How to Make a Treasure Chest Costume
- 1). Draw a line 2 inches from the bottom of a 24-by-18-by-24-inch cardboard box on all four sides. Cut along the line with a utility knife to remove the section. Cut the flaps off of the cutout section. Discard the flaps. You will be left with a 2-inch-tall band, the same size around as the box. The 2-inch cutout will become part of the chest's lid. The rest of the box will be the body of the chest.
- 2). Cut the flaps off the top of the box. Discard the cut-off flaps. Cut 9-inch circles in either 18-inch side of the box to create armholes. Position the circles 3 inches down from the top of the box. Discard the cut-out circles.
- 3). Cut a piece of cardboard from a second box measuring 24 by 18 inches to create the curved top of the treasure chest. Bend the rectangle into a curved shape, keeping the 24-inch sides flat and making the 18-inch sides curve. Apply hot glue to the edges of the 24-inch sides of the curved piece. Place the 2-inch band you cut out in step 1 on your work surface. Insert the hot-glued edges of the curved piece of cardboard inside of the 2-inch band, making the flat sides of the curved piece parallel with the bottom edges of the 2-inch band. Press the glued edges against the inside edges of the 2-inch band to create the chest's lid. Let the glue dry for three to five minutes.
- 4). Use the curved edge of the box top to trace an arch on a piece of cardboard. Cut out two arches and apply hot glue to the cut edges. Insert the arches into the underside of the chest's curved lid. Position them on either end of the chest top, against the open ends. Press the glued edges against the curved edges of the chest's top. Let the glue dry for three to five minutes. Once completed, these pieces seal off the sides of the chest's top.
- 5). Use spray paint to paint the box and create the chest top brown. Paint black lines across the box and top to create wood slats. Let the paint dry for three to four hours.
- 6). Attach two 2-inch metal hinges to the back of the treasure chest using hot glue. Position the hinges 4 inches in from both edges. Attach the other end of the hinges to the chest top.
- 7). Attach a swinging latch to the front of the box using hot glue. Place the hook onto the front center of the lid and the latch on the top center edge of the box bottom.
- 8). Cut two 12-inch pieces of twine. Attach the twine to the center edge of the box, right above the armholes, using hot glue. Attach the other ends of the strings to the inside center edge of the chest's lid. These strings keep the box top from flopping all the way open.
- 9). Cut two pieces of 18-inch-long brown or black ribbon. Hot glue the ribbons to the inside front and back edges of the box to act as shoulder straps. The exact placement depends on the width of your shoulders. You want the ribbons to rest on the center of your shoulders to support the box.
- 10
Dress in all brown, including pants, shoes, socks and shirt. Wear costume jewelry, including earrings, necklaces and a tiara to represent the treasure in the chest. Wear the treasure chest to finish the costume.
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