Dove 3D Box

Create for holiday decorating 

or to give as a unique gift box. 

Dimensional dove is built as "lid" and "base" insert. 

Wings dimension created from multiple layers 

plus accent graduated-offset overlays. 

Tail also has built-up side accents. 

Beak is constructed separately and then attached. 

Measures approx. 5.25" head to tail, 

4" bottom to tail tip, 2.125" across breast. 

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:

A center body/head

B right side body

C right side body

D tail     E tail l & r accents

F eye contrast underlays (l & r)

G beak     H base box

I wing l & r layers for build up

J wing bases (includes attachment tab)

K wing accent base build up

L-N 2 accent build up layers, top accent

2. Prepare the left and right side body shapes

by bending back on all tabs and perforation lines.

3. Prepare center body/head shape by bending

back on all perforation lines, except for final two

lines at the wider end, which should be 

bent forward.

4. Prepare the tail shape by bending back

on all tab and other perforation lines. 

5. Glue the left and right eye contrast underlay

shapes behind the eye cutout on corresponding

sections of the left and right body shapes.

6. Begin side panel construction by bending

the side front segment inward, allowing

the angled adjacent straight edge to overlay

the long tab, and glue in place.

Also overlap the lower straight edge over

the corresponding lower front tab, and

glue in place.

7. Begin to join the center body/head panel

to the right side assembly by lining up the segment

that includes the beak tab slot next to the eye segment,

overlapping the tab, adjusting to align the edges,

then glue in place.

Line up and attach the lower segment edge

to the lower side tab.

Continue the sequence by bending to allow
for positioning each

center segment straight edge along

the corresponding side edge tab

until all edges and tabs are attached.

8. Repeat the process of joining side and center

panels for the left side body panel, beginning at

eye edge and slot segment, following step 7.

Reach fingers inside body cavity to align

and apply pressure to the seams.

9. Wrap the back body segment to bring opposite

straight edge to overlap the tab, adjust

and attach in place.

10. Fold the body bottom flanges inward . . .

. . . and glue in place to create a bottom rim.

11. Position and attach the tail accent shapes

offset within the side panels.

12 Bend the tail center section down, bend side

panels down to overlap side edges over 

the center section tabs, and glue in place.

 Then . . . 

. . . bend the center end section into position

with the straight side edges overlapping

center tabs, and glue in place.

13. Bend tail opening tabs inward slightly,

then insert into the end body opening so that

the body straight edges overlap tail tabs.

Reach fingers inside body cavity to apply 

pressure to complete gluing of seams.

14. Prepare the beak shape by bending back

on all angled edges and side tab.

15. Form the beak into a pyramid shape to bring

the straight side edge overlap the opposite tab . . .

. . . and glue in place.

NOTE it will be helpful to insert a flat pointed tool

such as this fingernail file inside the beak

to provide a "press against" surface.

16. Position the beak over the front of body,

insert the lower tab into the body slot,

bend tab downward inside body,

and glue in place.

17. Apply glue along the beak rim 

on the underside, then bend beak into position

to press the beak edges against the body

until glued edges are securely in place.

18. Prepare the left and right wings by layering

and gluing the wing base shapes, one by one, 

taking care to line up edges as precisely as possible.

NOTE: Use a flat weight to help keep glued-up layers

flat and smooth, and to avoid warping and curling.

19. Prepare the bottom wing layers by bending

connection tab outward, then . . . 

. . . position each on the corresponding wing

build up back-to-back, and glue in place.

(Use weights as glue dries.)

20. Prepare the smaller inner wing build up

and accents by layering the whole base shapes

as with the main wing.

Also attach the three top accent layers in order

taking care to line up the cut edges of the

"vein" cutouts. NOTE that outer edges

of these shapes are slightly offset as shown

here with the contrast top accent layered onto

the next lower layer.

21. Position and attach the top accent layered unit

to the top of the upper buildup layers,

taking care to align outer cut edges

as precisely as possible.

22. Position and attach the upper accent wing

unit onto the base wing, with offset margin

around at edges.

23. Apply liberal amount of quick-grab glue

to the area of the wing's underside 

where it will touch body panel, then

position wing on corresponding side of body assembly, 

inserting wing tab into body hole . . .

. . . adjust wing positioning as desired

(NOTE that model has first scallop "valley"

aligned at tail upper edge), then bend tab back

inside body and glue in place.

Hold wing in place and apply pressure until

glue is dried and it is secure.

Repeat for second wing.

24. Prepare base box (insert) by bending back

on all perforation lines and tab lines.

25. Locate the 'F' cut into the tab that

shows which end of the box is the "front".

Bend the front, back and sides up into position,

overlap the straight edges to the tab perforation

lines, and glue in place to form an open-top box.

26. To complete the dove or close the box,

insert the box top ('F' front positioned correctly)
into the body bottom opening

(this is a snug fit), then . . .

. . . slide completely into position where

the base box bottom will be nearly flush

with body rim edges.

Here is the completed dimensional dove box,

as seen from the front . . .

