Adventures (Misadventures?) Box Making

I've always wanted to learn how to do cartonnage. I have no idea what inspired it but I remember being in junior high and wanting to learn how to do it. I was timid and didn't ever really seek out opportunities or even talk about it. And I don't think I realized how much I wanted to do it until Claudia Squio's cartonnage kits came onto my radar. Once I tried one of her kits are realized how accessible her instructions and kits were, it became clear how much I've wanted to do this. And I love her kits. I do! But looking for a kit that would scratch the itch I wanted, fill the box need I had, was challenging. Still my timidity kept me in check. Then I found Bep van Gasteren's boxmaking facebook posts. That led to recommendations for Hollander's book on boxmaking, which I bought the second I could. (I had to wait for it to come off of backorder!) I am in no way good, but I do so love (and hate) making these boxes. I keep making them searching for that ever-elusive well-crafted box. I've made one non-Claudia-kit box that I consider really good. But I'm gonna keep trying- at least for a little while longer. Anyway, what follows is my adventures in boxmaking!

This is my first Hollander-based box utilizing found materials.

  

Another Hollander-based box utilizing found materials.

Another Hollander-based box utilizing found materials.



 

This is a Claudia Squio kit using a Love Embroidery magazine pattern- Ebb and Flow.




This is a Hollander clam shell box made from found materials.

Okay, I'm super proud of this one. I wanted a tray for my thread and I made it using the knowledge and skills I got from Hollander and Claudia! It's amazing and it's all cardboard and paper bags and I love it!!!

This is a couple of slipcases I made!

The green boxes are ones I made based on this lavender one. Is the lavender one better? Yes, it is. Am I happy with the ones I made? Yeah, but I still want to get better!


This is a very poorly made box with removable tray I made for my tapestry wool. Is it a hot mess? Yes, it is. Does it satisfy my needs? Yes, it does!

Yet another hot mess bobbin box I made. Sigh! When will I ever make a good one???



This one is my best box by far! Is it perfect? Sadly no. But I gave it to my friend Torey and she seems to like it so that's something.

This is a Claudia kit that I love even though I didn't get the magnets right.

Here's a quail box that I made for my friend's birthday. From start to finish it is my design but the photograph the quail is based on I found online. I think Ryan Lisson is the photographer. The box looks really good but I'm so disappointed that I got the dimensions wrong. And if I hadn't had a deadline that I was behind on, I would have redone the bottom so that it was better.