Red Hot Caardvarks Challenge (gift box/card set templates & tutorial)

I'll have another post today for the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog,

so please stop by if you have the time & the inclination... :o)

Can you guess the theme for this Caardvarks challenge?

Yup, it's red hot, red hearts...

This is a gift box set (with cards & envelopes.) It fits standard A2 cards:
the finished box measures 4-3/4 inches by 5-7/8" and 1-1/8 inches deep,
but please feel free to make it larger/smaller if you want.

When you open the box, there are dangling glittery clouds:

...and here's a closer view of the box top:

This was so fun to make. Don't you just love Valentine's Day crafting?
All that cutting & pasting of hearts... :o)

1...Caardvarks Challenge with Lil Lambs Boutique
2...how to make this gift box (card set)
3...Cheap tricks: DIY hybrid elements & layout pointer
4...digital stuff...ledger cloud freebie (and ledger paper.)
5...templates (the box & matching envelopes)

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I just can't wait for you to see all the gorgeousness the Caardvarks
team has made for this challenge:



(and to see the gorgeousness that you make,
if you can play along with the challenge!)

It's sponsored by...

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...make this card/gift box:

• Balloon stamp from Little Paper Shop stamp set {I Heart}
  
• box bottom: ledger paper freebie printed on...Strathmore 100lb Bristol Vellum (double-sided & box template
• box top: light turquoise cardstock & My Mind's Eye Bohemia Bliss "Friends" Brocade/Red & sand paper
  
• Printer, Scoring tool, scissors/paper cutter; scallop edge punch
  
• Nestabilities label, paper piercer, needle, thread (blue & red) & red seed beads
• Provo Craft Koi embossing folder
• Double-sided tape, Tombow Monomulti
• Versamark, heat'n'stick powder, glitter;
  
• White acrylic paint & pale blue copic marker
• Clear button with patterned paper & glitter glued on, Organza ribbon
  

Step 1) Make the BOX BOTTOM:

1 A) Print ledger paper pattern on both sides of cardstock.
1 B) Print the box bottom template on one of those sides.
1 C) Cut it out, score it, crease the folds
1 D) Trim if need be to even out, & assemble the box bottom.



Step 2) Make the BOX TOP:

2 A) Print the lid, score it & cut it (and scallop it if you like)
2 B) Cut a window in the lid (I used a Nestabilities Label
2 C) Pierce and bead around the window.
2 D) Add marker distressing inside stitches to make a faux frame, if you like.



Step 3) Create the image for the box Top: Cut a piece of patterned paper to measure 4 3-4 inches by 5 1-8 inches. Sand it to expose the white core.



Step 4) Pierce around the edge & stitch some beads on (alternating bead with thread stitch...)



Step 5) Make hanging clouds for inside-

5 A) Print ledger clouds white cardstock
5 B) Cover over clouds with versamark
5 C) Sprinkle on heat'n'stick powder
5 D) Heat gun it gently to melt the powder (don't overheat) :o)
5 E) Cover the Heat'n'Stick with glitter
5 F) Melt gently with a heat gun again (that sets it)



...This might seem like a waste of powder & glitter, but rest assured that cheap-o me is saving the scraps to punch flowers out of for the next Caardvarks challenge. ;o)...



Step 6) Cut the glittered clouds out.



Step 7) To hang cloud from the lid, put them on string:

7 A) Put adhesive on the back of each pair of clouds
7 B) Thread a needle (I used embroidery floss)
7 C) stick the end of the thread on the sticky cloud--leaving some hanging



7 D) Stick the needle through the top of the box (making sure you punch the hole so that it hangs the cloud where you want it to be positioned. Repeat for each cloud.



Step 8) Add two little red hearts sandwiched on the bottom of each thread, so they hang down from the clouds. (When the recipient of this box opens it up, there will be dangling fun waiting as a surprise!) ;O)



Step 9) Cover the knots in the box top with the prepared patterned paper (the other side of your patterned paper will show through the window inside the lid-so fun since you get both double sides of paper.



