Day Seven - Steampunk box

This is a great project to get the kids involved in because it is so simple and so effective!

Following on from my post yesterday about how to make the purple fabric box, this one is a paper box and uses a very similar method of construction, i.e - using the same six square pattern as yesterdays post only this time I have drawn it onto card. 

Don't make the card too thick or you will have trouble folding it together at the end. Remember to cut out your card a little larger than the finished box needs to be in order to ensure you cover right up to the edges.

To decorate your box collect together appropriate pieces of paper. They could be scraps of tissue paper, wrapping paper (for a Christmas themed box) or images printed from the internet (non-copywrited ones of course). For my box I have printed out some Leonardo Di Vinci drawings to go with my steampunk theme.

Tear up the pieces of paper and glue them onto your card using an appropriate glue. I used PVA diluted to a single cream consistency to hold it all down. Cover the whole of the card base with paper and leave to dry.

Depending on your choice of paper and how thin your glue is, the paper may ruckle as it dries. If this happens don't worry - a quick run over with the iron should sort it out - and if not just think of it as part of the eclectic charm of your box. The trouble is often deciding when to stop!

Once the card is dry, cut it to size and  add any additional embellishments you like. I used a text stamp and some gold paint to add another dimension to the paper and then I glued on some clockwork cogs to echo the images on the paper.

To put the box together use a hole punch to make holes in the corners and put ties through these wholes using something appropriate to your theme. I used wire but you could use wool or ribbon or anything else that you have lying around.

You can use the same method to fasten the lid too - I threaded wire through two holes on the lid and looped it around a watch winder that I had glued onto the front of the box.

Now sit back and admire your handiwork, and work out who deserves their Christmas gift delivered in such a treasure!

Please do comment with a link if you make any of these - I would love to see them and will share them on a later post.