Cardboard Boxes Materials:
cookie cutter
thick chipboard or cardboard
single flute corrugated cardboard (ridges exposed)
tacky glue
any type of accessories, buttons, beads, jewels
Tip: When selecting a cookie cutter, choose a basic one with a larger lip on the upper edge. Metal cookie cutters can be used, but the paper choices will have to be thinner, since the lid difference can only be determined by the internal and external outlines of the shape. Wilton Industries has fitted cookie cutters that are perfect for making a series of nested boxes.
Steps:
1. Cut one box base, by tracing the inside shape of the cookie cutter. Cut one lid, by tracing either the far outer edge of the top of the cookie cutter or the outer edge of the shape. This latter will create a very tight fitting lid, so it would not be recommended for use with fabric or thick decoupaging concepts.
2. For the sides of the boxes, measure the length of the outer perimeter of both the lid and the base with the single flute corrugated. Add three extra corrugated ridges for seaming. The heights of the sides of the boxes are determined by the look of your box. Note: Once you get higher than three inches, you may start to lose the shape of more complicated figures. You can use wire to hold shape.
3. To seam a single flute for the closing of the shape or to extend the length for sides, peel back three to four ridges of the fluting from the back piece. Dab tacky glue onto the front and back of the two boards to be joined. Press the ridges on the front and back, and run your fingernail down the ridges to make a nice blind seam.
4. Decorate the sides, bottoms and tops of the lids and sides.
5. Glue the sides onto the base and lid. Run a bead of glue around the outer edge of the base or lid. Leave a small piece starting strips unglued to have a clean finish.
6. Peel back three layers of fluting on the end of the pre-measured strip.
7. Run the single flute around the edge, and put glue on the three stripped fluted shapes' edges.
8. Secure the shape closed.
Clay See-Through Box
Materials:
DAS air-dry clay
same shape cookie cutter set with three sizes - small, medium, large
rolling pin
pigment inks
clear embossing powder
primitive rubber stamps and blank stamping shapes
clear acetate, 5 mm or thicker
acrylic sealer
Steps:
1. Roll out the air dry clay to about 1/4 inch thick. Using the larger cookie cutter, cut out two large shapes. Peel away any excess clay.
2. Use the middle-sized cookie cutter to make a centered, 1/8 inch deep impression in both of the large clay cutouts.
3. Use the small cookie cutter to make a second, smaller, centered 1/8 inch impression on one of the clay cutouts. Repeat on the second cutout but cut out the shape instead of just making an impression. This creates the lid of the box. Let the clay dry on a flat surface. Turn the clay occasionally to keep shapes flat. Sand the shapes using a nail file or sandpaper to smooth out before finishing.
4. Once the clay had dried, use pigment inks to stamp the base and the lid with color designs. Seal the clay with acrylic sealer or sealer of your choice.
5. Cut two acetate strips: one two inches wide with a length equal to interior edge of the shape, and the other one 1-3/4 inch for the exterior edge of the base impressions plus 1/8 inch extra on both strips. The smaller strip will become the background interior shape, the larger, the exterior.
6. Stamp a line of characters across the larger strip. Emboss it with clear embossing powder. Don't put strip too close to the heat, or it will melt the plastic.
7. Turn the strip over, and add color behind images. Emboss again, being careful not to overheat either side.
8. For the interior strip, dab color all over then add details using lighter and darker shades of ink. Stamp in a defined pattern. Use contrasting colors with the front color scheme for the maximum depth perception. Emboss the front side then emboss the other side with a flat layer of color. Score the 1/8 inch extra as a seam to close the shape.
9. Place a bead of glue into the base impressions then run a finger over it to push the glue into the impression.
10. Insert the plastic strips into the glue-filled impressions of the dried clay base and allow the glue to dry. Repeat the gluing process to attach the open lid to the top of the acetate strips. If the lid doesn't fit well, mark and gently re-carve the impressions to accommodate the strips.
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