Tutorial - Card in a Box

These little box cards are the ultimate in three dimensional card making! Perfect for special occasions that require a burst of excitement, such as holidays, birthdays and the arrival of new babies, they can stand open for a festive display. And, believe it or not, these little beauties can even fold flat for postage!

TEMPLATE:

1. You'll need one piece of card stock measuring 101/2" x 5" and two pieces of card stock measuring 31/2" x 11/4".

2. Place the large piece of card stock horizontally on your score board and score at 21/2", 5", 71/2" and 10". This should leave you with a 1/2" section at the end of the piece of card stock.

3. Turn the card stock so it's vertical on your scoreboard with the 1/2" section at the top of your scoreboard.

4. Score at 2", from the top of the card stock to the last score line. Refer to the images below and the template above for correct placement.

5. Place the card stock on your cutting board or trimmer so that it resembles the template above - the 2" high sections should be at the top, the 3" high sections should be at the bottom and the 1/2" section should be on the right hand side.

Make vertical cuts along each of the four vertical score lines from the top of the card stock to the score line. See the template above for correctly placement.

6. Remove the top section of the 1/2" section as shown below. The remaining 1/2" section will form the tab for your box card.

7. Fold along all the remaining score lines, taking care not to fold the first section of the card stock.

8. Place one of the 31/2" x 11/4" pieces of card stock horizontally on your score board and score at 1/2" and 3". Repeat with the second piece.

9. Fold along the score lines in opposite directions - one a mountain fold and one a valley fold. It doesn't matter which is which. Now you should have all the pieces for your card cut and folded and ready to assemble.

10. Apply double sided tape or glue to the 1/2" tab section on the box. Bring the card stock around and secure the tab to the inside to form the box.

11. Apply double sided tape to the opposite side of each end of the small pieces of card stock. (NOTE: it's best to use tape for this step as glue will go everywhere when you attempt to position the card stock pieces)

12. To position the pieces, remove the backing tape from one end, hold the fold closed so the adhesive doesn't stick before you're ready, then move the card stock into the correct position. You want it to be about 1/2" from the corner (the photo below shows the card stock in the centre of the box, but I actually moved it back toward the corner further so that the edge of the card stock almost touched the corner)

13. Remove the backing tape from the other end of the card stock. To make sure the card folds properly for postage, you need to carefully position the other end while squeezing the card closed as shown below. (If you're finding these steps a little tricky, you're not alone. This was the most difficult part of the card but it really doesn't matter if these pieces end up being a little crooked as they will be covered by embellishments).

14. Repeat the process for the second piece of card stock so that you have both pieces positioned inside the box as shown below.

15. Time to decorate! I used double matted patterned paper for each section of my box, including a long piece for the back section, which covers the tab we secured earlier.

16. Attach embellishments to the two small pieces of card stock in the centre of the box so that they protrude from the top. They can be glued directly onto the card stock, or you can add some strips of acetate to give a wonderful floating appearance.

17. If you've used glue, give the card plenty of time to dry before squeezing it closed or you may end up gluing the sides together. I clamped my acetate in place with bulldog clips until the glue dried completely.

18. To close, simply press the card flat on your desk. If you intend to send the card through the post, make sure your embellishments are all relatively flat.

Stamps: