Birthday Surprise Box – Exploding Box Gift

 

Directions:

Cut the Base and Shape the Box

First, measure and cut a 12-inch square from the mat board or chipboard. 

Measure and mark a line at 4 inches and 8 inches.  Turn the square, measure, and mark a line at 4 and 8 inches.  You should have 9 equal squares.

Cut the 4 outside corner squares away from the square. 

Use an X-Acto knife to score the lines around the center square.  You want to cut through the top layer of the mat board.  Then, bend the flap back on the scored line.

Bend the sides back to create a box shape.

Use the 2-inch clear Duck tape to reinforce the scored edges with clear tape.  Apply the clear tape to all four sides.

Flip the mat board over and score around the center square.  Apply tape to all four score lines.  The sides should be able to fold up into a box shape whether on the white or the colored side.

Cut and Cover the Lid

Measure and cut a 6-1/4 inches square from the mat board.  Then, measure 1 inch from the sides and mark a line on all four sides.

 Cut all four outside corner squares away from the mat board.  Score the 1-inch lines on all four sides.  Then, bend the outside 1-inch sides downward to shape a lid.

 

Use the copier to copy and print another background pattern from the Forest pad onto regular copy paper.  Cut a 7-1/2 inch square to cover the lid.  Apply glue to the top of the lid and center on the backside of the decorative paper.

Cut from the outside corner of the decorative paper to the matboard center.  Trim off the angled end.

Apply glue to the outside of one side of the box.  Glue and wrap the ends onto the adjacent sides.  Then, apply glue to and fold the adjacent flap back on itself and glue the side.  Your corners should look finished as shown in the picture above.  Repeat to cover the remaining sides.

Apply glue to the paper flaps extending above the sides and fold to the inside.

Copy and print another sheet for the lid lining.  Cut a 5-3/4 inch square for the lining.  Fold all four sides inward at 3/4 inch.  I used a scoring board to score the lining before folding.

Cut one side of each corner folded square to allow it to snug up against the sides of the lid.

Position and press the folded paper lining onto the bottom of the lid.  Then, glue the sides in place.

Cover the Exploding Box Gift with Decorative Paper

Cut four 5-inch squares of decorative paper for the inside of the box.  The Forest paper pad is cardstock, which won’t wrap around the edges neatly.  So, I used the copier to copy and print some of the background images onto regular copy paper.  These will cover the raw edges and make a background for the cardstock cutouts.

Then, apply glue to one of the cardboard sides.  Center one of the 5-inch paper squares on top of the glue.  Smooth and press the paper into the adhesive.

Next, snip 1/2 inch from each side of the inside flap covering the scored line. Then, apply glue to the center flap, press it over the scored line, and onto the center mat board.

Bend the covered scored line up and down to ensure it can open and pop up without tearing the paper.

Flip the cardboard over and use sharp craft scissors to cut off the 1/2-inch tabs at the top.  Cut a 2 x 4-inch strip of the same decorative paper to cover the scored line.  Glue the strip in place and bend the flap in both directions to ensure it functions without tearing.  After completing this step, you should notice a slight ridge along the scored line.

Apply glue to the side edges and press over the cardboard.  Then, fold the outer corners inward and glue them in place.  Apply glue to the flap, smooth, and press in place.

Repeat this process on the remaining three sides. 

You can see above how the inside should look and how the flip side should look.

Next, cut a 3-3/4 inch square template from scrap paper to isolate the image you want.  Use the template to mark and crop graphics from the Forest cardstock.  These are to cover the center and the inside flaps. 

Lay the images in place.  Make sure that the bottom of the image faces the center square.  The previously glued papers are a background for these cutouts. Center and glue each of the cut images onto the cardboard. 

Attaching the Elastic to the Exploding Box

Use the metal ruler to find the center of each outside square.  Remember that the squares are 4-inches.  This will be easy.  Measure and mark the centers at 2-inches. 

Use an X-Acto knife to cut a 1/2-inch slit to accommodate the elastic.  Thread the elastic through one of the slits.  Use the end of the blades on your scissors to help push it through the slit.  Then, thread the end of a 7-inch piece of elastic through the slit on the opposite side.

Without stretching the elastic too taut, the elastic should be relatively straight across the span of the box.  Once the elastic is in place, cut the elastic ends to 1 inch and glue them to the box side.  Repeat on the remaining sides.  The two elastic pieces should cross in the middle and be the same length.

Before trying out your explosion box, allow the Tacky Glue to dry for a few minutes.

Tip

I struggled to get the last elastic end through the slit.  Applying a little Tacky Glue to  1/8 inch of the elastic end, compressing with my fingers, and allowing it to dry solved the problem. 

Finishing the Exploding Box Gift

Cut an image from the Forest pad.  The lid is 4-1/4 inches.  Cut the image to a 4-inch square, center, and glue it on the top of the box lid.

On Canva, I removed the background from a shot of our birthday boy and his fish catch.  Then, I opened up a blank canvas, added the picture, and duplicated it on the same canvas.  Next, I created a mirror image of the second image. 

Remember that the box is a 4-inch square.  You want the birthday boy or girl’s picture to be less than 4 inches.  Print the two pictures on cardstock.

Then, glue the image back to back using a sunny window or a lightbox to line it up perfectly.   Cut out the glued image.  Remember to leave a rectangle at the bottom for a stand.

Cut a rectangle the same size from some coordinating or matching paper.  Make a narrow slit across the rectangle to slip on either side of the cutout.  Then, glue the decorative paper over the base.

Glue the cutout in place in the center of the box.

 Add Confetti to the Exploding Box

To make confetti, choose some coordinating tissue paper.  Fold the tissue papers together and cut a narrow fringe on one end.  Then, cut across the fringe to make small squares.

I plan to add some paper money to the box before giving it to him. 

The Birthday Box Reveal