"Exploding Box" Class...

Exploding Box Class - "An Exploding Year" - by Anso

Please feel free to use these instructions to make your own boxes. You are free to link to this page from any forum etc if you wish. Please do NOT copy this information and/or photos to use for your own classes/forums/webpages without permission. Please also note that I'm not claiming that I have invented the exploding box, but these simple step-by-step instructions and photos are mine.

Class Supply list:

For the box you will need:
* 3x 12x12 sheets of cardstock

For the lid you will need:
* 1x 12x12 sheet of cardstock (though this can be A4 also, you only need a 6 ¼”x6 ¼” piece)

Tools:
* trimmer
* scissors
* scoring tool, like a bone folder etc, or the scoring blade if you have a Zision trimmer or similar
* glue (I would recommend double-sided tape PLUS a wet glue like Glossy Accents, Diamond Glaze etc)
* 4 paperclips (to hold card in place while drying) – optional
* corner rounder – optional
* inkpad for edges of card - optional

I would recommend that your four sheets are either exactly the same colour, or different shades of the same colour. Of course, if you want more of a rainbow effect (!) you could use four sheets of totally different colours. I have used two different shades of green Bazzill. The class with mainly focus on how to make the exploding box itself. However I will also supply some photos of my finished box.

If you wish to continue after the class and decorate your box you will need: about 5-6 sheets of co-ordinating patterned paper (assuming you want to cover the “pages”) up to 26 small photos (assuming: one on each “flap”(front and back), one in the middle of the box and one on the top of the lid) ribbon to go around the lid (optional) any other embellishments etc that you want to use. The class is called “An Exploding Year” because my box will feature “random” photos from the past year…so it’s kind of like a summary of a “year in a box”.

First of all – please don’t be put off by how long the instructions are. It’s only because I have made them VERY simple and step-by-step with lots of pictures. Making the box and lid (not decorated) only took me 30 minutes. And then I had to stop all the time to take photos of the different stages.

Normally I work in metric, but for making this box it’s actually easier to make it using inches…so that’s what we’ll do. Ready?

1. First we’ll do the box itself. Take your three sheets of cardstock and cut them as follows:

• one sheet to 9 x 9 inches
• one sheet to 8 5/8 x 8 5/8 inches
• one sheet to 8 ¼ x 8 ¼ inches


2. Now score each sheet according to the measurements below. You score on all four sides (see photo below).

• score the 9 x 9 sheet, 3 inches in from each side
• score the 8 5/8 x 8 5/8 sheet, 2 7/8 inches in from each side
• score the 8 ¼ x 8 ¼ sheet, 2 ¾ inches in from each side


3. Following your scored lines, cut off all four corners on all three pieces.


4. At this point (and this is optional) you might want to ink the edges (don’t forget to do both sides!) and/or round the corners.


5. Now you need to glue together your pieces. It’s easiest if you start by putting the smallest piece on to the middle piece and then the medium (+smallest) piece onto the largest one. I would suggest you use double-sided tape for this. You ONLY put your tape/glue on the MIDDLE square. Like this:


…and don’t forget you do NOT need glue on the back of your largest piece. Once you have put them together, you should end up with something looking like this:


6. Fold up the edges of your scored lines.


7. Now you can put the box to one side. It’s finished for you to continue decorating now or later. Onto the box lid:

8. Take your piece of cardstock for the lid and cut it to: 6 ¼ x 6 ¼ inches

9. Now score the lid, 1 ½ inch in from each of the four edges.


10. Right, this might be a bit tricky to explain in words, but the photo below should help you. TURN YOUR CARD OVER and you need to score from the tip of each corner, diagonally, until you meet your scored “corner” lines. See photos:



11. Fold all your scorelines and pinch the corners and fold them inwards. See photo:


12. Glue the corners in place. I found that double-sided tape was NOT strong enough for this (it holds for a little while and then lets go) so I would recommend a wet glue, something like Glossy Accents or Diamond Glaze for this. You can either hold the corners for a little minute until the glue is dry enough to hold the corners in place, or you can use some paperclips to hold the corners in place while drying.


...your lid should now be finished and look like this:


And your finished complete box should look something like this:


If you want to continue decorating your box, I would recommend the following measures for your paper (I’m swapping to metric now since it’s easier to be more exact):

• one 7,5x7,5 centimetre square for the top of the lid
• one 6,5x6,5 centimetre square for the centre inside your box

• eight 7x7cm squares for your largest “pages”
• eight 6,7x6,7cm squares for your medium “pages”
• eight 6,5x6,5 cm squares for your smallest “pages”

Round your corners and/or chalk your edges if wanted.

I have used Chatterbox papers for mine and this is what my box looks like decorated:



I have used small photos in mine. I used 20 photos in my box. One on each page (not on the lid, centre square, or the four sides that makes up the outside of the box) and I printed my photos: 8 photos to a 15x10cm photo (6x4 inches). Very easy if you have an Epson PictureMate. Each little photo measures: 5x4 cm.

And here is my finished box:

I hope you have enjoyed my class and thank you so much for taking it!

Anso