Cauldron Shaped Box & digital paper piecing a freebie (Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge!)

Edited to Add (SUN 1:00 AM):
Sorry y'all. Swine flu has flown off with all my energy. ughhhh
I hope to have a post tomorrow evening. oxo mel

Hey Ladies and Ghoulimen!

This was more fun than I've had in ages! I bugged the amazing Mo (Manning) & asked if it would be okay if I blew up the teensy weensy cauldron from her gorgeous Halloween freebie--to make a shaped box template to share with you guys. She generously said yes!

It ended up as two cauldron shapes (at 700%)
--used as a front and back on a box base:



I made the version, in the photo here, to hold standard sized A2 cards, but
if you want you can hide the box base much better than I have (by using the bucket template included here, instead of the rectangular card box.)

1...Mo's Challenge Blog (this week' 3D Challenge)
2...making a sturdy multi-layered image
3...cheap tricks for paper piecing
4...making a cauldron-shaped treat box
5...templates for the box

-1-

It's a 3D challenge this week on Mo's Challenge Blog!
You can read all the details there. :o)

Hope you can join in the challenge too!

-2-

...digital paper piecing
(makes a sturdy multi-layered image)

• Mo's Digital Pencil trick or treat freebie digital image
• Box & Cauldron templates (free here--linked below)
• Grey cardstock, Neenah white cardstock
• Prismacolour pencils & Copic markers
  
• Versamark/clear embossing ink; clear embossing powder; heat gun
• Paper cutter, scissors, scoring tool, hobby blade
• Paper piercer; needle & embroidery thread
  
• Scor-Tape, Tombow Monomulti
• Wire & cutters, black & silver seed beads
• Silver Zigpainty pen
  

Step 1} Make the base image:

1A} Print Mo's Digital Pencil trick or treat freebie. (Can you believe this image is free!?! Details on how to find it under "Digital Stuff" at the bottom of this post) ;o)

Enabler Alert: You may get hooked; colouring Mo's artwork is addictive!

1B} To make the image easy peasy to cut out attractively, just colour around the image in black. Roughly cut it out.

1C} Colour it however you like. I only coloured these areas (above) since I was paper piecing almost everything.



Step 2} To get a sturdy image (and one that is black from behind when you stick it on the box) just adhere it to black cardstock & Cut the image out. The black outline will just give you a shadow line--It's very forgiving: no need to be too finicky with your cuts.

Notice in the picture above--of the bald witch--that I cut off her hair? :o) I added embroidery thread hair. It was easier than cutting around the hair--surprisingly speedy:

Step 3} Make embroidery thread hair
& layer Bella witchie-poo's head & body:



3A} Print the paper piecing bits or layers onto white & patterned paper, shade them with pencils & copics if you like & cut them out.

For the Bella witch I printed these extra bits:

-->A second whole image (On neenah white) from which I cut: her arm & the cauldron; her head & hat; a shoe; and the patch for the cape
-->On black paper with Halloween text: Her hat & her dress (creating a mirror image OR flip horizontal in Photo Software) & printing on the light back of the patterned paper lets you see where to cut
-->On BasicGrey paper (Toyland Fig-1014): her cape, her hat band



3B} Stick the thread on the back of a second head. :o)

3C} Add the hat (you may want to add foam tape or more paper layers to even out (under and above the embroidery floss hair.)



3D}Adhere other layers of the witch's clothing.



Step 4} Add Bronte, (the doggy who's dressed up as a cat!)

If you check out this photo....



...you can see that I didn't worry above covering up Bronte the pooch with the witch's clothing (or worry about cutting the bottom left parts of her clothes perfectly either, for that matter) since I knew I was paper piecing Bronte.

Here are the layering & paper piecing bits I used for Bronte:



I used a these layers for Bronte (left to right):

-->His little doggy T-shirt (on thepatterned paper)
-->I used the whole image from before to cut--a second whole Bronte (minus the long tail)
-->Then photoshopped the image to print just these bits: an additional whole Bronte head & just the kitty mask

(I stuck some embroidery thread on the mask as whiskers)

Hopefully this photo gives you some idea of what the layers look like:

(more details on how the layers were made in "Cheap Tricks" below) :o)

Step 5} Embellish the image:

I added this stuff:

• Thin silver wire on the broom handle
• Rusty orange embroidery thread for hair
• Bright orange embroidery thread (stitched on the patch of her cape)
• Knots of white thread on the hem of her dress (coloured with Copic markers)
  
• More bright orange thread for Bronte's false tail
• Turquoise thread stitched on the bottom of Bronte's Tshirt
  
• Silver beads glued to the hat band

and... a path of black pebbles...

