Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Chunky Lemon Slice Box with Tags

 
Semicircle box form has layered-for-thickness 
front details of rind, fruity flesh and seeds. 
On box backside, half circle flap lifts up to allow 
for fingertip access while building, 
and for filling with loose goodies. 


Close back flap and secure with a sticky dot at 
tab extension and top of interior bottom support box. 
Or use for themed decor. 
Coordinates with two lemon theme tags (separate designs): 
“Tag Lemon Easy Squeezy” print & cut technique
and "Tag Lemon with Leaves”. 
Box measures approx. 6” wide x 3” tall x 1.1” deep.

(Lemon shaped box assembly will be explained first,
with the lemon-shaped tag explained at step 20.)

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A main hull shape with back panel door
B boxing strip
C front panel contrast overlay
D front panel "rind" build up for thickness (7-8)
F interior support box with interior strut strip
G "section" decorations with build up (4 x 7-8 each)
H "seeds" decorations with build up (4 x 7-8 each)
I optional print & cut tag (from a separate file)
2. Prepare the stacks of glued-up accents so that
each can be pressed and drying as other assembly
proceeds:
A) position and attach in a stack the selected quantity 
of build up shapes for "sections" accents,
taking care to align cut edges as precisely as possible.
Complete 4 sections.
Immediately, press under a heavy flat weight such as
this fabric-covered repurposed free weight bar or large
book and leave in place for several hours or overnight
until completely dried. This will help minimize warping or
curling from liquid adhesive.
B) Repeat the stacking and glue up for the seed
accent shapes - complete 4 seeds. Press under weight.
C) Repeat the stacking and glue up for the rind rim
accent shape.
3. Prepare the main hull shape by bending back on
the two cross perforation lines that create the "boxing"
panel at center.
Also bend the door forward on perf line.
4. Position and attach the contract overlay half circle,
centered, and with straight cut edge aligned at top front
cross perf line (the shapes has a tiny offset margin
along curve edge so these will NOT line up).
5. Position and attach the rim stack along the front
curve edge with top ends aligned at perf line.
Press under a heavy flat weight until dried (or wait
until step 6 is completed and press all at one time).
6. Position and attach the "section" accent shapes
where the guide cuts indicate (on the accent overlay).
7. Prepare the boxing strip by adding back curl by
using a rod tool to apply thumb pressure and run
strip between.
8. Bend the multiple tabs and end tabs back.
9. Locate the center of the strip and the center of
the hull/rim edge, then position together, aligning
perf dash edge of boxing at edge and attach in place.
10. Apply glue to multi tabs of one side half, then
fit the boxing curve to hull edge, making sure that
the end tab bend fits at end of edge . . .
. . . so that the hull "boxing" segment can 
wrap over the tab.
Adjust and glue in place, inverting the assembly
to allow fingertips to apply pressure along tabs
seam from backside.
11. Complete the same process for the remaining half.
12. Apply glue to boxing end tabs and form hull
over boxing ends, adjust and attach in place.
13. Beginning with "tacking" centers, fit the hull edge
to the boxing curve perf cuts edge as for the front,
adjust, and attach along the seam.
Adjust as necessary along each half edge,
using the door opening to allow easy reach.
14. Prepare the interior support box by bending back
on all perf lines for panels and tabs.
15. Form the "tray" box by bending walls back
with tabs inward to align and join all four seams.
16. Prepare the interior strut box support by bending
 the tabs back, strip back at center panel.
apply glue to the tabs, then insert at center
of tray box.
Push fully inward, then adjust the 'V' bend so that 
it does not protrude beyond box curve edge.
Apply adhesive to the top and bottom faces of box,
leaving area that will be exposed on top.
Insert into hull interior at center bottom . . .
. . . and push fully in, taking care that it remains centered.
17. To close the box, bend the door down into place
and attach tab extension to interior box face using 
a sticky dot or double sided adhesive tape.
18. Position and attach seed stack at top of each
section shape.
19. If desired, position and attach a selected tag
such as this "Easy Squeezey" print and cut tag.
(NOTE the sample tag was attached using bakers'
twine threaded on an oversized "darning" style needle
which pierced the front corner near where it
is shown in this image.)
LEMON SHAPED TAG ZESTY LIFE
20. To prepare this tag, identify and cut the shapes:
at top - leaf base and darker leaf overlay
at left - lemon tag base and contr. underlay
at right - sentiment base and overlay letters
21. Complete preliminary assembly of each
element as shown.
22. Position and attach leave behind lemon top,
taking care that the ribbon hang hole remains clear.
Position and attach sentiment assembly over center.
Here is the completed project:

Saturday, May 11, 2024

Kitty Standing Box with Heart

 
Shaped container consists of lid that fits 
snugly over base. Lid front overlay includes 
inner ears, cheeks and nose inset cut outs 
to assist with placement of eye lashes. 
Forehead wrinkles cut as a joined unit 
which is then positioned over front, glued 
then trimmed to match top curved edge of head. 
Layered-for-thickness tail can hook into base backside 
slot to make the kitty stand upright (or use 
opt. no-slot back panels to omit tail). 
Layered heart (with a message written 
discreetly on the backside if desired) 
can be held by kitty’s cut out arms. 
Box lid is large enough to have a standard gift card 
attached inside. 
Box measures approx. 4” wide x 6” tall x 1.25” deep 
(without tail) when fully assembled and closed. 

