Box O'Fun

I couldn't help myself--I had to make this leprechaun box...I love how it turned out!

TO CREATE THE INSIDE BOX: It takes two Garden Green card stock Top Note die cuts, one Blush Blossom Top Note die cut, and a half sheet of letter sized Garden Green card stock (trimmed to 5-1/2" x 6") for the box in between the Top Notes. The trimmed sheet gets scored 1-1/4" in from the left and right, along the 5-1/2" side, and scored 2-1/8" in from the left and from the right, along the 6" side. Snip along all four of the score lines on the 6" sides, up to the 1-1/4" score line, then fold sides in and adhere to create an open-topped box.

You'll also need a good sized piece of Ruby Red card stock and the Boho Blossoms Punch for the beard. The rest of the features and decoration can be created with some scrap pieces of Basic Black card stock, Whisper White card stock, Blush Blossom card stock, and Metallic Gold card stock.

One of the Garden Green Top Notes will be cut exactly in half. One half is used in front for the hat, the other half is glued onto the inside of the back Top Note. You will sandwich ribbon between these Top Note pieces, to hold the ribbon in place. I also recommend using a brad through each of the Top Notes, at the top center, going through all layers and ribbon to reinforce them.

The hat band is 3/4" wide, and trimmed to the Top Note side after it is adhered. The buckle is made by first punching the Small Oval Punch through Metallic Gold card stock, then centering the Large Oval Punch around the smaller hole, and punching it out. The eyelids are made from a 1" punched circle, cut in half. The whites of the eyes are 3/4" punched circles, and the pupils are 1/2" punched circles. The nose is a 3/4" punched circle. Eyelids and nose were sponged around the edges with Ruby Red ink.

To make a template for the smile, punch a 1-3/8" Circle out of scrap card stock or vellum card stock, and trace along the inside of the punched hole to create a uniformly curved smile. You can add some freckles (dots) to his cheeks with a Basic Black marker, and a glean in his eyes with a white gel pen, if you'd like.

I used Mini Glue Dots to attach the punched beard flowers, and the facial features. I used Sticky Strip to attach the box to the Top Notes. I used liberal amounts of SNAIL on both surfaces to attach the 1/2 Top Notes to the full Top Notes (for the hat and the top back supporting piece).

It takes about 14 of the largest Boho Blossoms Punch flower to cover the Top Note. Instead of punching flowers for the beard, you could sponge Ruby Red ink around the beard area at the bottom and sides of the Blush Blossom Top Note, but I thought the flowers added a lot of character.

WARNING: during the creation of this project, your eyes may turn Garden Green, and your hair may turn Ruby Red. If you already have those features, then expect to gain a few more freckles on your nose by the time you're done!