Happy Thanksgiving!

A Tutorial Request - Paper Boxes

Someone left a comment on yesterday's blog post requesting a tutorial on the paper box that I had made.  So, here goes!  I do recommend that you read thru the entire tutorial before beginning your project.

Supplies needed:
box bottom - paper cut 8 3/8" square
box top - paper cut 8 7/8" square
insert for box bottom, if desired - 3" square
insert for box top, if desired - 3 1/8" square
embellishments for box top, if desired
bone folder, for nice, crisp creases
stamp pad and sponge dauber, if desired
adhesive of your choice

For the bottom of box, you will need a piece of 8 3/8" square patterned paper.  I'm using double-sided paper but single sided will work just as well.  Here is what I've chosen for the box bottom - "Alpine" from the Studio Calico Wonderland Collection.

For the box top, cut a piece of coordinating paper 8 7/8" square.  My box top is "Handknit" from the Studio Calico Wonderland Collection.  You don't have to use paper from the same collection but I would choose a coordinating color (we want our box to be pretty....don't we?)

Okay now take the paper that you've chosen as your box top, turn the WRONG side facing you and draw lines from opposite corners as shown (you'll end up with a big "X" which is very difficult to see in the photo below...sorry!)

Keeping the WRONG side facing you, fold each corner into the center of the paper, creasing with the bone folder that I'm sure each one of you has.  One corner done......

That 'X' is a little easier to see in the photo above.

Now fold and crease the other three corners.  When you are done, it will look like this - 

The next step is to fold the outer edge to the center, crease, and then open.  Do this on all four sides.  Confused?  First, fold the outer edge to the center and crease....like this

Now open it back up (you can see the crease at the bottom), 

Turn the paper 1/4 turn and do the same to that side.  (My first crease, which is hard to see, is now on the left hand side.)

After folding, creasing, and reopening the second side, turn the paper another 1/4 turn to fold, crease and reopen the third side.  And finally, repeat the same steps with the final (fourth) side.  When you get done with all four sides, your paper will look like this.

Alrighty, now fully open two opposite sides.  You should have something that looks like this.

Next step, bring the two folded (red above) sides upright and fold the open (blue above) ends up and into the box.  Here's where the fun begins with me trying to photograph this process.  I'll give it my best shot!  

Bring the two folded sides upright......

And then bring the open ends up and into the box......

Following are several photos that will hopefully prove to be helpful.

 

 

Finally.....a box top!

You follow the same steps with the paper for the box bottom.  The bottom will turn out just like the top (hopefully!) just a little bit smaller.  Here is my box bottom.

If you want to add an insert in your top and bottom pieces to hide the paper edges, you will need a 3" square to insert in the bottom and a 3 1/8" square to insert in the top.  I cut the bottom insert from the paper used for my box top.  The insert will fit in pretty snug but if you want you can also add a bit of adhesive so there is no chance for it falling out. 

 

Here is the bottom with the insert.

And the top with insert.

Put the box top on the box bottom and add embellishment to the top, if desired.  I decided to go with the December 25 stamp from the Stampin' Up Joyous Celebrations set.  I stamped using green ink on white paper, punched it out using the Stampin' Up 1" punch.  This was adhered to green cardstock on which I had used my Stampin' Up postage stamp punch.  Foam adhesives were used to "pop" this on the box top.

Some of your box edges may look a little "rough" from the creasing.  If you notice in some of the photos above, some of the edges have a white look to them.  This is from using paper with a white core.  If this happens, you can sponge around the edges of your box using an ink pad color that matches your paper. 

 

I hope this tutorial helps.  It was difficult at times trying to snap a photo with one hand and show a folding technique with the other hand.  If there are any questions, please leave a comment or email me and I'll do my best to answer.  So, on your mark, get set, GO! construct a paper box!

Paper Boxes

My friend, Judy, belongs to a needlepoint guild.  At their last meeting, they actually did a papercraft project - constructing paper boxes out of cute scrapbook paper.  While Judy is crafty in the needleworks area, she isn't quite so crafty in the papercrafts area (or so she says).  Anyhoo, instead of making her paper box, she brought the materials and instructions to *yours truly * to finish.

Since the paper for this project was 1) so cute and 2) not a part of my own personal inventory, I decided to try constructing a box using some of my paper.  If I happen to read the instructions wrong and end up with a lopsided box, I would prefer that it be done with paper from my stash and not with this cute paper that Judy entrusted to me........

Isn't this sewing-related paper adorable?  This particular paper is one-sided so the bottom of box will be made using the thimble paper and the box top will be the needle/thread paper.  How cute is that going to be?

But first, back to me making the box using *my* paper.  I actually used two-sided paper ('Tis The Season from Graphic 45's Christmas Emporium collection); however, I made the box (top and bottom) using one side and used the opposite side to line the box.

Let's see how it looks.  Here is the bottom of the box - 

And a similar looking top (this shows the inside of the box top) - 

To "finish" the top of the box, I added a strip of the inside lining paper and adhered a "joy" sentiment.  Let's see how it looks.....

