Tutorial - Boxed Envelope with Magnetic Flap Closure

I'm sure that there are many ways to make a boxed envelope.

This is the way that I chose to make mine......

I needed a box envelope to accommodate 

a 5x7 card that's 1" thick due to the decorations on it. 

This tutorial is about the dimensions I used,

but these can be adjusted depending on the size needed.

The concept is the same.

Also, it's important to use premium cardstock for a sturdy box envelope.

My finished box envelope measures

8" long x 6-1/4" wide x 1" deep.

Begin with the "bottom side" of the box envelope - 

Since the depth is 1",

you will lose 1" on each side

as well as 1" on the bottom.

Therefore, choose your measurements accordingly.

Using standard 8-1/2" x 11" size paper 

1) Cut 1/2" off to make it 8" wide 

2) Cut 2" off to make it 9"

            (your page now measures 8" x 9")

3) Score at 1" & 7" (on the 8" side of the paper)

4) Score at 8" (on the 9" side of the paper)

5) Burnish all scored lines

6) Cut along the score line in each corner where the 

    opposite score lines meet, so that it forms a flap.

7) Use double-sided tape to adhere these flaps to the inside of 

     the box envelope so that they are out of sight.

Now for the "top side" of the box envelope - 

These are the same instructions used for the bottom side,

except you will need to make the top of the box very slightly wider,

so that it neatly fits over the bottom side that you already made.

Again, using standard 8-1/2" x 11" size paper 

1) Cut 1/4" off to make it 8-1/4" wide 

2) Cut 2" off to make it 9".

            (Your page now measures 8-1/4" x 9")

(these cuts make the top piece slightly wider, with 1/8" on each side,

but still the same length as the bottom piece)

3) Score at 1" & 7-1/4" (on the 8" side of the paper)

4) Score at 8" (on the 9" side of the paper)

5) Burnish all scored lines

6) Cut along the score line in each corner where the 

    opposite score lines meet, so that it forms a flap.

7) Use double-sided tape to adhere these flaps to the inside of 

    the box envelope so that they are out of sight.

Run double-sided tape along the outside of the bottom piece.

Remember that the bottom piece is the slightly smaller of the two.

You now have two "halves" of a full box.

Perfectly place the top piece over the bottom piece, 

rubbing them together to adhere them in place.

VOILA!!

You have made an open top box envelope!

From here, I made a flap that's held in place with magnets when closed.

The flap measures 5" wide x 6" long.

This measurement can be whatever you want it to be

to accommodate your needs and decorating preferences.

I used a corner punch on all 4 corners to round them.

Scoring is done at 2-1/2" and 3-1/2", 

which produces a 1" wide center.

On the back side of the flap, 

add double sided tape on one side above the score mark.

Liquid glue can used if that's your preference.

This is to be adhered on the back side of the box envelope.

Be sure to measure so that when it's placed,

it will be in the center of the envelope.

Once the flap is adhered in place, 

turn the box envelope over so that the front faces you.

With the flap closed,

use a die/craft pick to poke a hole where you want magnets to be located.

I strongly suggest that you place a piece of cardboard inside the envelope 

to prevent accidently poking a hole all the way through to the other side.

Glue a magnet over each of the poked holes - 

one on the flap and one on the envelope.

You can place these magnets to either the front or the back.

Just note that a decoration should be placed on top of them,

as well as the hole that's showing,

 to hide them both for better aesthetics.

Now it's time to place decorations over the magnets.

This is the beginning of decorations on my project.

I hope that my instructions are clear and understandable. 

If you have questions, please leave them in the comments of this post.

Have a wonderfully blessed day!

Thank you for coming by,

Lisa >^..^<

Products used on the project:

120 lb. Premium White Cardstock
for the box envelope

Recollections - Royal Blue
for the flap

Tools

Fiskars 12" SureCut Deluxe
Paper Trimmer

Martha Stewart
Scoring Board

Recollections
Corner Rounded Punch

Adhesives

Scor-Tape

Nuvo Glue

Technique When Using 3D Embossing Folders

Many of you who work with 3D embossing folders

probably already know some things I'm going to point out.

