Tyra Smith, Cloud 9, Tips & Techniques

Box Decorating

E.E.C. deMars fligamapoof@juno.com
DECORATING IDEAS

Use duplex (different color on each side, also nice and heavy) If you can find this in "parent sheets" it is HUGE and you can make nice size boxes. It is not cheap, but well worth it for really sturdy boxes. Fun to open one that's green outside and white confetti inside. Also with duplex or two different cs, make top one color turn inside out for bottom.

On dark matte cs, stamp with white embossing inks, will dry after a little while. This is especially nice with a small stamp to make an overall design-keep turning stamp so designs don't all go in same direction and go off the edges with the stamp. Another idea is to make a plaid with markers on light cs. Use Midori-type ribbon to tie a bow-these are so filmy. Make a couple holes with punch at corner of pillow box, put ribbon through and tie. Use lots of this to make a generous bow and add extra for four tails. Stamp a design in each square or section of a box, outline sections with stitch lines. Have tabs show on outside of box-decorate them and add a button, bead, charm to hold them shut instead of gluing could even extend the tabs or cut them a little curved, with fancy scissors, etc.

Make an open box special by adding a cs, ribbon, twine, etc. handle. Layering, collaging etc. can be done on boxes. Cover a box lid made of black glossy cs with new pennies, nickels or dimes for a bright look-make this a detachable "fake" lid by just attaching at corners with ribbons, wire, etc., then box isn't destroyed when coins are removed. Cut a hole in the side of a box in any shape-geometric, heart, star, animal, vegetable...Put a clear baggie behind it with goodies in, put a piece of acetate in hole, put a craft paper bag behind that you've stamped small design on. Use pretty scissors and punches to decorate-I often fold over the flaps and punch all along an edge or two, then use pretty tissue inside. A plain little craft paper bag can become wonderful if rollagraphed or stamped all over, cut edges with fancy scissors, fold over top, punch holes and tie a bright ribbon through. Small white bags with handles (make the bag and handles yourself by wrapping paper around a box similar in size to what you're wanting bag to be, then fold one end in as if wrapping a present and glue side and end-use ribbon, twine, etc. for handles) are fun to decorate-make a "bib" that goes over handles. A really fun box is plain old square or rect. but add a lift up lid on top of it (glue an extra piece on or if you eliminated the end flap of the lid and extended the lid to be twice as long, it could be folded back and would be a lift up part. Have seen this done using pop up card techniques, and also with a shaker card under the lid. It might take a bit of working out, but that's half the fun. Or just add a card to fit the top of your box. Add a sleeve to a box-just make another box a little larger and eliminate all the flaps and lids. I often enlarge and shrink patterns, and if I want a sleeve I just enlarge it 1-2% and that should do it. This is really cute with windows in the sleeve-either open or with lift up flaps (like on those advent calendars you can buy). One of the prettiest and fun boxes a friend showed me is with a sleeve over a pillow box-sleeve was of vellum with white on white embossing. Dark cs was used for the box, a hole was cut in the box part, so when you slipped off sleeve, treat was exposed-be careful or it'll fall out so maybe want to wrap it in cellophane or tissue. Also, a Midori ribbon in similar color to cs was slipped up one side of sleeve and tied in a generous bow. This is a "WOW" type box. If you cut a 3-4 inch circle of cs and then use fancy scissors (curvy edges, not harsh) to cut into middle in a spiral shape, you can make a rose. You're making a continuous spiral that is about ½" wide. Coil this around a tooth pick or your stylus and glue with hot glue-it really works. Add a couple leaves, a couple square doilies or lacy material cut in squares that are gathered in middle, some filmy ribbon and you've got a gorgeous box. A friend hates boxes that are beautiful but ruined when you open them, so she's always figuring out ways to make them look pretty but still open-glue guns will hold everything in place on a lid, and ribbons can be brought around bottoms and up INTO the box to be glued there-if it has tabs on it, just make a slit and slip ribbon through, then glue inside. I decorated bird houses by adding a roof with eaves then glued on twigs. Also punched holes in side where I glued in a couple sturdy twigs, then "built" a deck off the side with more twigs crosswise to these. Made a porch cover with a piece of cs glued on and then "posts" out of more twigs-have fun. Almost any shape can be made into a box or container by just adding a rectangular or square bottom to it (see the Noah's Ark). Just extend the rect. or square to make sides, or leave it open, put goodies in cello or tissue and tie it all together. I make "mock-ups" all the time to try ideas out. Add tabs at side of design (for instance if I wanted an angel box, I'd stamp one of my angels at one end of reg. sheet of paper-probably one that's standing to make it easy-then add tabs under her wings. Add a rectangle or square at the bottom of the stamped area that is about as wide as she is (or let wings extend out, but make sure it will stand up without falling over if that's what you're wanting it to do, if it's just a gift to give, can be a narrow rectangle) Also make sure the depth is good for standing. Stamp another angel right across rectangle from original one. Tabs will need to connect or can make sides by extending the rectangle out far enough to make the box as deep as you want it. Another great idea is to make a frame box. Leaving a border all around, cut a section of a box out. Using a contrasting cs, cut the same shape only with a slightly smaller opening. This looks very nice with the box made out of e-flute (finely corrugated paper), then use two coordinating "earthy" confetti card stocks to make it look double-matted. Inside of this put a picture. I stamped a very country angel (she's got twig wings) on a tannish cs, used water color markers then misted her with fine spray and she looks sort of water colored-or you could actually water color her. Add some country material for a bow at the bottom and add twigs and a button-this is a really cute box. The actual box I used is similar in shape to any shirt box, but is 5 x 7 inches and has cut outs on side for finger holds.