Love Story Box - die cutting, 3d embossing

For a small wedding gift, I created a box with 3D embossing and die cuts from Spellbinders and Simply Refined and a Kraftin' Kimmie stamp. "Two hearts believing in just one mind. Beating together 'til the end of time."

Putting It Together

I love the Plus-sized Contour dies from Spellbinders, especially the box making ones. I've picked up a few when I have found them on sale and have had a bit of open budget. Part of my inspiration for this project is the song from Phil Collins, Two Hearts. 

To make the box, you need to cut two of the die. This gives you a top, bottom, and two sides. I initially cut the box from kraft but changed my mind and cut it from white 110 lb cardstock.

I wanted the top to look lacy so I decided to use a new 3D embossing folder from Stampin' Up. The large curved hearts from the Simply Refined (Scrapbooking Made Simple) heart set fit perfectly and I thought the next size down in the nested hearts would make a lovely open heart.

Before embossing, I folded all the tabs on the scorelines from the die.

Embossing will flatten the folds, but the paper will remember them easier than lightly etched score lines.

I folded the tabs again quite easily.

I decided to do a stacked die cut for the hearts to give them dimension. To make sure all the hearts were the same, I used Purple Tape to fix the placement of the nested dies.

I cut me a pile o' hearts. Three each of the white and one gold and silver. I'll keep the centre hearts for a later project. The gold and silver foiled cardstock have a bit of texture which I thought would look nice.

I tried a couple different dies in a dry fit for the sentiment but this one added to the lacey feel I wanted. The sentiment barely fits in its flat area.

I die cut the lacey circle from a vellum-like iridescent paper. I dry fit it with the sentiment again to make sure it was going to fit.

I stamped the sentiment with a Stazon. I used a dark red to add a touch of colour.

To stack the hearts, I used a Zig glue pen. I use plastic packaging I intend to throw away to keep the adhesive contained.

The three white hearts behind the foiled one give it dimension and rigidity.

I die cut a smaller circle of white to adhere behind the lacey circle. I used the Zig pen around the outside edge of the white circle before centring it on the vellum.

The slight colour of the vellum hides the adhesive which barely shows through, but the white will hide where the sentiment is attached to the box and give a more solid backing to the sentiment.

I dry fit the stacked hearts on the box. Where the hearts overlap makes a bigger bulge than I wanted to deal with.

So I just trimmed the bottom from one of the hearts before adhering it to the box lid.

I then covered the bottoms of the hearts with the sentiment, adhering it to the hearts so it floats over the box lid.

To make the bottom of the box, I folded the two sides on the score lines and joined them at the top. The top is where the shorter sections are when it's folded. I used double-sided tape in the box assembly.

I folded the flaps on the box bottom and added double-sided tape to each flap.

I slipped the centre of the sides into the slot between the top flaps.

I then removed the release sheet from the tape on the top parts of the heart and adhered the side to them.

I continued working down the short sides of the box, removing the release sheet as I went.

I adhered one long side, tucking the flap inside, and then the other, also tucking in the flap.

I then removed the final release sheet from the tab and pushed the two remaining tabs together.

Ta da! Box! It would be possible to build a similar box without a die. A die just takes all the math out of it.

The lid fits easily over the bottom. I could have tucked the lid tabs inside the box for a snug fit, but I rather like the lace look of it overlapping outside. After I fill the box with the gift, I'll use repositionable adhesive on the lid flaps to hold them on the box bottom until the couple open it. The box is about an inch deep and four inches across. It will be perfect for a gift card, some candies, or other small items.

Supplies

Challenges

Kraftin' Kimmie Skrappy: Anything But a Card

Outlawz Monday Greetings: Embossing Folder / Die Cut

Crazy 4 Challenges: Anything But a Card

Penny's Paper-Crafty: Anything Goes

A Bit More Time to Craft: Anything Goes

Crafting From the Heart: Anything Goes