Cute isn't it?  Okay now so how about the finished box using Judy's papers?  Well, since Tom and I are having Thanksgiving dinner with Judy and her hubby, I have decided that Judy and I will have a little papercrafting lesson after dinner.  I'm sure she will be excited about that ;o) - I will take a photo of the finished box and post it on a future blog....but until then, keep crafting!

Serene Sunday 11/24/13

A fine day to stay inside and craft!

While there is no snow blowing outside and it is not raining cats and dogs, the temperature is still frigid enough to entice me to stay indoors today.  And you know what that means........craft time!

A few months ago I stitched a little piece from the 2012 Just Cross-Stitch magazine annual Christmas ornament issue.  Today I finally got around to doing the finishing work on it.  Here is the finished ornament.

This is a Glory Bee design.  I stitched it over one on a high-count linen which made the stitched area approximately 1.75x2.25".  To finish it I blanket-stitched it to a piece of gold felt, added a button and

 ribbon hanger.

So what is keeping you occupied on this cool autumn day?

Sleigh Bells Ring

......are ya listening?

Supplies used:

Red cardstock and silver bells - Stampin' Up

Patterned paper and sentiment - October Afternoon:Make It Merry collection

Season's Greetings washi tape - Recollections - (Michaels)

A Last Minute Holiday Project

Today I decided to work on making some Christmas cards.  While looking thru my Christmas supplies,  I found this vintage looking 8x8 paper collection Make it Merry by October Afternoon.  Isn't it adorable??

Well, while thumbing thru the papers, I saw this one and immediately thought of a little "spread some holiday cheer" project that I would like to do.  

Normally, these numbers would probably be used for a Christmas Advent calendar papercrafting project and that is how I plan on using them......with just a little twist to it.  

Everyone likes to get snail mail, right?  Well, here is my plan.  

1.  Come up with a list of twenty-five random friends.

2.  Make up some really cute envelopes using Christmas-themed paper

3.  Place some little "treat/gift" in said envelope.

4.  Adhere one of these little numbered squares to outside of said envelopes, and

5.  Mail to said random recipient.

Sound like fun?  I think so.  Depending on where the recipient lives (either locally, a few states away, or even another country) I will mail the envelopes so they arrive close to the date (ideally they would arrive *on* the date) corresponding to the number on the envelope.  

I'll keep you posted!  Guess I better get my craft on.  December 1 will be here soon!

Serene Sunday

Jillibean Soup

No, Jillibean Soup isn't some new recipe - it is the name of one of my favorite paper craft companies.  Each of their collections has a soup name.  I've been working on some simple Christmas cards using Jillibean's Winter Tortellini and Spinach Soup collection.  Take a lookie.....

 

 

With the exception of the "Merry Christmas" sentiment (2nd card), gingham bow (3rd card) and the cardstock, all supplies used came from the Winter Tortellini and Spinach collection.  

Supplies used:  

Jillibean Soup - Winter Tortellini and Spinach Soup Collection:

6x6 mini pad

soup labels 

pea pod parts (12x12 die cut sheets)

bite size bits

Merry Christmas sentiment (2nd card) - Stampin' Up Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp Set

Cardstock - Stampin' Up and Bazzill Basics

Gingham ribbon - stash

Hope this inspired you to get your craft on.....along with a pot of homemade soup!

(Snail) Mail Call - Week of Nov. 3

An Ebay purchase - a book....what else!

A colorful "thank you" from a sweet soon-to-be five year old.

An open house invite from one of my fave gift shops.  The envie had one of these on it......

The new poinsettia forever stamp - how pretty!  

Serene Sunday 11/10/2013

CAS-Fridays Card Challenge (and one more Christmas card done!)

As I mentioned earlier this week, I am getting my Christmas card craft on....BIG TIME!  Maybe next year I won't wait until six weeks before Christmas to start making Christmas cards.  Here is a card that I made today - very quick and easy....which is just what I need.  I am entering this card in the CAS-Fridays Clean and Simple card challenge 119 - Embossing.

Supplies used:

Cardstock - Bazzill Basics Paper

Embossing folder - Cuttlebug Lace Tree

Gemstones - Hobby Lobby stash

Sentiment - Stampin' Up - Short & Sweet

Color My Wednesday

PINK!

  

What kind of pink treasures do we have??  

A pink baby pillowcase with embroidered kitten (this was a yard sale treasure...see detail below)

Vintage paperback copy of The Wind in the Willows (check out the closeup shot below....I love the illustrations.)

A postcard with pink heart-shaped flower petals (from a friend)

Another vintage item - a pink teacup and saucer set that I bought years ago in Maine at an antique shop.  When I saw the cats on the teacup, I was sold!  (see detail below)

Two vintage doilies.

A pink paper heart that says "happy february" (from a penpal)

A pink/white ceramic dish given to me about 35 years ago by one of my teenage friends (notice I didn't say vintage since that would also make *ME* vintage!)

A darling pink leather picture frame.  At the time I purchased it my first great-niece, Lexie, had just been born.  I knew Lexie's photo would be an adorable addition to the frame!

This pink-themed post has been much longer than prior "Color My Wednesday" posts.  As you can see in reading over the above list, some of the items have special meaning to me and I wanted to share my treasures with you.  Hope you enjoy!