Materials

Banner: The number of sheets of card needed to complete the banner will vary, depending on the number of letters.  I chose CONGRATULATIONS which has 15 letters. The first A4 sheet will hold four letters and subsequent sheets because of joining the sheets together will hold three letters.

Therefore five sheets will hold 16 letters (15 in the word congratulations + one spare for fixing the banner inside the box lid). 

5 x A4 sheets of 160gsm thin card.
2 x Sheets of Opal Stardream card for the letter tiles. (If you are using rubber stamps etc for letters).  Or,2 x Sheets of 160gsm thin card (if printing letters on printer).
Small piece of clear acetate – 4.5cms x 4.5cms.
JS Elegant Fans CD, I chose a fan and backing sheet from Page 1 of the Toppers Section.

Box:

2 x Sheets of Opal Stardream card.
2 or 4 sheets of JS Gentle Gloss photo paper for fan decoupage.
JS Elegant Fans CD

Sticky Stuff: I used Red Liner double sided tape, Collall photo glue, silicone glue, and large foam pads.

Banner - Step 1

These instructions are written for printers which print up to the edge of paper/card, or if plain card is used.

For crafters who do not have a scoreboard, or who want a patterned banner and whose printer will not print edge to edge, print five copies of your chosen backing paper.  Measure and cut each piece of card to 20cms x 20cms and divide into a grid of 4 x 4 (you should have 16 squares) 5cms squares.  Follow the instructions from Step 2 below.

Using 160gsm thin card print out five copies of your chosen backing paper.  Trim each sheet to 21cms x 21cms.  Alternatively use plain card trimmed to the same size.

Using your scoreboard butt your card up to the left side bar and divide the 21cms x 21cms sheet into 16 equal squares – no need to measure each square. 

Groovy scoreboard -   Score using grooves 1 and 4 from the left side.

¼ turn and score again using grooves 1 and 4.

¼ turn and score again using groove 1.

¼ turn and score again using groove 1. 

Your grid is made.

Eazi-score– as with the Groovy but using grooves 3 and 6 from the left side bar instead of 1 and 4.

Banner - Step 2

Cut away the six sections of the grid labelled A. Repeat with the other four pieces of card.

Banner - Step 3

Turn the card horizontally and score a vertical line on each of the diamond points.  This is shown in Red. Repeat with the other four pieces of card.

Banner - Step 4

Using double sided tape or glue, fix the sections of the grid labelled B one on top of the other.  Take care when matching up that they do not overlap the score lines.  Repeat until all the pieces of card have been joined together to make the length of banner.

Banner - Step 5

Starting at the left-hand side of the banner crease a Mountain fold (shown as M in red) along the vertical score line.  Crease the next score line as a Valley fold (shown as V in blue).  Repeat all the way across the banner alternating Mountain/Valley/Mountain/Valley etc. You should end up with a zigzag folded banner.

Banner - Step 6

Open out the banner and re-fold the two score lines which diagonally cross each of the vertical mountain and valley folds (See picture 3).  Where the vertical fold is a mountain (red line) the diagonal cross must be valley folds (blue lines), and where the vertical fold is valley (blue line) the diagonal cross must be mountain folds (red lines). Repeat across the length of the banner.

Banner - Step 7

Starting at the left push the points of the mountain folds upwards and inwards to create the concertina.  Push the points of the valley folds downwards and inwards.  Repeat across the banner. 

Banner - Step 8

Make your letter tiles.  Each tile should measure 4.5cms x 4.5cms and your letter should be placed diagonally on the tile.  Suggestions, Large Peel-off Letters, Die-cut Letters, or Alphabet Stamps.  I printed my letters out on the computer using a chunky font (Chocolate Box) size 90pt spacing three letters per line across an A4 sheet.  I cut a small piece of acetate 4.5cms x 4.5cms and placed it diagonally over each letter marking the points for cutting to size.

Banner - Step 9

This shows the finished banner.  I have used the backing paper from the fan to print the banner background to compliment the letters.

NB.  Leave the first square on the banner blank (this is fixed to the inside of the lid.

The Exploding Box - Step 1

To make the box cut a piece of Opal Stardream card 21cms x 21cms.  Mark across the top, bottom and sides of the card at 7cms and 14cms.  Score, horizontally and vertically connecting the marks to create a 3 x 3 square grid (each square being 7cms).  Cut away the four corner squares labelled A. Fold the score line to create the box.

To make the box lid, cut a piece of Opal Stardream card 10.4cms x 10.4cms.  Mark and score a point 1.5cms in from each edge of the card.  Score.  Make a 1.5cms cut in one of the score lines of each of the small squares at each corner, and cut a notch out (shown in blue).  Crease the score lines at right-angles and fold the small corner square to the inside of the lid and glue to the adjacent side.  This will create the lip for the lid.

The Exploding Box - Step 2

Using Gentle Gloss photo paper, print out two copies of the fan decoupage sheets (from Page 1 of the Toppers Section).  Print four copies if you want extra decoupage.

Cut four 6cms square of backing paper for the inside of the box.  I used leftovers from the banners and decorated with a corner punch.

Using the smallest size fan decorate the inside of the box.  I added an extra decoupaged layer of flowers. Decorate the outside of the box with the middle sized fans.  I again added an extra layer of decoupage. (See picture of finished box for placement of the fans).  I fixed the fans using large foam pads.  Do not place foam pads at the top of the fan as the lid fits inside the fan and the fan over sails the top of the box.  Optional - to trim the reverse of the fan where it over sails the box.

I decorated the lid with flowers cut from the largest fans.

Fix the beginning of the banner inside the box lid and the end onto the inside centre section of the box base.  I used Red Liner double sided tape.