Friendship Box

My design for a Friendship Box * demonstrates both qualities adding a muted look using the frosted material as well as adding strength for longevity from handling and water resistance! **Here are the supplies you will need.

Before we get started with the directions let me just show you the beautiful project* you can make and share with your best friends! I've decorated the outside of the box with the frosted full sheet product. This not only subdues the pattern on the paper but allow me to rub ons and chipboard. All paper and most embellishment products are from the Basic Grey Urban Prairie Collection, with exception of from American Crafts Premium Ribbon, and the Prima flower. The name was cut with my Cricut using the Opposites Attract cartridge. The embellishments and gifts inside are from my personal collection which have long lost their packaging, therefore I am unable to give credit to those companies.

This is the closed box, doesn't look like much but wait until you see how it "unfolds"! The box is capped on each end to hold it closed but once the caps are removed a wonderful gift of true friendship unfolds!

*** Top Cap: Built the

embellishment for the top on the glazed brad. Then place a chipboard flower on the top of the box. Mount the brad, flower, and ribbon loops with mounting tape to the top.

Bottom Cap: After constructing the bottom cap, using paper piercer poke four holes about 1/4" in and set the brads for the feet of the box.

Let's build the body of the box:

Take your pre-cut vinyl*** and paper*** to a well ventilated area. Use newspaper to protect any surrounding objects from over spray. I used Spray Craft Adhesive made by Glue Craft. It is acid free, non-yellowing, clear/invisible, re-positional or permanent (depending on the dry time before you put your item to be adhered into place. In this case we want to adhere our items permanent, so once the spray is on the object to be adhered it must be put into place right away. Be sure to read the instructions on your spray adhesive.

Have your newspaper for underneath to catch the over spray, your spray adhesive, your frosted 5 1/2" X 10 1/2" vinyl, your patterned double sided paper cut at 5 1/2" X 5 1/2 " OR (2) pieces of patterned paper cut at 5 1/2" X 5 1/2".

Spray the vinyl and lay the printed side of the paper on top and bray down for even adhesion. Spray the back (white side of the patterned paper) and adhere the second piece of patterned paper. Let this dry about 5 minutes.

Time to score this section of the friendship box. Beginning at the left with the paper up and the vinyl down (as to form the "mountains" up on the vinyl) score at 2 1/4", again at 4 1/2", and a third time at 6 3/4" leaving a 1" flap on the right. Using your paper folder fold each scored line nice and strong.

Place the bottom cap on the bottom and the top cap on the top. This will help your vinyl and paper portion of the friendship box to begin to memorize the shape that it will eventually hold. You may have trouble getting the sides not to buckle in, or difficulty inserting the caps but it will go together as you work to place the end caps onto the vinyl section.

Laying a straightedge along the scored line will help to fold these lines more easily as they are quite thick. Once you have the scored line folded continue to flatten it with your paper folder so that you get a nice 90 degree angle. You'll want the "mountains" to be on the outside (vinyl) side of the box.

The center picture shows the inside of the box taking shape

To the right is shown the outside of the box with the patterned paper subdued by the frosted vinyl.

The vinyl material on the outside of the box has allowed you to use pre-decorated chipboard shapes and rub-ons. Let's start assembling. The main technique you will use is folding the tops and bottoms of the boxes inside and the end caps, after you learn to fold this box technique you will never buy another box or use a different fold again! I love it that much!

The diagram for this is drawn here:

This information may help you with the box folding procedure.

Take each square that has been cut to size according to ***on the reverse (white) side draw an X from corner to corner using pencil and ruler. Fold each point to the center of the paper, and without unfolding fold once again to the center of the paper.
Repeat all for corners and unfold

Once you have folded and unfolded your square you will cut two lines on opposite sides as indicated by the below diagram will leave you with four squares in the middle, two "houses" opposite created by the cuts, and two "wings" opposite also created by the cut. Take your first "wing" and once again fold it to the center leaving pattern side showing and white side inside. Repeat with the opposite "wing". Follow example with the two "house" quarters and fold over the edges of the wings to secure the box. I have used adhesive squares or dots to secure the folds. When placing a brad for a faux drawer pull place it in the center of the fold closest to the center bottom quad of squares. This way when you make your final fold over the back of the brad, it will be hidden.

In order to strenghten this friendship box and to cover the inside like, "drawer lining" cut scrap pieces of paper about 1/8" less than the bottom of the box or end cap and secure with glue, I did use spray glue but a glue stick or ATC tape would work just as well. The point is you want to build your box STRONG!. After "lining the top and bottom of the inside of the boxes use your spray adhesive and quickly secure them in the bottom/top of the box by picking them up with tweezers and pressing down with the back end of your paper piercer or other tool that will allow you to press down the entire area.

Once you have your four tops and four bottoms folded and joined top on bottom you will need to cut a triangular cut on the back side that is to attach to the box. This cut will look like this. f at this point your layers of fold seem to want to "ravel" you have not put enough adhesive on the folds. The inside of the top (pink) paper must be covered with adhesive and stuck to the bottom (blue) box. Then the blue and pink side (back side) of this box will be adhered to the top right corner of your folded box. Make sure not to overlap the scored and folded edges or your friendship box will not close properly. Repeat the same adhesive technique to your second box and adhere it to the bottom left lower corner, again making sure not to overlap the fold.

I

Once you have adhered these two boxes, the other two can be adhered at evenly spaced intervals. Closing and capping your friendship box will allow it to dry well, remember it's folds and not only appear more equally square but function more easily.

Once your boxes are adhered inside it should look something like this:

I added charms to each of the box lids. I also journaled a personal message to the recipient in the blue box left lower corner.

Inside I placed a mini album of pictures that were taken since we met 5 years ago, yummy chocolates, a hand embroidered handkerchief, and a special poem.

* Always give credit where credit is due. This box was originally developed by members of "Stampin' Up"! and altered slightly for this project...thanks ladies for the ideas and the majority of the work.
** Materials & cutting list.

(A) Outside (1) frosted or vinyl 5 1/2" X 10

(B-1) (2) Outside patterned paper 5 1/2" X 10" One sided
(B-2) (1) Double Sided patterned paper 5 1/2" X 10"(B) Inside Boxes bottoms, (4) 5 1/2" X 5 1/2"
(C) Inside Boxes tops (4) 6" X 6"

(D) End Caps (2) Cardstock or patterned paper (2) 6 1/2" X 6 1/2"