Explosion Box

This is the Explosion Box when lid is on

This is a close up of the lid.  The lid holds the box together.

When you take the lid off, the sides "explode" out and lay flat.

This week on Joan's Gardens Challenge #3, she is asking us to make a box.  The box is to include flowers, a flourish, and a butterfly.  I decided to make a style of box I have not made before.  The box is made out of a sheet of 12x12 inch card stock.   I am not going to go into a lot of detail at this time.  I am sure everyone will want a tutorial and will do that later.

Nestabilities dies were used for the three layers on each square for all the sides (inside and out) and for the lid.  Nesties sure made it easy.  The white card stock was embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder.  To decorate the box I decided to make vellum flowers.  I made twelve small vellum flowers.  For the larger flowers on the lid and the center of the inside, I used the Tim Holtz Tattered Flowers die.  For Christmas I received one of the new Ranger "Vegabond" die cutting machines.  Gosh do I love it!   I cut long strips of vellum and folded the strips the width of the flowers I wanted to use (I used the two smallest flowers).  I think I cut 5 or 6  of each at one time.  They went right through the Vegabond with no trouble.  The machine is electric so is so easy to use.  I used a Cuttlebug die to cut the large leaves (also on the Vegabond).  They were all cut at one time too. The flourish was cut using the Tim Holtz Flourish die and the branches, as you know, are punched with a Martha Stewart punch.  All the flowers were made as I explained on my vellum flower tutorial here, then everything arranged and attached to the box.  

The greeting, on the inside, is part of a Heartfelt Creations Inspire Me Sentiments stamp.  I only wanted the word "Love"  from the sentiment  It was cut out with a Nestie heart die, sponged with pink ink, and each scallop pierced before attaching with a dimensional.  Two bows were made - one for the inside and one for the lid. 

On the outside of the box, a Martha Stewart punched heart was added to all four sides.  A Martha Stewart punched border was added around the lid.  The last thing added was a Martha Stewart "Monarch" butterfly.

I didn't have any written instructions for creating this box so I must admit, it took me a good part of my day to create it.  I am very please with the way it turned out.  I am sure the next one will go together much quicker. 

I want to let you know that Joan has all the supplies for making the vellum flowers in stock - the small Martha Stewart punches, the Tim Holtz Tattered Flowers die, and the colored vellum.

I hope you will join us in the challenge at Joan's Gardens.  Please go to her blog to read all the details about the challenge.