A curio box can be anything (it can even be a box!!)
Basically, it is an eclectic 3d arrangement inside of a container of some sort. There are billions and billions of ways to go about making one of these, but these are the general steps I follow when making one.
1. Pick a subject. Curio boxes look best when they have a theme of some sort. The theme can be as loose as "complimentary things that remind me of that time my family went to the Grand Canyon when I was eight" to as strict as "hummingbirds". It can be a more conceptual idea like "the feeling of green". It can be absolutely anything. The big deal with picking a theme is giving yourself a direction to go. Without this, I find curios to be somewhat boring little junk collections. The theme of the box in the picture is "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland".
2. Choose a container. This is where you will run into spending issues. I have seen curio containers range from gutted antique clocks all the way down to shoe boxes. I really suggest you choose a box that is fairly sturdy, it will need to be strong enough to hold up to the glue and weight of you items. In other words, don't use that shoe box. Containers could be old drawers from chests and nigh stands, cigar boxes, gumball machines, little wall shelf units, and you could even build one yourself. Basically, anything with a reasonable interior space. Consider the size of the container you are choosing. If you already have objects, will they fit inside? If you are getting objects, how many will you need. I prefer small curios, they draw an onlooker closer and encourage joyful discovery. They also require a lot less stuff. I used a wooden cigar box that I bought for way too much at an antique store. If you are doing this project casually, shop around, check your home, and maybe do a bit of dumpster diving (not that I told you to do it!)
3. Items. Ok, this is where things start to get difficult. I like to choose a centerpiece. This item is the thing that I cannot possibly imagine leaving out of the curio. It is the thing that encapsulates exactly what I want the curio to be. The centerpiece in the Alice box is the white rabbit. Once you have the centerpiece, look at all the other things you are wanting to put in the box. Look honestly. Seriously. What is the next thing that looks BEST with the centerpiece? For me, it was the old style Queen of Hearts. From those two pieces, pick a few characteristics. I chose "red/white" and "aging". The other items in the Alice box are a broken mirror and white roses that have been painted red. These two things are both recognizable symbols from the stories and share similarities with my main two pieces. I have also added a checkerboard (in this case, a chess board) that is segmenting and ripped up typed lines from the poem "Jabberwocky". You never want to add an item that is not somehow related to the others. You can have more items than me, you can have less. I made this curio with a time limit so it is not as full as it would have been had I been given more time. Don't get too literal with the themes and characteristics, the more out of the box you are, the more options you will have.
4. Arrangement. This is where the artsy freedom comes in. Do you like clutter? Do you like order? Which fits your theme? You can do it! I believe in you! Once you have an idea of how everything will fit together, get to gluing. I use Aleene's Tacky Glue. It is basically the best glue you will ever use. You can also use super glue or hot glue. If you use super glue, work fast! It is unforgiving. If you use hot glue, be careful about temperature changes around your finished curio, hot glue swells and retracts and will come loose.
5. Enjoy! Aren't you feeling artsy and fab? All together,m this project can cost under $10 or can be much more expensive. Be thrifty and be open, you can do this in any budget!
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