Decorative Boxes

The cover photo of this book gives a good idea of some of projects covered. However, the scope is a bit wider than just boxes. For example, there is a chapter on making a game chest. Literally, you build a box with pull-out drawers. The drawers themselves on the inside are part of a game - such as a maze with a marble or another drawer becoming a chessboard w/ matching pieces (instructions also provided for making them out of wooden dowels).The author writes clearly and there are numerous line drawings detailing exactly what to do. There are also plenty of photos of the finished projects. Unlike some books that are mostly about decorating a box you already own this book is actually about how to make one and then decorate it. Some chapters discuss making various sizes of round boxes with corresponding lids (which actually turned out to be easier to make than I'd previously thought). One of my favorite projects in the book was making a series of progressively smaller crescent moon-shaped boxes that could be nested inside each other. Some of the boxes you can make include a pencil holder, tray with sloping sides, computer diskette holder, chinese boxes, various magic boxes, various sewing boxes, star-shaped boxes, a cotton holder and a diagonally opening box with drawers.The first few chapters discuss the materials needed as well as basic instructions with line drawings on making various types of boxes. The later project chapters then show how to further adapt them or how to decorate them similarly to the ones shown in each photo. Different methods and instructions are shown for fastening them shut (in addition to making a lid). Overall, this is a fun book and by the end you'll know how to make almost any shaped box you want for your own original projects.