You're one hot tamale - Gable window box

I'm getting right down to business today because I've got a lot of photos to show you! I am obsessed with boxes right now, and putzed in my stamp room yesterday with the fun die cut boxes that I got from Creative Cuts & More. I thought it would be fun to modify one of their $1 gable boxes . Remember that if you are going to stamp on your boxes, make sure to order the smooth, not the textured cardstock, or your stamping won't be even because of the bumpiness of the textured paper. This box comes without a window in it, but I thought it would be fun to modify it and add a transparency window. It's pretty easy to do if you have the Nestability dies. I chose a circle for the window but you can choose any shape you have...heart, oval, whatever you own! I own the sizzix machine, and will show you with my sizzix how it's done.

Choose the nestability die that fits the box best, leaving ample room on either side of the scored edges of the box. Fold the edges of the box up on the scored lines. We will be folding them down on top of the box when we insert this into the machine.

Take a 4" coaster and lay it on top of the nestability die. It will separate the smooth box from the top of the die so that you won't get an impression on the top of the box. Fold both sides of the box down on top of the coaster.

Take 2 more coasters and lay them on top of the folded cardstock edges. I am using them as a shim to create pressure between my sizzix clamp and the die. Fold all edges of the box in so that the box will slide in easily to the sizzix machine.

Clamp down on the coasters so that the machine cuts your cardstock.

Pull the die out, and you will have a perfect circle in the middle of your gable box. Keep the red circle, we will use it for a mat for our Hanna image later.

Repeat this on the other side of the box. If you just want the window on one side of the box, that's fine too! I wanted it so that you could see all the way through the box.

Cut 2 pieces of a transparency sheet so that they fit the entire side of the box (this box measures 4" x 3 1/4", so I cut it to fit the entire side of the box.

Stamp lip prints all over the front of the box randomly, and then adhere the transparencies to the inside of the box. I used Hermafix/dotto permanent adhesive to adhere.

For the edges of the box, make sure to use a really strong tape, like wonder-tape or a tape thatis super sticky. Put the box together.

I wanted to fill this one with hot tamales, because I thought it would be cute with the new Hanna Stamps "Sweet Celebrations" Valentines Set.

I had a slight problem, in that I may have eaten a few too many hot tamales while I was putzing. So I figured out a trick so that you don't have to add huge amounts of candy in the box. Its a good trick to know, just in case some gets eaten (by mistake of course). I cut a piece of red cardstock that is the same size as the bottom of the box, with 3/4" wings on either side.

Insert this piece into the bottom of the box. It will create a faux-bottom.

Fill your box up with the rest of the tamales! (Whatever's left)

Create the tag and mat it with the red piece of paper that came out of the center of the box. I typed the sentiment on my computer & then stamped Hanna in the center. She's colored in with Copic markers.

She's one hot tamale!