It’s that time of the year when tourists descend upon New Orleans like a bunch of drunk and shirtless locusts. Middle aged conventioneers with names like Stew and Skip take up with sorority girls, frat boys, and Lousianans alike in America’s spring break: Mardi Gras. Yes, it’s that time of year, but it isn’t all bad for the good people of NOLA — they get free jewelry.
And by jewelry, I mean beads.
Lots of beads.
Hippy Ti Yo beads!
Mardi Gras is the only holiday I know in which people throw shiny things off of floats and hang said shiny things on trees and doors and fences and anyone who will flash a tata or two. If anyone else knows of another free jewelry holiday, YOU LET ME KNOW, OKAY?
It’s been a few years since I have been to New Orleans for the season, but last time I prepared as best I could by grabbing beads enough for ten people plus half of Jackson Square. Plus, I get abuncha green ones around here every St. Patrick’s day, plus the occasional bag full of beads in the thrift store now-and-again…plus…well, put it altogether, and I am always stocked with a drawer full of Mardi Gras beads. No, literally, there is a drawer labeled MARDI GRAS BEADS. It comes in handy more often than you would think.
This year, considering Fat Tuesday is February 12, I thought it would be fun to mash it with its neighboring holiday—Valentines, on February 14. The end result is a glitzy chocolate box with Cajun flair that I can use to harness my sparkle tooth. Of course you could use it to give away cookies or homemade treaties…I have my sparkles to think of.
Like the creole dish they were named for, these boxes are an eclectic jumble of decadent elements. Jambalaya is also a popular song and a line dance (click here to learn en français!). The idea came to me after thinking of other songs to use describe this project. For a while I’d call them I Left My Heart in Louisiana Boxes but decided that would be too tacky. Not nearly as tacky as Cajun Stripper Boxes, (the beloved Doug Kershaw song), but that’s a personal call.
So, the question is, how do you make one of these nifty boxes for yourself? Read on!
What will I need?
- Heart shaped box, salvaged for free or buy new box (and eat all chocolates)— Target is selling these Snoopy Whitman sampler boxes for 99cents. Or you can also make your own.
- Thick white glue, $2.00
- Hot glue, 50cents (assuming you already have a glue gun)
- Mardi Gras beads, recycled for free or buy a dozen at the dollar store – $1.00
- Miscellaneous beads, salvaged from broken jewelry, etc
- Seed beads, $1.00
Total cost: $2.50 – $6.00
Total Time: 20 minutes to assemble, dry overnight
How will I make it?
After removing any bows or frills or extra fabric from the top of the box, rim the edge of the box in a single line of hot glue and beads.
Filling the heart is entirely up to you. It’s a jumble. Jambalaya.
I put the center focus on an old heart shaped collar tag, then scattered a few chunky pieces of faux turquoise, and encircled each piece in a single row of Mardi Gras beads. Then I used other larger, single beads to form bridges in between each cluster, then wound more plastic beads around those…eventually forming a thick path of beads the wound all over the heart. To fill in the gap spaces, I used a thick white glue and liberally sprinkled inexpensive seed beads. 12 hours to dry, and it’s ready to go!
You can tell the glue is still drying on this one as it’s not 100% clear just yet. In retrospect I probably could have painted the box beforehand, but who has time for that when they are staring at a giant pile of sparkly beads?
My mother used to keep her jewelry in a ruffly pink chocolate box. There was a crushed velvet rose on top and the inside was segregated into a grid of waxed cardboard dividers which made it great for earrings or small items. I’m very loosy-goosy with most of my jewelry, and none of it is real, but some of it is old enough that I don’t want them bumping around and losing stones. These little candy linersare just the thing!
That center heart piece was from the collar of my first cat, Sam. He was an all-white longhair kitty that weighed in at 22 pounds. I named him Sam after my childhood idol, Samantha from Bewitched.
So the good news is I now have four nifty boxes to sort and store my baubles. The bad news has made me hungry for the last thing I need right now — more beads.
Anybody else have some ideas on how to use up old beads?
This past weekend at a parade I was watching my tiny 20 month-old scooping up beads like a crazed woman, the stack around her neck would have mr. T proud, and thought, “man, Aunt Peaches would know what to do with all these dang beads”. You are like an answer to my prayers. Seriously.
In my youth I used to make rosaries for the missions with old beads. The nuns told us to find old necklaces at junk stores to take apart. We got points for making each one, so I made a lot.
Wow! Love those gorgeous little beads, and the heart shaped box is just perfect for valentine!
As a denizen of New Orleans, this is the perfect way to recycle the beads I will catch at parades this year. And then I will recycle those throws into awesome handmade throws for the parade I’m in next year, Chewbacchus. I’m planning on purchasing Valentine’s Candy Boxes on sale and eating the candy and then making these boxes. It really is a win-win situation. Please your sweet tooth and your sparkle tooth in one go.
I so enjoyed the Cajun Stripper video. Being a cajun from Lafayette, it made lonesome for the old days. Lots of good memories of cajun music, food, and good times. Wishing you lots of cajun music, food, and good times.
Sandi Leonard
You too Sandi! I’m two-steppin right there with you 🙂
so so pretty!!! Yes please…bring on the beads!
Those boxes are just gorgeous Aunt Peaches! No we have to go look up the Cajun Stripper,boy you really broaden our horizens!
so sparkly and pretty and just plain delicious to look at, Peaches!
We were at Chewbacchus this year, I can honestly say it was the best parade I’ve ever been to, we had so much fun! My five year-old (dressed as Han Solo, of course) was in 7th heaven 🙂
Wowwowwow, I love these to death! and using Sam’s collar heart as the centerpiece made me tear up. The boxes are beautiful, Peaches, and I so adore the photo of the jewels in crinkly candy liners.
Gosh, even seeing the word ‘jambalaya’ conjures up something pretty strong
Jambalay, a-crawfish pie, a-file gumbo! for to-night I’m a-gonna see my mi-cheri-me-o!
my dad used to walk around the house on Saturday mornings singing that song, thanks for bringing up the childhood memory – I think I need more mardi gras crafts!
Loving these boxes! They’re gorgeous and green 🙂 Here’s a feature of your project on my site http://www.designlifekids.com
http://www.designlifekids.com/2013/02/diy-design-mardi-gras-beads.html
Awesome!!!
Hey Peaches I told my husband I wanted chocolate next year just so I could make these boxes. Three words “FAB-U-LOUS”.
Peach I am making these for gift boxes and part of the gift for the ladies I am giving jewelry to next Christmas. I already made my list! LOL. Thanks for posting the box tute in case I cannot get candy boxes. You rock.
brilliant!
I linked to your tutorial on my blog – thanks for sharing!
♥, doro von Hand zu Hand
Just wanted you to know that Panda Hall is using your photo to promote their products on FB…
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=558892294217801&set=a.414646185309080.1073741829.413110212129344&type=1&theater
Uh oh…thanks for pointing that out. Why do they not include a link? grrr!