. . . and from the side.

Cupid's Wing Pull Tab Card

. 

Eight pop can pull tabs lend a steam punk feel, 

laced in place on heart overlay, 

atop Cupid wing base shape, 

two layered loopy fringe arcs. 

Opposite, two cog wheels with arrow 

(3D fletching shape plus heart point overlay) 

provide visual balance. 

(Shown here with extra "found" embellishments.)

Measures approx. 7.75" wide x 6.75" wide.

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A card front base      B card back base
C inside sentiment label
D card front accent (with lacing holes)
E wing/scroll base with individual feathers
F tall loop accent
G short loop accent
H scroll overlay
I large gear (3-4 layers)
J large gear stem circles (3)
K small gear (3-4 layers)
L large gear stem circles (7-11)
M arrow assembly (base 3 layers, heart tip,
fletching halves, fletching 3D)

Additional back shapes (top to bottom)

heart overlay

banner front

banner base

2. Prepare the wing shape (if using individual

feather shapes) by overlaying each feather

on matching base extension, taking care to

match up lacing punch holes

(here and throughout assembly where

layered shapes include the punches).

3. Position and attach the "ring" portion of the

tall loop accent to the wing assembly, then . . .

. . . position and attach the "ring" portion of the
short loop accent.

4. Position and attach the wing assembly

over the card front accent panel

so that overlapping surfaces of wing

and heart panel attach . . .

. . . taking care to match up the lacing punches
so that holes remain open.

5. Position and attach scroll shape over

the matching portion of the wing assembly.

6. Position and glue the pop can pull tabs

over the wing/loops assembly so that the

lacing punch holes are visible at the edges

of the inner openings.

(A quick-grab adhesive, such as the

Fabri-Tac glue shown here is recommended.

NOTE: aluminum tabs for this project

were dipped into dark wood stain,

allowed to dry, then sprayed front and back

with clear satin acrylic spray to protect coloring.)

This image shows in more detail

the positioning of the punch holes

around tab openings.

7. Prepare to lace the tab in place by cutting

a 27" twine or 6-ply floss onto a blunt tapestry

style needle. Begin by taping the end near

the top holes as shown.

8. Insert the anchored twine through the first

lower hole, and push through to the front.

Draw twine all the way through.

9. Insert needle in the hole across the tab
structure, push needle through, and draw twine
through to back completely.

10. More upward to insert the needle through
the outer hole, and draw through to front completely.
Insert needle in the next paired hole so that the
twine crosses the tab structure, and pull completely
through to the back.

11. Insert the needle and twine up through the next 
adjacent hole, then down through the paired
hole so that the twine will wrap over the two
tab structures. This is the lacing stitch that
will be repeated to wrap and secure adjacent
pairs of tabs, until all are laced in place.

12. Continue the lacing process until all tabs
are laced in place. At the final lower tab,
the twine "stitches" will wrap over the structure
of just the single tab, as shown in the first steps
of the lacing, steps 9 & 10.

13. Finish the last stitch with the needle and twine

drawn to the backside of the accent shape.

Trim the excess leaving approx. 1" tail, then . . .

. . . tape in place to secure.

14. Layer gears - large . . .

. . . and small - taking care

that all edges line up as precisely as possible,

and glue together. HINT: use heavy flat weights

to help keep the layered assemblies flat and

avoid curling or warping as glue dries.

Also layer and glue the multiple stem circles 

for each gear.

15. Position each stem on the backside of 

their respective gears (tallest stem on small gear)

with center openings aligned precisely,

and glue in place.

16. Add brads or mini studs to gears as desired,
then position and attach in place with brads
onto the card accent front assembly.

17. Position and attach the accent front over

the card front base with even offset at edges.

18. Prepare the dimensional fletching shape

by bending forward at perforation.

19. Layer and glue together the 3 arrow base shapes

to reinforce it and give it some dimension.

Position and attach the heart tip, half fletch

shapes over the arrow base. 

20. Position and glue just the fold edge of

the dimensional fletching in the space

between the half fletch shapes.

21. Position and attach the shaft of the arrow

as desired.

22. Position and attach the optional

interior sentiment label on the

inside (backside) of the back card base,

centered above bottom tip and below

fold perforation line.

23. Assemble the optional back banner shape by 

layering the top banner shape over the base, with

heart on top with holes aligned.

Add a decorative mini brad.

24. Position and attach the banner assembly
on the face side of the back card.

25. Position the upper "lobes" portion of

the back card over the corresponding portion

of the front card base on the backside,

and attach in place.

26. Prepare the optional back ribbon hanger shape

by bending back on center perforation line,

forward on outer perforation lines.

27. Glue the center portions together, then . . .

. . . position the center cut mark of the "top"

flange below the valley of the card back,

then adjust up/down to center between the

valley edge and the perforation line,

and glue flanges in place securely.

Attach a 20-24" length of ribbon to the hanger.

Here is the basic completed card.

If desired, add additional embellishments.
Shown here are two more gears, plus
a small key with ribbon tails.