2015 #23 All Wrapped Up {by Designer Jo Firth-Young}

 2015 Topic 23: Christmas Gifts and Cards

Hieveryone Jo here, joining you this evening with a post about wrapping gifts using die cut gift boxes.  

I love die cutting - I like the ease (and speed) with which you can create a project and decorate it to make it your own by choosing different card-stock, colours and embellishments.  

The die I worked with for these projects creates a small square gift box (it comes as part of the Sizzix Big Shot starter kit) - the die folds to create a box and lid all in one.  It's a cute size (6.5cm) and I could imagine using it for for several gift giving variations at Christmas (or any other time of the year of course because, as a simple plain box, it's very versatile).

These box ideas could be used for any celebration and with any surface decoration or images but I've chosen the Christmas theme because its not long now!!

I've placed my boxes in 3 different festive gift giving situations:
1. Gift box
2. Table gift
3. Tree present

All boxes:  I die cut several boxes from kraft card, the die I used fits into an A4 sheet.  If you don't have a die cutting machine you can find a pattern for boxes on the internet, or you could make them using one of the Score-Boards on the market.

I decorated each box while flat and assembled when all paint and embellishments were dry - I used red line tape to glue the flaps/sides of the boxes because of its strength.

Box 1: Gift Box:  Snowballs and Snowflakes:

To decorate this box I stenciled circles onto the background using Metallic Glaze, and when these were dry stamped snowflakes with Jofy Mini 07...

...using Antarctic Fresco Paint along the bottom edge of the box sides and the all over the lid.

You can see in the picture above the glaze has caught the light in one panel, and hasn't on the others. If I use a glaze for stencilling, I often will add a second layer (eg snowflakes in this case) because the glaze is only seen when the box is tilted to the light, and so the pattern doesn't become too 'busy', whereas it might if it were 2 layer of paint and stamping.......I'm a less-is-more, clean-and-simple kind of crafter!

To decorate the box I punched 2 snowflakes and attached them, back to back, to the end of a length of bakers twine which I had tied parcel-style around the box.  I die cut a small tag, stamped snowflakes all over the front, and  'with love' greeting from JOFY19...

...over the top in black ink.  I edged the tag in Antarctic and tied it to the other end of the bakers twine.

Box Two: Table Gift:  Hearts and Stars:

Its nice to put a little present on each persons place setting at a table at Christmas - just something small, similar to favours at a wedding, and it can also work as a place marker so people know where to sit (if required).

I chose two similar designs from JOFY39 and JOFY40 - the twig star and heart to stamp on the sides of the box. I dropped the position down low to allow space for the box lid.

I painted the stars in Gold Fresco Finish and the spots in snowflake.  I stamped, cut out and joined together two scallop lengths from JOFY13. 

I painted parts of the design in Gold and Blue Oyster, and attached around the edges of the lid.

The table present needed a tag with an initial to identify each person's seat.  I chose to use the alphabet on JOFY21.

I stamped it onto a tag covered in book text and painted it in Blue Oyster to match the strip on the scallop border.  I added a matching tag embellished with a wood snowflake.

Now, I may have put my christmas trees up on 30th November, but I certainly haven't laid the table for christmas dinner yet, so I've mocked up a simple place setting to give you an idea of how the little box would look.

Box Three:  Tree Gift: 

Our family used to hang small token gifts on the Christmas tree to open on Christmas afternoon, I like this tradition as it delays the present unwrapping frenzy and gives people time to appreciate gifts already received.

I stamped snowflakes (JM07) over the entire box using Blue Oyster.  When dry I added Metallic Glaze onto the spaces and centres of the snowflakes.  I added the phrase 'let it snow' (EEG12) 

on each side of the box (archival black) and coloured inside the letters with a white gel pen.

To decorate the box I added a punched snowflake (as before) using 3D foam to the centre of the front of the lid lip.  I wrapped fine sisal string around this and added a gem.  

I tied a big satin bow around the box to seal it, and to hang it on the tree I tied on a length of sisal string.  The string is easily removed if you don't want to hang the present.

How lovely does it look on the tree!  Cute!

These boxes are simple but really effective - they are so versatile - you don't have to use them as gift boxes - you could use the same design, make 24 and use them as an advent calendar - using the numbers on JOFY22 as date markers... they have so many possibilities! (& I'm now thinking of flower images for birthdays, eggs and chicks for Easter!) But you don't have to use die cut boxes as I have here - try upcycling/recycling boxes you already have - add paint, stencils, and stamps and away you go.

I wish you all a very happy, fun and enjoyable festive season, and look forward to joining you again on the blog in 2016.

Jo

Blog: http://jofirthyoung.blogspot.co.uk/

Ohhhh I love how dinky these boxes are, a great size, and you certainly have had a lot of fun decorating them! I'm thinking as you have been such a good girl, perhaps Santa might be tempted to fill one with a perfectly sized jewelry treat!?! Merry Christmas Jo! ~Leandra