Santa 3" x 3" Cards in a Box Video

Hello, Crafters.

This morning I uploaded my video which shows how to make five Santa 3" x 3" Christmas cards for one of our Pizza boxes, which I've also decorated. 

Fortunately we sell 3" x 3" envelopes for these cards so no need to give the Envelope Punch Board a work out! 

I've had this idea since I shared the box of 3" x 3" cards I made using the Hostess Merry Patterns Stamp Set.  

I shared this project on my blog on 9th September.

 

I took the Santa's box further by decorating it by stamping allover the outside using the Santa hat outline stamp from the Santa's Suit Stamp Set.

I coloured the hats using a Real Red Marker pen, although I could have used the infill stamnp that comes in the set. 

I decided against that route because I wasn't sure how easy it'd be to stamp over the score line channels. 

I felt that a Marker Pen would leave a much smaller white gap.

In the video, I show some other boxes I have decorated using different methods rather than layering with cardstock (CS) and/or Designer Series Paper (DSP). 

My first attempt was while I was at Natalie's training last Sunday. 

We were using these boxes and the instructions included decorating the boxes with the CS and DSP.
 
I was chatting with the other two ladies on the same table, and we started discussing other ways of decorating the boxes! 

We all decided to have a go by stamping all over the box.

We used Sahara Sand Ink and snowflake-type stamps that were available. 

The effect was beautiful! 
 
Later that evening, when I went into my studio, I started experimenting with heat embossing the boxes, one with Gold Embossing Powder and then one with Silver Embossing Powder. 
 


One very important lesson I learned was to allow the boxes to cool down totally before starting to fold them!

If the boxes are still warm when you fold them, the top layer of the box cardstock splits! 

No prizes for guessing how I found that out! 

On the video, I show the worst of the splits.

As I had been experimenting with decorating the Pizza Boxes, I finished up with three beautifully decorated boxes. 

I didn't have a plan to use them in a project, so I found an alternative use for them!

I have one that I keep my 3" x 3" envelopes in, another I keep my 3" x 3" cards in, and a third one I keep my 3" x 3" box lid top layers. 

Obviously these boxes are ideal for the job, and they make it so easy to keep everything organised. 

I'll be using a fourth one for keeping bits and pieces made for 3x3 cards but not actually used!

The Pizza Boxes are Food Safe and have a shiny inside surface. 
 
I don't recommend decorating the actual outside box surface if you're using the box for food. 

A suitable alternative would be to decorate using layers of CS and DSP, without adhering anything that's going to be placed inside the box i.e. the side and front flaps of the lid (which tuck inside the box to close it).  

That's it from me today. Until tomorrow, happy crafting.

JanB.