Tutorial for Exploding Box

1. Choose your papers carefully, this has a huge bearing on the finished result. Remember that your biggest sheet of card, the one you will cut first, forms the outside of the box.

2. You will need 3 12 x 12" sheets of good quality coordinating cardstock, and 1 sheet of 12 x 12" coordinating pattern cardstock

3. Score your first layer at 4" on all sides. You will now have 9 scored squares. Cut out the corner squares. You are left with a cross shape. Round the corners.

4. Cut your middle layer to 11" x 11", and score at 3 3/4", as before on all sides and cut out the corner squares, round corners

5. Cut your inner layer to 10 x 10" and score at 3 1/2", proceed exactly as with the first two layers. You will now have three graduated layers, as in the very first photo.

6. Decorate your inside layers at this stage. Then put glue dots on the underneath of the centre square of the second layer and position carefully over the centre square of the largest layer. Do the same with the smallest layer - adhere it to the centre square of the middle layer.

7. To make your lid, cut your patterned card to 8 x8" and score at 2" on all sides. This time do NOT cut out the corner square, simply snip along the horizontal folds on all sides. Use a bone folder to sharpen your creases, and apply double sided tape to secure your lid.

8. I usually apply a border of coordinating pattern paper around the bottom edges of the box, to link with the lid colours. Decorate the top - on this box I simply cut out large flowers from a coordinating sheet, applied brads to the centre and used dimensional tape to adhere to the lid.

9. These boxes look so pretty, and the more embellishments you throw at them, the better they look. Think small, use narrow little ribbons, tiny flowers, coordinating mats for the photos, little buttons - go on, try it, you'll have a ball!