AI am thinking of making a jewellery box cake for my mums 50th and have a few questions, best way to get stiff lid? Best way to get a mirror type effect, eg what to use? How to make jewellery? Any tips on how to premake a string of beads/pearls. Generally any advice at all on best effects, or any ideas or links please?? :)

you can make a gumpaste or a 50/50 lid.  If you go onto royal bakery fb page she has how she did one for a box in her notes.  I've used a thin cake layer covered in fondant on a cake board.  I know others have made lids out of rice Krispy treats too which is lighter;  Some people cover  styrofoam for a very light lid.

That's what I use - foamcore covered in fondant - then I use a real mirror from the craft store, and wooden door knobs for the jewelry box feet, the only edible part is the square box and the candy necklaces & rings.

Thank you very much all, I wanted to try and achieve 100% edible. Might try the rice crispy treats covered in fondant. If anyone has any ideas on how to premake strings of beads that would be great. I ideally wanted to make all the jewellery before. I am quite good at small work so thought I might make a few rings and hand cut a few gemstones and use confectioners glaze to make them shiny. Any one know of any sort of edible string you can get?