Step 10) Make the circle/sun:

10 A) Print ledger paper on cardstock & cut a circle out. (This one is 3 3-8")
10 B) Emboss it in a Cuttlebug folder.
10 C) Use a scrap of paper to apply acrylic paint roughly.



10 D) Pierce around the outside edge of the circle



10 E) Stitch around the circle



10 F) Add some shading with Copic or other markers/ink (the acrylic paint will resist) Please Note-paint will come off on Copic markers. I reserve the broad chisel end of my Copics for messy fun-but you could paint refill on or use something else. :o)



Step 11) Make the heart balloon embellishment: Stamp the balloon from the LPS set {I Heart} cut the basket & heart out & adhere strings between them

Here's the messy backside of that balloon:



Just two strings of thread, but it was so fun to do. (What can I say, I like cheap thrills, heehee.)



Step 12) Adhere the circle & the balloon to the box top



Step 13) Make more glittered ledger clouds for the card box top and cut them out



Step 14) Adhere the clouds to the box top (I used Tombow Monomulti & foam dimensionals)



Step 15) Glue seed beads to the balloon

and there you have it...

(clickable Blogger pics--for a larger view)

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DIY hybrid crafty bits &
a layout trick

Cheap trick# 1: To make your own DIY hybrid crafting elements- draw a shape you like on some kind of pattern cut it out & adhere it to white paper. Scan it to print (or use digitally) later. Works great to make vintage elements much more acid free (just print on acid free cardstock. From my research the majority of printer ink is acid free or very close to it.)

Cheap trick# 2: Layout reference photos: Once you get your bits laid out, shoot a quick reference photo of the way you have it laid out. That way you can take it apart to work on things, but be able to refer back to the photo later...when you're done embellishing the bits (or working on the background) and you want to put your finished project together.

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(freebies)

Click the photos to go download the PDF files
(for other formats, please click the links)

ledger clouds:

(these are mirrored for double-sided clouds)

Download ledger clouds PDF
Download ledger clouds JPG
Download ledger clouds PNG

more ledger clouds:


Download more ledger clouds PDF
Download more ledger clouds JPG
Download more ledger clouds PNG

blue ledger paper:

(clicking this photo will take you to the PDF link
the others are linked here):

Download blue ledger paper PNG
Download blue ledger paper JPG
Download blue ledger paper PDF

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(Please consider printing the PDFs to get correct sizing.
Adobe for free here.)

the box template:

TOP (lid):

Download Box TOP (no score lines) PDF
Download Box TOP (no score lines) JPG


Download Box TOP (score guide) PDF
Download Box TOP (score guide) JPG


BOTTOM:

Download Box BOTTOM (no score lines) PDF
Download Box BOTTOM (no score lines) JPG


Download Box BOTTOM (score guide) PDF
Download Box BOTTOM (score guide) JPG

matching envelopes templates:

tall standard envelope template
(with ledger cloud):

Download ledger cloud envelope PDF
Download ledger cloud envelope JPG
Download ledger cloud envelope PNG

PLAIN envelopes are all linked in this post.
(in two different styles)

matching envelope liner:

Download plain envelope liners PDF

Download plain envelope liners JPG

Whew, that's a whole lotta downloads to link! LOL.

Thanks ever so much for stopping in!

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P.S. If you'd like the PDF of this
post, it's linked here.

I'm testing out PDFs for my posts. I'd really appreciate any feedback on them. :o)
I'll try & add them to each tutorial shortly after I post each tutorial to the blog,
so if you'd like them, please click the icon to visit the blog from a reader or an email.

(Legalese: The PDFs linked here--and all of their content--are copyright M McCarthy 2010
They are intended for personal use only, and not intended for classes, publication, nor for any kind of profit. Thanks!)