If you follow my blog, you will know that besides DIY I also love to do mixed media art.  I am always on the lookout for interesting items that I can turn into unique home decor by giving them a mixed media art makeover. On a recent visit to our local markets, I spotted this jelly bean dispenser in one of the junk boxes.  I knew straight away I would be giving, this jelly bean dispenser a steampunk makeover.

My idea was to give this jelly bean dispenser a mixed media art makeover by adding layers and embellishments.  I thought it would look great sitting on a bar room counter.

DIY Steampunk jelly bean dispenser

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Find a jelly bean dispenser

I googled this dispenser for inspiration and it came up as a rare dispenser from 2007 and was worth a lot more than the $5 I paid.  The estimates were from $35 to $85 so I do know my makeover will decrease its value. The surface of this jelly bean dispenser is metal so if I do change my mind I can simply remove everything. If you don’t have a dispenser here are some you can buy.

Making the textured background

To make the background I used cardstock which I embossed using an embossing machine. You can pick up these machines for under $100 and you can buy so many different embossing folders for a few dollars to match your theme. This machine is so easy to use, you just load the card into the folder and pass it through the machine using the handle.

Next, you cut the card to size and glue it into the recesses and all the sides. To make it more interesting you can use different embossing folders.

I had lots of these little skulls which I had in my Halloween decorations.

I glued one to each corner and thought I could add the leftover ones to the inside.

You can also add some trim around the top. I found this one for a couple of dollars at my local budget store.

Making the embellishments

All my embellishments are made using silicone moulds.  I do have a box with embellishments that I have already made using resin.

If I am just doing a small project and want it done quickly like this one. Instead of waiting hours for the epoxy resin to dry I use hot glue to make them.

The embellishments were glued on top of the textured surface. If you are interested in the steampunk man mould it is a stamperia product.

To make the sides look more interesting I added some broken chains, metal charms, and beads.

I made each side different.

Painting the jelly bean dispenser

Next, you can paint the surface black using acrylic paint. In the past, I have always used black gesso to paint my mixed media projects. Gesso was always my first choice because it seemed to be thinner and easier to apply.  But the downfall was the finish was very dull and I had to apply a  clear polyurethane to get the surface to pop.

But lately, I have found that if I find the correct acrylic paint this step is not needed. I must also share that it is the cheaper brands that I have found that work the best.

Once your paint has dried you can apply your metallic-coloured wax paste.  I used gold for this dispenser. To apply the wax you touch the surface of the wax and rub your finger lightly over the surface.

Finally, I cleaned out the inside and put the globe through the dishwasher before adding the jelly beans.

I added a few close-up photos of all the sides.

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