To make a speedy path of pebbles:

A) Squiggle on a line of heavy duty craft glue (the kind that dries clear)
B) Pour some seed beads over it, arrange them to your liking & let it dry

Step 6} Finally, adhere the witch & Bronte to the cauldron Box
(directions & templates below...)

-3-

(for paper piecing)

These paper pieces each have several layers of paper glued under them for depth (and that makes them really strong too.) I find paper faster and cheaper than foam as well.

If you like the idea of making paper layers, you might like this trick:

Use a marker to colour the edge the same colour as your paper piece--or the colour of your image background--so that it doesn't stand out

OR you could forget the marker and just use matching cardstock in the first place--(in this case, I shoulda used black cardstock, but instead I used scraps of patterned paper with white core....) :o)

-4-

...make a cauldron-shaped treat box:

The construction of this treat box is
the same idea as this purse box (pictorial).

Two shaped pieces as the front and back of a box. Stuck onto a rectangular box. If you'd like to see the step by step process in photos, please see that older post (linked above.)




Step 1} Print the cauldron shape templates (front & back) & cut them out.



Step 2) Jazz up the cauldron...

2A} Shade the cauldrons with pencil crayon, ink, or whatever you like

2B} Give it texture: smoosh Versamark ink (or any clear embossing ink) over the caulron fronts & Sprinkle with clear embossing powder & heat it. If you cover the whole thing in thick clear embossing, you could crackle it if you like--or you could stamp a background pattern instead...or Cuttlebug/Big Shot emboss it maybe?

2C} The single layer of clear embossing powder gives a fun texture...


... it's kind of pebble-y like old cast iron.

Step 3} Make the rectangular box base:

3A} Print, cut, score, & fold the box base



3B} Line up the cauldron shapes on the unassembled box, make the top curve of the cauldron & cut the excess bit of box (in a curve.)
3C} Cut the following sizes of rectangles (for the side pieces on the rectangular box base):

4 side pieces each measuring a hair over 2-1/2" x 3 1/8"
(in other words, Two to match the inside lining & Two to match the outside.)



Step 4} Finish the box:

4A}Add a wire handle (to the font cauldron shape.) Alternatively, you could use pipe cleaner or paper for a handle.

4B} Assemble the box with the 4 side pieces sandwiched against each other to make the two sides (hiding the small flaps on the box.)

4C} Adhere the cauldron shapes to the box base (the embossing may make a nice heavy duty adhesive a good idea.)

-5-

Cauldron Shape:

Cauldron shape JPG
Cauldron shape PDF

Rectangular Box Base:
(measures 4.5 inches wide)
fits standard A2 cards & envelopes!

Box Base (no score lines)
Box Base (score guide)



If you don't want the box to show much
(from behind the cauldrons) then you could use my
bucket handbag template & cut off the top of it--in a curve. :o)

3 Box templates that you can
click to download here

Want Mo's freebies?

You won't believe the beautiful images that Mo gives away. If you'd like to make creations to Mo's freebies (plus see some gorgeous samples--and check out updates on her newest art), you just have to join one of these forum groups...

Already a PCP or SNR member? (Then skip to "step 2") :o)

NOT a PCP or SNR member yet?
Just follow these 2 simple steps:

Step 1) Join one/both of these main groups:

join PCP--sign up sheet here
(main page: www.papercraftplanet.com)
AND/OR
join SNR--sign up sheet here

main page: http://snrcardiverse.ning.com/

Step 2) Click these pages to join Mo's Digital Pencil (sub-group):

• Mo's Digital Pencil on PCP (Paper Craft Planet)
  
• or on SNR (Scrapbook News & Review Universe)
  

Direct links, so you can find the witch (after you join):
PCP Trick or Treat freebie from Mo's Digital Pencil
SNR Trick or Treat freebie from Mo's Digital Pencil
the more members the more freebies that generous Mo gives away!

Clickable thumbnails:

front, side, & close views:

Witch face, Bronte, & pebble path details:


Hope you had half as much fun checking this out as I did making it! :0)

Happy Craftin'!

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