay and shape them into skulls. Bake according to manufacturer directions and then paint on eyes, nose and teeth. Let dry and then glue on in each corner of the box.
- Use the glue gun to attach the strand of beads around the edge of the box.
- Glue on a ball or black to each corner of the side of the lid that you had cut off earlier to act as the “feet” to the shrine. Let dry and then set it right-side up. This will be the platform that holds your cigar box shrine.
- Apply a generous amount of glue to the bottom of the cigar box and set it in the center of the lid.
- Decorate the outside areas with fancy papers and/or squeeze paint. Let dry.
Other examples of Day of the Dead shrines, I’ll have all the supplies you see here (except our shrine will be in a cigar box!)!
As always, you have some of the best craft projects! Keep it up!
Gorgeous, I love it!
Ohhhh, I love this cigar box. I have so many boxes lying around, I need to make one up like this! Thanks for sharing.
This is really cool. I love the layers of color and texture. MUY FANTASTICO!
xoxo
Madge
I dig this craft box- though I admit I cheated this year as far as creative projects are concerned. I ended up buying some masks from http://www.mychemicalromance.com/store
I’m kinda feelin’ guilty, so I guess I’ll have to endeavor in this project.
Yeah! LOVE this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!