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A box front panel   B front overlay with arms cut outs
C inset contrast shapes for nose & nose base,
cheeks inner ears, closed eyes
D LID top shape boxing strip
E-F LID left & right side boxing strips
G LID bottom boxing strip
H BASE box back panel
I BASE box back panel overlay
J BASE top boxing strip 
K-L BASE left and right boxing strips
M BASE bottom boxing strip
N BASE cross bracing strip
O test strips (6-7) and slot
P tail (5-6) and reverse tail (1)*
Q large heart layers for stacking (3-4)
R smaller heart
*total quantity determined with test strips, slot
2. Prepare layered and glued-up shapes to provide
time lapse for glue to dry:
A) Layer and join together large hearts, taking care to
align outer edges as precisely as possible.
Position and attach smaller heart in center of larger
heart stack front.
Press under a heavy flat weight until thoroughly dried,
usually a few hours or overnight.
B) To test your card stock thickness to determine how many
layers of tail will be required to fit fully but easily
into tail slot, first layer strips into a stack, then . . .
. . . fit into the test slot. Add or subtract strip layers until
the stack fits fully but not too tight, allowing a little
bit of grace for the application of glue between layers.
When the target number of layers is determined, 
adjust and cut the tail front multiples and the single back.
C) Layer and attach each front shape, taking care that cut 
outer edges are aligned as carefully as possible, particularly
the half-slot where tail will hook over box back panel layers.
Layer the reversed back tail in same manner, then . . .
. . . test, if desired, by hooking over the layered back panels.
Press the tail assembly under a heavy flat weight
for hours until completely dried.
3. Become acquainted with the boxing strips for LID.
NOTE the small cut-in symbols of circle, triangle, square
or 'X' in end tabs or joining end tabs. These will provide
guidance regarding joining sequence.
Also NOTE the center tiny notch at center top of
top boxing strip.
Finally, check out the difference between the BENDING
 perforation lines (near end tabs and at corners of shapes,
and GUIDE MARK dash lines. The guide mark dash line
shown in this photo has been highlighted with pencil
for visibility.  DO NOT BEND. Instead, use to help align
transition point between straight segment and curved.
At the multiple tab segments, use a rod-like tool such
as this narrow dowel to add back curl in a similar manner
as curl would be added to curling ribbon. Add the curl
ONLY in the curved segment, stopping as guideline.
4. Prepare the top strip by bending at the regular perf
lines across strip as shown, with "valley" bends on
each side of center, "mountain" folds at all others.
5. Add slight back curl at the center segment where multiple
tabs will indicate a curved joining. 
6. Position curved tab edge along top of front panel . . .
. . . then fit it to the plain edge of front panel, with
the perforation bends aligned at the edge's angles.
Add fingertip pressure to create initial joining, then . . .
. . . flip over the apply fingertip pressure along the seam
until it is completely secure.
7. Continue toward one side, bending and fitting
each segment along the plain edge of front panel,
bending the tabs inward and matching the edge
along perforation edge, then gluing in place.
8. Repeat the process for the opposite side.
9. Identify the next strip end to be joined by locating
the symbol (circle shown here) that matches to
the symbol in edge tab of previously attached strip.
Add back curl with rod tool to the short end portion
taking care not to tear multi-tabs edge. Bend end tab
forward as a "valley" bend.
10. Position the end tab under the previous strip end
edge, adjust and glue in place.
11. Fit the curve and the straight portion to the panel
edge, matching the guide dash mark on the panel
to the guide mark "line" on the strip, and the end
of the strip at guide dash mark near foot curve.
12. Prepare the bottom strip by identifying the center
curve edge with 'V' cut out  marking the center,
then adding back curl . . . 
. . . to all the multi-tab segments for center, and 
rounded corners of bottom paws. Between rounded
paw segments, the bottom of paws have full perforation
lines where the strip should be bended forward as
"valley" folds.
DO NOT bend at the end tabs - these are guidelines
to assist with previous strip end alignment.
13. Position and attach side strip end straight edge
at new bottom strip tab guide mark line. Then . . .
. . . fit the curve edge and straight edge sequence
that will wrap around first paw to "valley" bend 
at panel corner, adjust, and attach in place.
14. Position, adjust and attach the center segment
curve edge, then repeat the around-paw step
for the final joining. 
15. Position, join the final side strip at end tab, prepare
and position into final front panel edge to attach in place,
while at the same time tucking the end tab under
straight end of top strip. 
16. Begin preparing the front panel with decorations
by applying adhesive to backside of "wrinkles" shape,
then position at top center with tiny gap between top
of head and header as shown.
17. When glue is dried, use scissors to hand-trim away
header and excess EVEN with head edge.
(NOTE that this may be easiest to accomplish
by turning front overlay panel face side down
to see the head edge more clearly.)
18. Position and attach the closed eye shapes
on each side of nose base cut out as shown.
19. Turn overlay shape face down to apply adhesive
to backside, excluding the front paw/arm shapes,
as shown.
Then position the overlay over the top of the LID
assembly, with outer edges even and aligned.
20. Position the inlay shapes of inner ears,
cheeks and nose base.
Finally, position and attach nose shape over base.
21. Repeat the LID boxing strip assembly process
to complete the box BASE. 
22. Prepare the base cross brace by bending end tabs
and bottom flange tab to forward to perpendicular.
23. Apply glue to backside of tabs and flange,
then position inside of BASE, in line with the upper
"shoulder" curve guide mark lines on each side.
Take care that tail slot remains clear.
Apply pressure to attach in place to side walls
and backside of back panel.
24. Position and attach back panel overlay over
BASE assembly, taking care to align slot opening
edges as precisely as possible.
25. If appropriate, a standard gift card can be
attached behind the front panel of LID assembly.
26. To close the box, fit the BASE inside of the LID.
NOTE that there may be slight gaps that need
a little double-sided adhesive tape assistance
to keep both wall layers close together.
27. To add tail, slide top end into slot, then . . .
. . . slide tail downward until it "locks" into place.
28. Finish the thickened heart by penning a sentiment
on the backside, then tuck under the free paws.
Use sticky tape or dots to hold heart in place.