Off to Disney - Surprises for the Boys!

I have had SO much fun creating some surprises for my boys on our Disneyland trip this week!  I thought I would share them over the next few days.

 First of all I knew that they would LOVE the new animal designer series paper, so I themed everything I'm giving them with it!  Check back here every couple of days, and I'll show you what I made, and how I made it!

First off, we have two plane rides coming up, and you know how little boys' tummies get on trips - HUNGRY!  I found this idea on Splitcoast from Tracy Harp - THANK YOU TRACY!  She has a tutorial on her blog as well - check it out for an alternative way to make it using the colluzzle. I just HAD to modify it a bit for punches, and make it for my boys (the R & T are for Ryan and Tyler).  Isn't it ADORABLE?!  They are going to flip when they each get one, filled with crackers and other goodies (no candy for us, but lots of healthy treats!)  Tracy is so clever to have come up with this, I think! They are SO easy to make - here's how!

Assemble the following pieces of cardstock/Designer Paper:

• One 8" x 10.5" piece of cardstock for basic colour of box (in my case, choco chip)
• Coordinating Designer Paper for sides of box: (I used the new 'Tall Tales' Designer Paper!)
  
  Note: 13/16" is just the tiny line immediately following any 1/4" measurement.  I find that a 1/4" mount is a little too 'chunky' for many of my projects, and a 1/8" mount is a little too tiny.  It just figures that the option that is perfect is so persnickity!  If you find it too much so, just substitute every 3/16" measurement for 7/8" instead. :)  Also - remember to look at your paper first, so you know which direction you want the images to be oriented!
  
  
  • 2 Pieces for Front & Back: 4-13/16" by 2-13/16",
  • Top Piece: 1-13/16" x 4-13/16"
  • 2 side pieces: 2-7/8"" by 1-13/16"
  • Front Flap: 4-13/16" by 5/16" (3/8" if you can't do the 5/16"!) - It's easiest to cut it from a large piece of paper, and then eyeball the perfect size.
  • One 3" x 2.5" piece of Acetate (medium weight)
  • scrap of white cardstock

Other Supplies You Will Need:

• One 15" length of thick, medium-width ribbon (I used the new Crushed Curry polka dot grosgrain from the new catalog!) Use 16" if you are not dexterous.
• 2 Jumbo Eyelets
• One 5/16" brad
• Wide Oval Punch
• Large Oval Punch
• Linen Thread
• Tiny word messages stampset (I used the Brand New "Teeny Tiny Wishes' set from the, you got it, new catalog!) :)
• Metallic eyelets (normal size)
• 1/2" circle punch
• Cropadile
• Scoring Tool (I used my Fiskars paper cutter/scorer)
• Sticky Tape and/or Tombow - please note, no snail or gluestick on this project - this is a heavy duty adhesive project, as are most 3-D projects, and it needs super-strength

Here goes!

Step 1 - the 8" x 10.5" Cardstock Piece:

1. Score 10.5" side at 3", 5", 8" and 10" 
2. Score 8" side at 1-1/2" and 6-1/2"
3. Cut flaps as shown (blue lines show cuts, pencil shows score), and cut off striped blue areas completely (from tiny scoreline side)
4. Fold scorelines - remember to always fold AWAY from the area you just scored - the 'valleys become peaks!'
5.  At this point, I usually do a dry run (no adhesives) just to make sure I scored everything correctly, and the box goes together well.  I may adjust an edge if it is going to show too much..
   
   Note: I accidentally took the pic of the cutting diagram backwards from the pic of the actual cardstock - SORRY!  You'll have to reverse it in your head!

Step 2 - Adhere Decorative Paper to Box Front & Back, paying careful attention to which direction your paper design goes!

1. If this is often where you mess up (i.e. the paper is upside down when you are done), keep in mind that the BOTTOM of your design should face the middle on this project, so the one closest to you is upside down, and the one with the 'lid' edge is right side up, if you lay it out as shown here

Step 3: Create Window

• Using Wide Oval Punch, punch hole in front of box (the bottom panel without the lid) as far down as punch will go. 
  
• Using sticky Strip, adhere window to BACK of hole you just punched (as in NOT onto designer paper!) - save punched out piece for tag
• Kid Tip: if your kids are ANYTHING like mine, make sure you use sticky strip ALL around the edges of the window, as who knows WHAT they will be putting inside of it, and Lord knows we don't want it coming out!  ;)
• (apologies - I forgot to do this step when I was making these - so I had to take a pic using the cutting diagram - hope it makes sense!)

Step 4 - Assemble Your Box

1. I use sticky strip - it's the easiest to put things together.. just peel and stick!
2. The short flaps go first, and then the flaps closest to the 'lid', and finally the front flaps fold over both of the others, so you get the best visual from the front
3. I put sticky strip as follows, to get the most effiecient use of strip while still getting all areas stuck down that I wanted to. :)
   1. Tip #1: Where sticky strip is called for on two flaps in a straight line , just use one strip across, and then cut it when you are finished in between - it's faster!
   2. Tip #2: When adhering Sticky Strip and boxes, you have one shot, so you have to get it right the first time.  To adhere that last flap, lay the box flat on it's side (on one of the edges you are adhering), and line it up as you go.  It reduces wiggle! 
4. NOTE: I forgot to put the window in first, so this doesn't show it with one - yous should have the window punched BEFORE you put it together!

Step 5: Adhere Remaining Designer Papers to Box

Step 6: Create 'Lid Lock'

1. Mark 2.5" midpoint on flap of lid with Pencil
2. Using 1/2" Circle Punch, line it up so that the edge and that dot are centred in the circle
3. Holding the flap down, mark that midpoint again with your pencil
4. Using the Cropadile on the smaller of the two holes, punch a hole on that mark 
5. Place a 5/16" Brad into that hole, leaving it a bit loose, so that the lid can 'lock' under it - play with this a big - you'll get a feel for the right tightness.

Step 7: Create the Handle

1. Mark 1" in the middle of each side LIGHTLY with a pencil on the inside of the box(you will have to erase this later)
2. Punch with the BIG HOLE of the Cropadile on each side
3. Set with a Jumbo Brad
4.  Double knot one end of your ribbon
5. Thread ribbon from inside of box to outside on one side.
6. Thread ribbon back into box on the other side from around the back, and double knot inside on end

Step 8: Make the Tag

1. Stamp a tiny message and punch it out using the large oval punch (remember to punch upside down so you can see what you are doing!)
2. Adhere to the wide oval punch you punched out from the front of the box while making the window
3. Punch a small hole with the cropadile, set a regular sized eyelet, and thread linen thread through it, attaching it to the handle

That's it!  Hope you enjoyed it!!!  I can't wait until my kids see theirs!  I'll try to get a shot of them filled up, so you can see that too!  I plan to fill them with little plastic resealable baggies inside, so we can keep contents fresh - I will refill from a 'master bag', but that way I have discretion over how much they eat of any one thing!  LOL  - I'll let you know how it goes!!! 

Tune in in a couple of days, and I'll show you more projects I made for the trip!

Comments

[Natasha]

Great Tutorial....thanks for the inspiration.. : )