Monday, April 23, 2012

3D PCP Challenge: a ribbon spool with a secret compartment! (tutorial & printables)


When Adela, the magnificent Queen of all things 3-dimensional
asked if I would guest-host for the Paper Craft Planet 3D challenge,
I was honoured (and thrilled to get back to making something 3D!)


I hope you can play along!

Round 3D challenge - faux ribbon spool with hidden compartment - mel stampz

This project made me feel like a little kid again!

At first glance it looks pretty grown up...

ribbon spool box with secret compartment

...It's an empty ribbon spool
made to look like a antique ribbon.

But the 'little kid part' is the secret compartment:

ribbon spool box with pendant inside

Can you picture giving one of these as a Mother's day present? ...

Mom: "Oh a spool of ribbon. Um. Thanks?"
You: "Open it up, Mum!"
Mom: "Huh?.... Ouuuu, jewelery!"


A much better surprise for my Mom than that time (in my early misspent youth) when I used smooshed up blackberries to make an empty jewelery box with a hole cut into it (and my finger poking through the cotton) look like a severed finger I had found in the ditch. Sorry, Mom! (It was my Cousin's idea, honest!) :-D Not on Mother's Day, by the by, because that would just be wrong.

-1-


Since April is Earth month,
The challenge is...
What Goes Around comes Around!




You can find the 3D challenge page here on PCP.



Want to Join in
the challenge?


1)
Simply make something 3D that reuses something

that you might normally recycle or throw out.

Or if you've already emptied the bins, just make something
3D that's round (or that has round elements on it).

2) Upload your project to Paper Craft Planet.

3) Be sure to use this challenge tag: 3d161
so that we can see what you've made!



If you'd like to make a hidden ribbon spool box of your own
please feel free to use these
printable labels that I made to share with you...

Step 6) Cut them out

-2-


To save these files:

Firefox/Chrome: right click on the image & choose "save link as"
Explorer: right click on the image & choose "save target as"

Round Antique Ribbon Labels:
FRONT ribbon labels for Paper Craft Planet & BACK ribbon labels for Paper Craft Planet

or you can find the fronts on Flickr here
& the back on Flickr here

Credits: These were Frankenstein'ed together using
this label base, this label decoration & this free font.


-3-

...make a ribbon spool box
with a hidden compartment:

ribbon spool box open

You'd be surprised how easy this is, even though
this tutorial may look a little complicated (or long!),
since I've included every last step.



Basically it goes together like this:

A) Cover two empty ribbon spool rings with patterned paper.
B) Add some ribbon to the bottom spool & a pin.
C) Stick printed labels on the top & bottom to finish it off.

It came together surprisingly quickly
and it looks and feels just like a real spool of ribbon.



- Old ribbon spools in 2 sizes (empty packing tape rolls work great too)
- White cardstock & a printer
- Heavy cardstock or watercolour paper
- Decorative patterned paper
- Scissors & adhesive
- Ribbon & a pin

Step 1a) Find two old ribbon spools and remove their labels leaving just the cardboard rings -or left over spools from packing tapes would work nicely

Step 1) Find two old ribbon spools and remove their labels leaving just the cardboard rings (if you don't have any ribbon spools, empty spools from packing tapes would work nicely as well).

The only thing to make sure of is that they fit one inside
the other, something like this:

Step 1b) The only thing to make sure of is that they fit one inside the other with a little bit of room to spare

(With a little room to spare for paper layers).

Step 2) Sand off any bits of paper left from the labels

Step 2) Sand off any bits of paper left from the original ribbon labels.

Step 3) Print free label printables front & back

Step 3) Print the label printables front & back (They are available as free downloads above). They measure 4" in diameter, but you might want to re-size them to fit your ribbon/tape spools.

Step 4) Cut out all four labels

Step 4) Cut out all four labels. You could use a circle cutter, if you prefer.

Step 5) Adhere label fronts to watercolour paper or other sturdy cardstock

Step 5) To make a nice strong top & bottom for the ribbon box, you can adhere the decorative label fronts to watercolour paper or some other sturdy cardstock.

