Gelli print collaged storage box

I bought this storage box at a yard sale.  I thought it would make a nice travel box for some of my art supplies. It is very lightweight and a nice size.

I gessoed it first, before collaging it, because sometimes the gelli prints on deli paper are somewhat translucent and I didn't want the original colors peeking through. I did brush on some paint colors while I was gessoing.

Then, I collaged different gelli prints on it, both on the inside and the outside. All of the papers are gelli prints, mainly on deli paper, but there are a few on thicker paper as well. I used Matte Medium to adhere my papers, but it did create a few wrinkles on some of the larger pieces of paper. I wasn't too worried about a few wrinkles, as most likely anyone that sees it will say, "cool box" and not "look at that wrinkle!". I like to put the matte medium on the box and the backside of the paper, put the paper on the box, and then apply medium over the top of the paper.

Front Side. The paper on the right is made with one of my favorite stencils, Julie Fei Fan Balzer's Aboriginal.

Back Side. The cacti landscape is a stencil I made from a photo, you can see the blog post showing how I made it here.

The gelli printed face in the interior was from a stencil that I made from a picture of myself.  Here is the blog post showing the stencil (and the coneflower stencil that is on the front of the box). To make the stencils, I put a piece of Mylar over the enlarged photo, traced the outlines with a pencil, and then cut it out with scissors and an Xacto knife.

I did apply a coat of Dorland's wax medium on the box, once the matte medium was dry.  Mainly this was so the box wouldn't seal itself shut, or pull up paint or paper when it is opened and closed. It was the first time I'd used the Dorland's wax, which is oil/solvent based. I just applied it with a lint free rag, and after a few days I buffed it with a clean rag.  The box seemed kind of waxy and greasy when I first applied it but it is just fine now, and the lid doesn't stick so it did the job.

I love it and it fits a bunch of stuff (I just threw in a few things)!