Tiny Boxes

by PC Smart
sandbox serendipity (my art blog)


(This was originally published as a guest blogger on the fiskateers blog - boxes, boxes, and more boxes)


Since I've been making a lot of jewelry pieces, I am having to purchase a lot of small boxes for giving them as gifts. I had always wanted to try a box template and spotted a funky one in the Shape Templates section of the Fiskars site. (http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_shapetemplate-tool-box-3.aspx ). I had one of their shape cutters but you can use the template without it. Instead of cutting with the cutter, just trace around the inside of the template and carefully cut the box template out. (I must admit it is easier with the cutter though) After a bit of practice on plain white cardstock, I was able to maneuver the Shape Cutter around all the curves without mishap (it is an intricate shape, I learned to take my time). I decided to use my scanner and printer to personalize the boxes (I just had to sneak some tech in there huh?) I laid some bead strands on my scanner bed with a piece of blue acetate behind them and scanned at 300 dpi to get a good background image (hey, beads inside the box – beads outside the box!). I cropped the image to the size needed (you can cut two of the box templates from one letter size page but you will need to also cut the bottom shape so plan on one box per page). After printing I laid the template on the paper and cut it out, using the shape cutter. After cutting, use a glue stick or double sided tape to adhere the tab to create a tube. I used small clips to hold it in place while it set. Follow the instructions carefully to loop all the tabs together to form the bottom of the box.
You will then need to cut out the 6 sided bottom piece using the template (in some of the boxes I used a contrasting paper while in others I used matching paper). Insert the bottom into the base, use a bit of double sided tape or glue stick to adhere completely.
After filling the box with goodies, loop the top together to close. I added a small tag to the box by punching a small hole in one of the top tabs and attaching with string.

After making the ‘basic box’ , I was inspired to keep going. I printed “Happy Birthday” over and over on an inkjet transparency and created a box from that. I think it would be really cool to create these for baby showers or kids parties. You can print words or images on the transparency – just be sure it will align correctly when it is put together.


Speaking of alignment, the orange box with the black cats took a bit of figuring out. First I took the scoring template (included with the shape template) and scanned it into Photoshop Elements, then I added the cat images exactly where I wanted them to be on the box. Then I hid the layer with the template on it and printed the cats onto orange cardstock. When I aligned the Shape Template over the cats, it allowed me to fold the box having a cat centered on each box side. I used the same basic principle for the vellum box. Instead of creating the entire box in orange cardstock, I made it from pearlized vellum. I then cut the strip with the cats on it and folded it into the inside of the box. This allowed the orange cardstock/cat image to appear on the interior of the box behind the vellum. You could also use the same method for stamped images you want to add to the box by using the scoring template to align the images where you need them to be.


The last box I made utilized the “cut out windows” on the template. I used a clip art image of fall leaves and printed it out on photo paper. After I cut the main box shape, I cut out diamonds on each box side. I then inserted orange handmade paper inside the box so it would show through the windows, giving it a Chinese lantern effect. After making all these boxes, I started to think of different ways to use them. In addition to great gift/goody boxes, they would make great holiday ornaments or even small lanterns on low wattage Christmas light strands. You could make them from craft metals and use them as tea light holders. The possibilities are endless…..now if you would excuse me, I think I need to make a few more ….. they are addictive!