Step 6) Cut them out

Step 6) Cut the labels out again.

Step 7) Flip the front label circle (that you just cut out) over and adhere the back onto it

Step 7) Flip the front label circle over (so you can see the watercolour paper or plain cardstock side) and adhere the plain back label onto it.

Step 8) Score the edges of your new double sided label with scissors to even the edges out & distress it


Step 8) Score the edges of your new double-sided labels with scissors to the edges out & distress them.

Step 9) Distress the labels to make them look older

Step 9) Distress the fronts of labels to make them look all antiqued.


Then Add decorative paper to the ribbon rings...

Step 10) Cut 3 strips of patterned paper  to fit the ribbon spool rings (2 to fit the 'top' ring - 1 to fit the bottom ring)

Step 10) Cut 3 strips of 12 x 12 patterned paper to fit the width of your ribbon spool rings. (Cut 2 to fit the 'top' smaller ring, and cut 1 to fit the bottom larger ring).

Step 11) Trace the inside of each ribbon spool ring onto the same patterned paper & cut those two circles out

Step 11) To make round liners for the inside of the bottom & top, trace the inside of each ribbon spool ring onto the same patterned paper & cut those two circles out.

Step 12) Stick the patterned paper on the outside of the top ring

Step 12) Stick the patterned paper on the outside of the top ring.

Step 13) Stick another strip of patterned paper on the inside of the top ring

Step 13) Stick another strip of patterned paper on the inside of the top ring.

Step 14) Stick the final strip of patterned paper on the inside of the bottom ring

Step 14) Stick the final strip of patterned paper on the inside of the bottom ring.

Step 15) You should be left with something like this:

Step 15) You should be left with something like this. TIP- You may want to check that they still fit together before you finish them off.

It might be a good idea to ensure that they still fit together before you finish things all nicely. :-)

Step 16) Wrap the outside of the bottom ring with ribbon. I used white first as a base, so that I could use less of the blue antique ribbon

Step 16) Wrap the outside of the bottom (larger) ring with ribbon. (I used some very affordable white seam-binding ribbon as an initial base, so that I could use less of the blue antique seam-binding that I finished with).

Step 17) Finish wrapping the bottom larger ribbon ring with ribbon

Step 17) Finish wrapping the bottom larger ribbon ring with ribbon.

Step 18) If your ribbon is the type that will fray, you may want to seal the end with a bit of glue as a fray check

Step 18) If your ribbon is the type that will fray, like this seam-binding, you may want to seal the end with a bit of glue as a fray check. (I used Weldbond glue since it dries matte and isn't visible).

Step 19) Add a pearl pin, pushing it into the  cardboard to secure it

Step 19) Add a pearl pin as a finishing touch, pushing it into the cardboard to secure it. If it's very sharp, you might want to sand the end to dull it down a little.

Step 20) Add a bead of glue to the bottom of each ribbon ring

Step 20) Add your adhesive of choice to the bottom of each ribbon ring. (I used more Weldbond glue).

Step 21) Adhere the ribbon rings to the plain side (back) of the label circles you made

Step 21) Adhere the covered ribbon rings to the plain side (back) of the label circles you made

Step 22) Adhere the 2 patterned paper circles to the inside of the box (bottom & top)

Step 22) Adhere the two patterned paper circles to the inside of the box bottom & top. (The circles that you traced and cut from patterned paper in step 11).

Finally, Slide the lid into the box:

Step 23) Slide the lid into the box

And no one will know (until you tell them)
that there's a hidden compartment
inside that antique ribbon!

PCP 3Dround challenge - faux ribbon spool with hidden compartment - mel stampz copy

Please remember to add the tag 3d161 :-)

Hope you can join us on Paper Craft Planet to play along
with the challenge (or simply check the entries out!),



P.S. Quick links: Paper Craft Planet can be found here.
Not a member yet? It's free & easy to sign up here.
Once you are signed in, the 3D challenge page is here.

