A few weeks ago I wrote a little blog about how to put a liner in a coronet so that it will fit better, and I mentioned that another thing that I usually do is make a storage box for the coronet. At first I thought, how many people actually need a box for a coronet, but then I thought well lots of people need a custom storage box!

Over the years I have made storage boxes out of all sorts of containers – sturdy cardboard boxes, cigar boxes, plastic containers, the “tubes” that good whiskey comes in – basically just about anything that was the correct size for the project. My initial interest in this area was because I enjoyed covering boxes with fabric or twine and making them look cool (that is another blog), but then I started trying to make storage that was better quality on the inside.

Most of the storage containers that I have customized recently have been made using the inexpensive wooden boxes that are available at the big box stores. The most important thing, of course, is to make sure that the container is the right size. Now this may seem simple, but you need to consider how much “extra” space you need in the container. Does the item that needs to be stored have accessories that will also need to be stored? Is there enough room for padding? How fragile is the item, and how generous does the padding need to be? Are you planning to line the inside of the lid as well as the inside of the bottom of the box?

Once you are certain that you have the right sized storage box you will need some additional supplies. The big decision is how rigid the interior of the container will be. When I make a box for any sort of crown, headpiece or tiara I usually use sturdy foam that comes in 1 inch thick sheets from Home Depot. I started using this material because I had some left over from another project, but having used a couple of other types of material it is now my preferred foam. It cuts well with a sharp knife and can easily be covered with fabric.

Some folks prefer foam rubber type products. I have not found a way to make this sort of “foam liner” pretty. If you are just looking for a box that will hold something securely, especially something fragile, soft foam can be an excellent choice.

When you are choosing your interior materials you need to decide how you will hold them in place. I prefer a high temp hot glue gun. Before I work with any material that I haven’t used before I always check the glue to make sure that it will stick and not melt the foam or fabric.

So grab your thinking cap, and your supplies and start planning out your new storage box.