“Luv U” Card & Matching Gift Box Recipe
It’s an Olive Juice Studio Original Recipe just for Memory Miser Customers!
Don’t cringe and think you have to run to the store to buy something special for this project. This creative little “crafterpiece” comes from your recycling bin and paper scrap stash AND the “Love Struck” Cricut cartridge.
My husband bought pop tarts last night (yes, for himself)….and I “found” inspiration!
This morning, instead of an ugly blue pop tart box sitting in the pantry, my husband found this…
Sorry dear, I just couldn’t resist!!! He didn’t seem too disappointed until I told him it wasn’t for him…he has to wait for his special Valentine!
Ingredients for Box:
1 pop tart box – any flavor or fat content will work!
Cricut and “Love Struck” cartridge
Enough paper to cover box – either all one pattern or coordinating patterns
Small scrap of paper to go around the top of the box (I used a script pattern papery by Paper Studio)
Black pompom fringe – enough to go around the entire box
Enough ribbon to make a bow and handle
Black and white scraps for the Cricut cuts
Pink feather boa pieces…pink/black tulle or netting or any other type of filler for the inside of the basket
Pop Dots (dimensional)
Preferred Adhesive
Black Stickles
Black Staz-On Ink OR a coordinating color paint that matches your paper pattern
Foam brush or paint brush
Modge Podge or any other favorite brand of decoupage glue
Cuttlebug and D’vine Swirl embossing folder (or any desired embossing folder!)
Directions for Box:
First remove any pop tarts that could still possibly be inside the box. Next, cut the top flaps off of the box. Then paint or ink the edges of the box to cover up some of the blue. You can paint/ink the bottom of the box or leave it as is. I tend to leave mine as is because everyone always gets a kick out of knowing where their “cute” little gift box originated from!
Now you need to measure all four sides of the box. Cut four pieces of paper to fit each side of the box. Cut it exactly the same size as your measurements and then glue to the box. Next, cut a strip 1 ½” wide for each of the four sides or one long strip that folds around the sides. If you are using a 12×12 piece of paper you will need to add a second piece which is covered by the ribbon –just make sure the seam is in the back of the box. Glue to the top edge of the box. Using a small piece of sand paper or an emery board lightly sand the edges of the paper around the box. Then, using a foam brush, cover the entire exterior of the box with your favorite decoupage glue. Let dry.
Once the box is dry, glue black pompom fringe around the box where the two papers meet. See photo for example. Next, is the handle. Select a piece of coordinating ribbon and cut to desired length. Now cut the ribbon in half so that you have two pieces. With both pieces of ribbon, tie a bow to one end and then glue the opposite ends to the inside of the box to form a handle. Let dry. Add black Stickle dots to the top edge of the box and allow drying time before adding feathers to the inside so the dots don’t smear (speaking from experience!). Once the Stickle dots have dried feel free to add pieces of feather boa, tulle, fabric scraps, paper shreds, etc.
One more step for the box! Cricut time! Grab your “Love Struck” Cricut cartridge, some black scraps of paper and small pieces of white to place under the hearts for the words to pop out more. Cut the hearts at 2 ½”. Glue a small piece of white scrap paper under each heart and then add dimensional dots (Pop Dots) and attach to the front of the box (see photo for placement).
Matching “LOVE U” Card
Ingredients:
4×6 black card base
Scrap of patterned paper used on the box above for the mat (3 ¾ x 5 ¾”)
Cricut and “Love Struck” cartridge
Small piece of coordinating ribbon used on box above
Piece of black pompom fringe for bottom of card
Black and coordinating paper for hearts
Pieces of pink feather boa
Pop Dots (dimensional)
Directions:
Adhere the patterned paper mat to the front of the card. Using a small piece of coordinating ribbon tie a loose knot and attach to the top of the card mat.
With the “Love Struck” Cricut cartridge cut a heart at 4 ¼” from black paper then cut the group of candy hearts stopping after the first heart has been cut at 3”. Next, cut a heart from the same patterned paper you used for the top strip on the box above. Cut this heart at 3 ½”. (It does cut a group of four hearts but I only used three of them). Run each heart through your Cuttlebug or other embossing machine using your desired embossing folder ( I used D’vine Swirls). Stack the hearts using Pop dots (dimensionals) and attach to card front. Glue a strip of black pompom fringe to the bottom of the card, folding the ends under for a neat and finished appearance. Add pieces of light pink feather boa to the lower left side of the heart and under the top heart that reads “LUV U.”
