Paper Crafting, Rubber Stamping, Scrapbooking, and more
Hanging Valentine Day Box
With Valentine's Day coming up I thought we could all use a simple, fun project. Here is a pretty little box to surprise your friend or loved one with. What I like about this project is that the box can decorate a room or hang from a doorknob long after the candy is gone. Who wouldn't like to open their door and see this? Place it on your hubby's office door for a nice surprise, or leave it on your neighbor's door - but change the sentiment so you do not appear to be a stalker :) A simplified version would be great for kids to hang from the corner of classmate's desks (put their names on the banner - so cute!).
This little gift box is perfect for Valentine's Day, or a wedding if you use a white box and white accents. I have filled mine with fourteen pink and red Caramel Kisses. You could fill it with just about anything as long as it is not too heavy. It would make such a lovely container for a heart shaped mini paper album. Enjoy!
Suzy
Supplies Needed
- Small Heart Shaped Candy Box - Russell Stover 3 piece box used here
- Floral Stamps - Sweet 'n Sassy Love Blooms used here
- Pencil for tracing
- Vanilla and red cardstock
- Coloring Materials that will produce a sheer, watercolor effect - Copics and Shimmerz used here
- Krylon Gold Leafing Pen
- Sponge and red ink - Memento Lady Bug used here
- Mod Podge with a sponge or brush applicator
- VersaMark/Detail Gold Embossing Powder/Heat Gun
- 3/16 Hole Punch/Crop-o-Dile
- 36-40 inches of sturdy ribbon - Stampin' Up! 1 1/4" Grosgrain used here
- desired embellishments - K and Co Self-Adhesive Pearls Used here
Prepare Candy Cover and Insert:
1. Take out the 3 pieces of candy and plastic insert from the box. Eat them (the candy, not the insert). You need your energy to create! Now we are ready to go. Trace the heart shaped top of the box on the vanilla colored cardstock, and the and back of the box with the red cardstock. Cut out the heart shapes cutting ALONG or barely outside the drawn line. To get an even cut, move the paper as you cut, not the scissors. Set aside.
Decorate and Embellish
2. Open lid and trace the smaller heart on the bottom part of the lid. Cut the heart out along the INNER part of the line. This smaller heart will go inside the box so it needs to be a bit smaller than the heart you trace. Set aside.
3. Stamp the larger vanilla heart with VersaMark and desired floral stamps in a repeating, random pattern; emboss. I love the floral image from the Love Blooms set because it is triangular shaped, so you can turn it to fit any needed area. The red heart will cover up the writing on the back of the box. Decorating the back heart is optional, but who wants to read caloric information on a gift?
4. Stamp a sentiment stamp with VersaMark and emboss on the smaller insert heart; also stamp a one line sentiment for the front (mine says Forever & Always), cut and shape into a wavy banner as seen in picture. Put aside.
5. Sponge edges of the banner and smaller heart with red ink -start lightly and slowly build the color up to avoid thick hatch marks. Note: My insert fit into the lid snugly and did not need any adhesive, so it is removable for step 6. If you use adhesive, do step 6 before step 5. Sponging Tip: I first swipe the edges only, then when there is less ink on the sponge I go over the areas again, going deeper into the cardstock with a lighter hand. This pushes the ink from the edge of the cardstock and blends it as you go.
6. Using the 3/16 largest hole punch on the side of the Crop-o-Dile (or a 3/16 regular hole punch - anything that will allow thick ribbon to fit through) punch a hole on either side of the lid of the heart, be as even as possible. To ensure the holes are even you can lightly draw a pencil line going across the lid, then erase it.
7. I colored my embossed image with the Copics seen in the supplies picture above, and then painted Shimmerz paints in Bubble Gum, Rustic Red, Evergreen and Candle Lightfor a pearlized finish. The green was a bit dark but I didn't have any other green paint to use. This technique is called Faux Cloisonne and I gave a tutorial on that here. You can decorate your box however you wish.
8. When paint is dry, apply Gold Leafing Pen to the edges of the vanilla cardstock heart (and the red one too if you wish). Let that dry (about 1-2 minutes).
9. Apply Mod Podge to the Candy Box and adhere heart. Do not apply the Mod Podge to the vanilla cardstock - that causes warping. You will need to hold your vanilla cardstock down all over with the flat of your hands, concentrating on the edges for about 30 seconds - 1 minute. When the paper doesn't move on its own, let go and allow to finish drying (about 5-10 minutes). I turn it over and put something heavy on top. Repeat with other side. Be gentle with the gold leafed edges - they like to flake off. If that happens you can just re-apply. You can seal your work with Mod Podge at this time too, if you wish. I was afraid of losing the pearlized quality of my work so didn't attempt this.
10. Edge the heart with Gold Leafing Pen again, making sure to get not only the decorated paper but also the cardboard edge of the box.
11. Make a bow by working from the center of the ribbon. Fit ends of ribbon through the punched holes, then twist and shape the ribbon around the hole so that it drapes nicely from the box. Hold it up and pull the ribbon in until it is the desired length for hanging. Make a knot on either side on the inside of the box. Trim ends of ribbon as close to knot as you can go. Fill your box with candy or whatever, making sure you can close it easily - any more than 14 Kisses and my box did not shut properly. You have to leave some room for the knots in the ribbon. Apply your banner sentiment to the top of the heart (I used Sticky Dots) and embellish as desired.
That's it! While these written directions are long, making this box is super easy! I hope you like the tutorial – drop me a note if you have any questions or suggestions. I would love to see your work, be sure to provide a link!
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© 2012 Created by Susanna Boyd.
