Blame It On Nikki!

I hope that you aren't getting bored with the "Saga of the Boxes"...... Nikki sent me a URL for an etsy site where the person was selling life sized boxes that were very interesting and wanted to know if we could make something similar with the tampons in mini. I wrote back and said that we should try it.......That's where the trouble began.

I knew that it would work, but then I thought of something else tubular. It was larger and would be easier for you to see the method of construction. Yes. It is still a household item and practically cost free. I am speaking of the lowly tube inside of paper towels(you could use various others, but that's what I happen to have empty).

I used a paper towel tube and the cardboard that you see in the photo is a divider from a box of cat food cans. I save those for mini use. They happen to be about the same weight as the tube. If you do this, try to keep the cardboard the same thickness as the tube if you can. It will make measuring a lot easier. Keep in mind that you can use the same method with the tampon tubes.

I am using a lot of cartonnage techniques on this. I prefer it to the tab and glue version for when I want both the outside and inside to be flat. It is much easier to line the box and cover the outside this way.

I decided that I wanted the length of the trunk(I forgot to tell you that the larger version translates into a round topped trunk.) to be 2 1/2". I took my T square and lined it up across the end of the tube and marked a straight line down the side. Then, at random, I decided that the front to back measurement should be not quite a half round. I went around to the other side of the tube and drew another line down the side there. I took a 2 1/2" strip of paper and laid it around the tube so that I could accurately mark the other end of the trunk top.

Next I cut out the piece that I wanted to use with scissors and an exacto knife(curved part). If you want to paper the inside of the trunk, now is the time to do the top. cut a piece the same width as the curved piece and about 1/2" longer. The half inch will be glued into the trunk body and become part of the hinge. Glue the lining to the inside curve with a very thin covering of white glue, or Yes glue if you prefer. I used white glue sparingly. trim one long side and two curved sides.

I then stood the piece up on the edge of the flat cardboard and traced around it. Cut out the half circles. I dry fit them to the end of the half tube. These go on the outside of the end. I then used masking tape(Not the blue kind) to edge the curved piece with about a 1/4" hanging over the edge. I clipped the masking tape that was hanging off about every 1/4". Then I fitted the end on the masking tape, butting it up against the tube. Carefully, one piece at a time, fold over all of the flaps to the end. Overlap the masking tape neatly The flatter you make it, the easier it will be to cover.

I decided on a 1 1/2" height for the trunk body. I highly recommend that you use a T square for this part to make the box come out straight. I measured the INSIDE of the top to get a box that, when I folded up the sides, would match the top. If you trace the outside of the box, you will find that the box is too large for the top. Look closely at the photo and you will see how I know. This was a photo of my first attempt. I traced around the outside and the bottom was toooooo big. The second time I measured the inside and it came out just right. As you can see, you simply make a flap on all four sides the height that you want the box to be.

Cut it out and score the four bottom lines with the back edge of your exacto or a small ball stylus. That breaks down the long fibers in the cardboard and makes it easy to bend.

Cut and glue the lining for the bottom before doing the corners. It is the same size as the cardboard piece. Be sure to bend it a few times before the glue dries and trim off any excess paper.The corners are done the same way as the top with the masking tape. Put the tape on one side, butt the other side up to it and then wrap the tape around and trim if you have any excess.

Now glue the tab of lining paper from the top of the box to the inside of the bottom. You can clearly see where it ends in this photo.

I decided to use fabric on the outside of this particular trunk. It is probably easiest to use when doing it for the first time.....No wrinkles and it can be repositioned easier than paper without damage.

I cut pieces larger than the ends and glued the flat part first. Lightly with the glue Please! Then I trimmed the edges to about 1/4" away and cut Vs in the fabric all around the curved part. I left about 1/8" of fabric and wrapped it around to the inside of the box. If you do this, you will have to clip and cut pieces out of the corners. As you can see I did the same to the bottom, mitering the corners.

You can see that there is a little gap between the top and the bottom at the back. You want that so that the box will open and close better. That's your hinge.

Now get out those scissors and cut a piece of fabric that it as long + 1" as the box is around from front opening, curved top, back, bottom, bottom front opening. It should be about 1/2" wider than the box.

Starting at the top front, lightly smear white glue on about half of the curved lid. Start your long strip of fabric with a bit hanging over the edge of the front if you are wrapping to the inside. Smooth as you go. Don't worry about the edges. when you get the first part smooth, do the other half of the dome. put a little glue in the gap between the lid and the body and continue on down the back smoothing as you go. Wrap to the bottom, glue and smooth. last do the front of the trunk body. You should have enough left to cut the 1/8" across the front and wrap to the inside of the box.

Now take a small pair of sharp scissors and trim the edges of this piece as close to the box as you can. If you are worried about it raveling, you can use fray check or white glue to rub along the edge. I didn't bother. I simply glued on braid trim around either end and then in a little ways on both sides. The gold fittings are small pieces of finding that I cut from a larger one.

As you can see here, it trims up pretty well and is ready for braid. Tessie insisted that it was hers, since the lining matches her new boxes. When I finished putting on the braid and the findings, Tessie kicked Spike out and closed the lid. When I asked her what in the world she was doing, she replied......."Possession is nine tenths of the law and I am possessing! MINE!!!"

I am now in the process of RE possessing the glass trunk with the gold fittings. She can't have both.

I think that I should have made it a little bigger. Poor Spike is left out in the cold. Hmmmmm....Maybe I should see if I can make a doggy bed with the leftover tube.....

See you tomorrow.