trimmed box

Click image to enlarge

Designer: Kendra McCracken

Craft and hobby stores offer a variety of decorative boxes in every imaginable style but you may find yourself wishing one you like was available in a different color. Purchasing a box with a simple design in a color you need gives you a good starting point for decorating it exactly the way you want.  Using Fiskars Border Punches and patterned paper, you can easily add a lot of color and fantastic edges by creating your own trims.

Difficulty rating

Instructions (Print version)

I started with a simple faux leather box I purchased at a hobby store.
Using the Upper Crest Border Punch, I created a 3/4" trim from a piece of patterned paper. I next added a very narrow strip of a contrasting pattern along the top edge of the punched trim.

Using clear Ultra Thick Embossing Powder, and a clear embossing ink, I applied 2 coats of the embossing powder to the patterned paper trim, heating it to the melting point with a heat gun between layers. This left me with a trim which has a glass-like layer on top of the paper. 
Once the melted embossing powder had melted, I placed the trim in the freezer for 5 minutes. After removing the trim from the freezer, I cracked the "glass" by gently bending and twisting the trim in various places.

After cracking the "glass" I used a sponge to force stamping into into the cracks, giving them a distressed look and making the cracks more evident.

The box was finished by adhering the trim to the top edge of the  box using a heavy liquid adhesive.  I also added a contrasting trim along the bottom of the box. the knob on top was made using a cabinet door knob. I used the Fiskars Craft Drill to drill a hole in the lid, allowing the shank of the cabinet handle to slide through.

So next time you find yourself wishing for a box with more personalized trims, make it happen with Fiskars Border Punches and your favorite patterned papers.

Supplies:

Upper Crest Border Punch    
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_borderpunch-uppercrest.aspx
Craft Hand Drill    
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_craft-hand-drill.aspx
other: Patterned Papers, Strong Liquid Adhesive, Stamping Ink, Ultra Thick Embossing Powder, Ribbon (optional), Cabinet door handle