Imagine & Inspire: Building a Building

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Building a Building

This is my daughter's Valentine's Day box this year. I think we may have overdone it a little this year. Just a little though. Once I get an idea and I have her approval, we give it 110%!

I literally found a big long box on the side of the road, and stopped to pick it up knowing it would be PERFECT!

To create the Empire State building, I cut about a foot off the top of the box to reduce the height and have extra cardboard to use for added layers. Here is how I cut and scored a piece to add on one side...

We did use a picture of the building as inspiration, and opted to make our version similar, but not exact...but if I'd had another box for the base part of the building, we would have added it too.

Natalie was right there helping through the entire process, and she took my picture too. =)

Here the bottom part is completed.

Then with the center section scored and folded inward I taped panels behind it down the middle until it was filled in.

The top was scored and folded down toward the middle of the box, then we pieced together and inserted a rectangle into the hole on top. Then two little rectangles on top of it to give strength and allow a place to add the next series of layers for the top.

After the box was all taped together, I used the hot glue gun to reinforce the top piece we inserted and to glue the stack of cardboard on top with a vitamin bottle. lol

It's not pictured, but I cut a large slot in the back so kids can put her valentines in there. The whole thing was spray painted gray...and the tip of the buiding is a pencil (also added using hot glue)!

We waited about an hour after the base coat was painted and Natalie did all the windows herself using a stencil I made for her.

The finishing touches include a gorilla stuffed toy, Polly Pocket, and two paper hearts we cut using one of my Stampin' Up! Punches. I would estimate the whole thing took about 3 hours to make. And I only spent $3.99 on a can of spray paint, we had all the other supplies on hand.

Here's a photo of Natalie at school with her box the next day. She is very proud of her box this year. I don't know how we'll manage to do better in 2016!