I rarely use embossing folders,

although that might soon be changing because 

I bought quite a number of them recently. LOL!

Something very important that I learned when using vellum.

A thick vellum is a MUST.

I tried using 'regular' vellum and I have to say that

the embossed design will be cut away in some areas,

depending on the embossed design,

which is not attractive at all.

Here's an example using a polka dot 3D embossing folder:

 Also, another very important thing I discovered

is that it's best to die cut your piece first in the shape you want;

THEN run it through the embossing folder process.

If you DON'T do this, 

you'll end up with the embossed design being flattened

as in these examples:

First, a piece of thick vellum was embossed.

Then I ran it through again to die cut the shape of it.

But doing that, the polka dots were flattened

and some of the dots on the very edge were cut completely off.

Very strange on that last point.

Lastly, here are the differences when using cardstock.

WOW!!!

What a beautiful difference!

I'm new to embossing

and I'm learning through experimentation.

Maybe these things happen only when using a 

deep 3D embossing folder.  

Either way, I plan to follow my advice on this.

Thanks for reading my post

and I hope it helps someone.

Have a blessed evening,

Lisa >^..^<

Products used in the examples:

Misc. Blue Vellum

Scrapbook.com - Thick White Vellum

Recollections Cardstock - Cape Cod pack (used the aqua color)

Scrapbook.com - 3D Embossing Folder - Polka Dots

Intricate Pattern 7-13-26

 Well, I nearly used every purple in the set for this one.

It was pretty intense.

Soooooo many different details to color.

These are the Prismacolor Premier colored pencils I used.

Thanks for coming by.

Have a blessed day,

Lisa >^..^<

Products used:

Intricate Patterns by Jade Summer

Prismacolor Premier colored pencils - 150 set

Prismacolor Colorless Blending Pencil

Curate Colour Pencil Sharpener

Sakura Eraser

Grumbacher Final Fixative

My Craft Room - Favorites Coloring Wall - Update #4

Yes, I've done it AGAIN!

The ever-changing favorites coloring wall 

is now in its fourth update.

In addition to putting up my newest coloring of the moth life cycle,

I also decided to revamp some of the others on the wall while I was at it.

Some needed an extra background color added

to make them look more vibrant.

I also rearranged so that like colors weren't right next to each other.

So, here's the outcome.....for now.....

 Thanks for coming by!

Have a blessed evening,

Lisa >^..^<

Moth Life Cycle Mandala

 This is a page that I've literally thought about coloring for 4 years.

I've been afraid of messing it up,

but today I finally did it!

My favorite color is purple, which I then chose

the colors that I think look fabulous with it!

I'm very happy with how it turned out.

Here are the colors I used for this page.

Lavender purple goes beautifully with aqua & lime green.

I decided to color the cocoons to match each moth,

even though in real life, their cocoons are very ugly & drab,

which I presume is for their safety from predators.

Even the caterpillars have similar colors!

The bodies of the moths are in a light brown

with shadings of purple-brown.

I wanted the center circle to not be stark white,

but more of an unassuming color that wouldn't compete 

with the beautiful purples & greens throughout.

I opted to use cream because it's a neutral color that has a hint of yellow,

which goes very well with all of the other colors on this page.

My favorite moth in this coloring is the lavender with aqua.

I added hints of chartreuse too. 

The other moth is purple with lime & darker green colorings.

Finally, the very center,

where I've colored the caterpillars a lime green

and each with highlights of aqua or purple.

The 'bubble' has all of the purples, aqua & lime colors in it.

I just kept coloring this page and got it done in one day,

which for me is not the norm.

Very enjoyable and so happy how it turned out!

This one will be replacing one of the colorings on the 

"Favorite Colorings Wall" in my craft room.

Thanks for visiting and have a blessed evening!

Lisa >>^..^<

Products used:

Nature Mandalas by Melpomeni Chatzipanagiotou

Prismacolor Premier colored pencils - 150 set

Faber-Castell Polychromos colored pencils - 120 set

Faber-Castell Mini Soft Pastels - 72 set

Curate Colour Pencil Sharpener

Grumbacher Final Fixtive Spray