Hey there! No card today, but I did get crafty. One of my husband's coworkers needed custom boxes for small dreamcatchers that she had picked out for her husband's family as gifts. I make bulky cards, so on occasion I will make a presentation box to put the card in. I try to coordinate the box with the card, so it's more like a gift. It's better than just handing the recipient the card wrapped in tissue, or a paper towel, or an old sock...LOL! Just seeing if you are paying attention ;D They look something like this.
When I first discovered that other crafters were making these box envelopes, I was enthralled. I wanted so badly to make these boxes, too. I set out to create my own template, which to be quit honest, was a rather large pain in my rather large tookus. BUT, I did it and the template has served me well ever since. I have even taught card classes where we have used the template to make a matching box. Trust me when I say that Hallmark doesn't go to this much trouble.
My husband's coworker needed boxes in very specific sizes, none of which corresponded with my existing template. No big deal, I thought, I'll just create templates in the necessary sizes, completely forgetting how much trouble the original template had been. Yada, yada, yada (omitting lots of cursing and profanity here)...it took me the better part of a day to get those darn templates right...grrrr! BUT, I did it and I will hold on to these templates as if they were...err...umm...wait a sec... Okay, I just googled the "most valuable piece of paper in the world" and one of the top two listings was the Pokemon Pikachu Illustrator trading card. I have no earthly idea what that is, but for the sake of this example, let's go with it. Where was I? Oh yes...but, I DID create those templates and I will hold onto them as if they were highly desirable Pokemon Pikachu Illustrator trading cards. Hmmm, not quite the excitement I was hoping for...oh, well. Let's move on.
Dreamcatchers are very indicative of the Southwest. In keeping with the Southwest theme, I was asked to use desert colors. Digging through my paper stash, I came across some gorgeous glossy 12x12 paper my mother gave me a long time ago. The name of the company escapes me, but these papers resemble the beautiful mottled results you get when you add alcohol inks to glossy paper, except, all the guess work has been removed and somebody else has already figured out the best color combos. I just adore a shortcut, don't you? All in all, I am pretty pleased with how these boxes turned out. I'm not sure I'll be making more anytime soon, though ;D
Oh, Cheryl! The boxes are absolutely gorgeous and so worth it! You should have them patented!
ReplyDeleteAnd the word "tookus" caught my eye--never heard it called that before! LOL!
AND, my verification word? boophop
These boxes are totally gorgeous, so clever. And that glossy paper worked a treat, so luxurious looking. I did think you'd made them with alcohol inks but as you said, who needs to when you can get some already made. Love your word 'tookus' :)
ReplyDeleteLOve these boxes, Cheryl! Great use of that glossy paper...mine is still sitting around somewhere waiting for me to use it! "Tookus" huh! Is that in Webster? he he he I love it!
ReplyDelete1. A sock? <---See. I WAS paying attention.
ReplyDelete2. Tookus? hahahaha Oy vey! I didn't know you knew Yiddish.
3. Box templates: Please share.
4. That paper. I got some eons ago and loved it because it was alcohol ink without staining my hands for days!
Your post made me smile. Thank you.
---Oh. My verification word is "foomish", which sounds like a good Yiddish word. "I had a foomish on my tookus. Oy Vey."
These boxes are beautiful! Just the type of packaging that I would save for re-gifting! I thought for sure, with all your talent, you had made the paper, but I'm with you on the whole saving time thing! ;o)
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