How To: Make a Box of Sunshine!

Time for a free tutorial - yay! How to make a cute box of sunshine to brighten someone's day :)

This is a sponsored post, to celebrate the release of Annie on DVD and Blu-ray.

The re-make of the classic family musical stars Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz along with Quvenzhané Wallis as Annie ... and it's now available on DVD and Blu-ray.

 

This looks like such a happy film! So, my Annie-inspired project is all about spreading a bit of happiness: a box filled with rainbows and a little felt sun that you can give to a friend to make them smile.

 

I think a box of sunshine would be a really sweet gift for a friend or loved one who's ill or feeling blue.. or to send in the post to a friend you can't hug in person. This is also a very fun project to make, and one you could work on with your kids.

To make the box, you will need:
- the box template (at the bottom of this post), printed on white card
- felt tip pens, coloured pencils or crayons in seven rainbow colours (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, dark blue and purple), sky blue and black
- scissors
- a ruler
- a glue stick
- bakers twine or coloured yarn to tie the box, OR washi tape
 
To make the sun, you will need:
- the sun template (at the bottom of this post), printed on paper
- yellow felt
- sewing scissors
- a sewing needle and pins
- yellow thread
- a small amount of toy stuffing
- a black permanent marker pen

1. Print the box template provided onto a sheet of white card, or use the measurements provided on the template sheet to draw the box template onto the card.

2. Colour in the template - this will be the inside of your box. Colour the rainbow stripes in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, dark blue and purple. Then colour the central section sky blue. Remember to colour the four tabs!

3. Carefully cut out the box shape, then score along the inner lines of the box to make them easy to fold.

To do this you need something pointed that you can press into the card - a ballpoint that's run out of ink, a butter knife or an open pair of scissors. Take care with this step, especially if you are using scissors! Place the card on something like a cutting mat or a pad of paper to protect your worksurface. Hold the ruler in position with one hand and your chosen scoring tool firmly in the other and carefully score along the lines, bringing the tool towards yourself slowly along the edge of the ruler.

Fold each scored line then unfold them and flatten the box again. The box will now be easy to fold later and the line of each fold means the different sections will be clearly visible when you turn it over in the next step.

 

4. Turn over the card and decorate the outside of the box! You can use your imagination to add patterns or pictures on the four sides of the box and the two flaps (and even the bottom of the box if you want to). You could also add fun things like stickers or personalise the box with your friend's name or drawings of some of their favourite things.

Tip: make sure the box is the right way up, so that when it's opened red will be at the top of the rainbows.

I decorated my box with a red heart and some abstract patterns, using rainbow colours. I added the heart to the left flap and used the right flap for writing my message.

5. Now it's time to construct the box. Use a glue stick to apply glue to the white side of the four flaps, then fold up the box pressing the flaps into place inside one by one. Pinch the card between your fingers for a few seconds until the glue sticks the layers together. Then set the box aside so the glue can dry completely.

6. Print the sun template provided onto a sheet of paper then cut it out. Pin the template to some yellow felt and cut around it. Repeat this to cut a second circle.

7. Pin the two felt circles together and whip sitch around the edge with yellow thread, hiding your knot between the two layers. Stitch most of the way round, leaving a gap big enough for a couple of your fingers.

8. Stuff the sun so it's nicely shaped but still squishy. Add little bits of stuffing at a time, poking them with your fingers so the sun is evenly stuffed. Then sew up the rest of the gap with more whip stitches and finish your stitching at the back.

9. Use a permanent black marker to give your sun a smiley face. Wait for the ink to fully dry before touching it, to avoid smudging.

Tip: practice drawing on a scrap of felt first.
 

 

10. Put the sun in the box, then tie it up with some pretty bakers twine or coloured yarn.

Alternatively, secure the top flap of the box with a small piece of washi tape.

Click here to view the box template sheet and here to view the sun template sheet. Make sure you're viewing them full size then print them at 100%.

Tip: for paler lines on the box template, use the "fast" or "draft" setting on your printer. 

Disclosure: this is a sponsored post, celebrating today's release of Annie on Blu-ray and DVD. Screenshots from the film are used with permission.