Making My Own Vintage Glitter Compact

I have been merrily collecting vintage powder compacts for at least a year now, and had been coveting the (quite expensive) vintage glitter powder compacts from the 1920s and 30s.  They go on Ebay for at least 200, maybe 300 dollars.  They are small, about 2 and a half inches across. 

They usually have a reverse-painted drawing of a lady, holding a fan or a puff.  The lady is painted under a glass dome, with glitter placed underneath.

I thought, how hard would that be to make?  Maybe not too hard?  I can have the lady be of paper, and the dome be made from Gel Du Soleil.  Gel Du Soleil is this fun plasticy gel that cures in UV light and makes a dome while it dries.  That would kind of simulate the glass-dome look.  So I thought I would try making a glitter compact.

The Paperclay is the stand-in for the metal, Bakelite or Celluloid plastic which is the lid and base of the compact.

So here's a picture of the result, and below it, the steps:

 First roll out a slab of paperclay, cut it into a circle, and find a jar lid.  

 

 

Press the top of the lid into the circle of paperclay to make the sides go up, and then carefully round and smooth the sides.  Don't press all the way to the bottom.  Let dry.

Then take out the lid. So there you have the base, that the lid will rest inside. 

Now take up the plastic lid.  You will be putting all the glitter and paper and gel on top of the lid.   This is not the lid I used, it is just for illustration purposes.  But, you could use this type of lid. 

 On top of the lid, spread glue, and then pour silver glitter all over so it covers completely.  Let dry.

Draw a picture of a lady on a piece of paper, using marker pen, and colored pencils.  I used printer paper because it was on hand but when I poured Gel du Soleil over it, it darkened and got a little grey.  That is ok, but thicker paper might stay whiter.  

So, then place the cut-out of your drawing on top of the glitter (you don't have to glue the paper down), and carefully pour Gel Du Soleil Gel over, after you place it carefully in a level space, in the bright sun.  The gel will be hard within minutes.  Pour in the center.  The gel will slowly move just to the edge, and stay put, covering the whole top.

The sides where the gel met the rim, are a little messy.  Maybe using a lid that has a tiny rim on top, might have made it a lot neater.  I then sanded and painted the paperclay a cream color to make it look a little like celluloid. 

Ok it blends in sort of, with my other Thirties compacts, and I did not have to spend 300 dollars!   It's not going to fool anyone.... but it satisfied my desire for a French glitter compact, with some of the look at least.