24 comments:

Crafting Aberrigines said...

WICKED !!!
Totally wicked...
and I see you have become more regular :D
Good for me .

evlin95 said...

superbe, vraiment très sympa cette petite boite cadeau, merci pour tous ces superbes tutos passez une agréable journée

Shelly said...

Magnificent!!! A lovely surprise. Perfect for a Mother's Day gift.

Meapuntoatodo said...

Una idea encantadora, muchas gracias por el tutorial. Mariajo

Anonymous said...

wunderscööööööööööööööön

LG SilviaH

vdoyle8 said...

You are totally amazing! In addition to being crazy talented, you are incredibly generous. Thank you so much for this gorgeous project & tute.

Dawn said...

totally fabulous, gorgeous 3-D project, Mel!!! and what fun too!!!

xoxox

lilscrappers said...

ohhhhhh, a secret compartment....I love it! and a few empty ribbon rolls are sitting in my closet waiting for a good idea ;). Now to figure out how to guy-ify it to make a treasure chest for a 7 yr old....Thanks Mel, glad to see you back!

K Hutchinson said...

Oh this is so uber cool! Love it! It would be super sweet for a Mom's day gift!

Nancy S said...

Woo Hoo! I have been saving empty spools from ribbon and packing tape for ages and now I have something to use them for. Thanks for the inspiration and tutorial--you're the best!

Anonymous said...

Lol, your so funny! Great project with timeless beauty!

Diane said...

I love it! I would be happy to get just the box, then I could hide my own goodies in it.

Kim Etherington said...

Just saw this in person.. IT IS BEAUTIFUL! Love love love it!!! Again... so talented! So jealous!

Jodi Corbett said...

so cute, thanks for sharing your "how to" :)

Rufus said...

Another great tutorial and very generous freebie. Fantastic idea. Knew I was saving those ribbon spools for something! Thanks tons,
R/

Connie said...

Okay, is this the coolest blog ever? Well the answer must be yes, look how many followers you have, and I just became your # 4,018. That is mind-blowing. Look what you have here, amazing ideas, step by step instructions with photos and lots of them. Thank you, you're incredible. I know you are busy putting this much work into your blog, but I am going to jump out on a limb and invite you over to my little humble corner of blog-land. There is one chance in a million that you'll decide to follow, but I believe in miracles. Have a wonderful life and thank you for all your hard work, Connie :)

Connie said...

It's me again, I open my blog with such anticipation wondering if I have a comment on a post or if I have a brand new follower and there you are. I feel very honored to have you following my humble blog. This is our first warm and sunny spring week, so this is going to be short and sweet, because I want to get back outside and soak it all in . . isn’t life good. Thank you for the sweet comments on my blog. Yep, you can't beat The Beattles, their music will live on forever. By the way I know I've already said this, but, "Your Blog Rocks!"
Connie :)

Crafted by Bairbre Aine said...

Hallo, so happy to stumble upon your site. Have added you to my blog so others can find you as well.
cheers. Bairbre Aine
http://bairbreaine.blogspot.com/

Erum Tasneem said...

Gorgeousness+ ingenuousness! what a super fabulous idea Mel!

CarlaKH said...

Gorgeous! I love this- but I love everything you create!

judith@poppy cottage said...

Loved this tutorial, the colours are just lovely. Thanks so much for the free downloads. I made one myself, linking back to your blog. I didn't have any tape reels, so improvised with cereal boxes. Here's the link to what I made http://poppycottage.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/going-patriotic.html I am now a follower, Judith xx

bevyb said...

Love it! What a great reuse of ribbon spools, have to try this. I'm happy I stubbled across your blog from the Circut Pinterest board, I'm now a follower

Debbi Tehrani said...

Such a clever idea. Thank you for being so generous with sharing your ideas and stuff you make!

Debbi Tehrani said...

Such a clever idea. Thank you for being so generous with sharing your ideas and stuff you make!