DIY Explosion Box ... Guest Post by Becky from My Paper Craze

Hi there! I'm Becky from My Paper Craze, a bloggy-duo that I enjoy with my partner-in-crime {aka Mom}. We love searching on Pinterest, as well as inventing and experimenting with our own ideas! Our blog goal is posting {REAL} crafts for {REAL} life, so be sure to hop on over for home décor, kids crafts, holiday inspiration and {MORE}!

I am super excited {and honored} to swap guest posts here today with Daniela! Two heads are always better than one, and I'm sure you'll enjoy the projects we have for you! Definitely stop by my blog {click HERE!} to see what Daniela's got going on! Today I want to share with you one of my first and {favorite} paper crafts...

Not sure what an explosion box is? Allow me to give you a sneak peak... prepare yourself to be in awe {LOL}.

Isn't that cute? Imagine unwrapping an explosion box instead of a regular ole birthday card! You know what I love to use them for the most? Gift cards! You can create pockets in the sides to hold just about anything... we'll get to more of that later, though. So, does that pique your interest? Maybe you'd like to try out your skill at explosion boxes? Well, they are actually super easy, with or without a cutting machine!

Now, I will disclose that the above explosion box was created using the Scallop Explosion Box from the Silhouette Online Store. However, I've given you an easy template to follow to make your own by hand! Here's what you'll need:

• Two 12x12 sheets of cardstock (the thicker, the better)
• One 12x12 sheet of patterned paper (to match the cardstock)
• Adhesive (a glue stick or glue gun will work if you do not have any scrapbooking tools)
• Embellishments, as desired

First step... 

Free Printables

I just wanted to share the LINK to my box{dot}com folder where all my Free Printables live and party. So maybe you'll want to join the fun.

click here for link

You've Been Booed {2013} free printable

Last year, I created a free printable for the fun neighbor "You've Been Booed" tradition. I didn't actually deliver them to anyone, though! I even made choco covered halloween Oreos and had them all in their bags with signs ready to go -- but kept forgetting to take them and then HALLOWEEN CAME AND WENT with my bags sitting by my front door. SAD!!! I couldn't be lame two years in a row, so I decided to actually deliver the treats this time! I wanted to make a new printable, just to start a tradition of making a new one every year. This time, I tried to play off the popular CHALKBOARD theme I'm seeing all over Pinterest. I made a door hanger BOO sign as an alternative to a sign you put up in your window. It was fun coming up with a design. I'm still so new at this! But I have fun, make mistakes, never think it's cute enough, change it a million times, then just STOP at some random point and print it out, because I'm tired of editing it! I also made up my own Candy Corn Cocoa mix {blog post coming soon!}.

Here are your download links. Happy Halloween!

YOU'VE BEEN BOOED_PDF {door hanger & instructions}

YOU'VE BEEN BOOED_JPG {door hanger}

YOU'VE BEEN BOOED_JPG {instructions}

Want to try Candy Corn Cocoa? Check out my posts HERE!

Here are more ghoulish delights from me!

Halloween Maternity Skeleton Shirt

DIY Baby Wonka Bar Costume

Candy Corn Cocoa {Halloween gift idea!}

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Expecting a little boo soon? Buy a Maternity Countdown Shirt HERE!

Make the Most of Conference ~free printable~

You may know this weekend is General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! If not, you can go HERE {www.lds.org} to find out more about this fantastic weekend, where people all over the world get together at the conference center, stake centers, ward buildings, and their homes to listen to a prophet's voice. It truly is a weekend just meant to inspire, to uplift, to lighten the load, and to give hope! Well, it's not just for adults -- it's for kids, too. And as hard of a time as I have sitting still during conference (yes, I admit to being a phone troll during a talk or two), it is even harder to get kids to get excited and interested in remembering conference weekend.  My husband and I teach a youth Sunday School class for our church, the kids are ages 12-14. I wanted them to remember conference weekend! So I found this cute handout reminding the kids to Make the Most of conference. I found the phrasing online, but created my own, simple version of the handout in cute fall colors. I attached it to packets of M&M's, used some cute ocean blue ribbon to tie it together, and delivered it to our Sunday School kids the day before conference -- to remind them to watch! I hope this small gesture helped them tune in to a talk or two -- because you never know when you are going to hear something that just might lift your spirits or make your day a little easier.

As always, here are your links to download!!!!!

Make the Most of Conference PDF

Make the Most of Conference Silhouette Studio File

Wouldn't the M&M's be perfect to then use for Conference Bingo?!?!

How to Antique Paper and make something special with it

Do you have a dad?

I have a dad.

And boy, is he the HARDEST person in the WORLD to shop for.  Birthdays, Christmas, Father's Day -- it's SO hard to come up with something unique to give him.  I usually end up getting the latest MoTab CD or a framed picture of him and me.  But there is only so much room for photos!  So I decided to get a little creative and make him something special.

Music is such a huge, important, special part of my life.  Not only is a part of my life, but it's a part of my dad and me's life.  Countless nights growing up I would play the piano and he would fall asleep in my grandma's rocking chair next to the piano (or was it me keeping him up with late night piano songs?? I forget!).  One of our favorite Hymns is I Believe in Christ.  I wanted to somehow frame this song and give it to him as his gift.  I found a way to "antique" paper and, using some vinyl and an inexpensive Walmart frame, made this:

This now lives on top of my dad's piano!  I love seeing it there...even when I'm not playing it...to remind me of the special moments we've shared together through music.

Want to antique your own paper?  It is super easy!  Here's how:

Materials

Paper you want to antique

1/3 cup of hot, black coffee
(I'm not a coffee drinker, so I don't have this on hand.  I suggest just buying one cup of to go coffee -- voila!)

One cookie sheet

Basting brush (easy to use on hand in the kitchen, or a sponge brush will work, too)

Paper Towels

Oven

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Crumple up the piece of paper into a ball.  Semi-smooth it out and place on cookie sheet.

Pour coffee over paper. Use brush to cover evenly. Leave some heavier spots for a more unique look.

Let sit for a few minutes. Then, use paper towels to blot up all excess liquid.

"Bake" paper in oven for about 5 minutes. Be sure to keep a close eye on it, so you don't start the paper on fire!

Remove from oven and VOILA! Paper that looks like Ben Franklin himself wrote it.

Have fun aging!