Make a Box of Valentine Chocolates
This Valentine's Day make a heart-shaped box of chocolates for your boy to give to his special sweetheart, or for your favorite girl to receive from her secret admirer. The pattern and instructions are for a 1/3 scale, medium-sized (4") box of chocolates (or a large 1/4 scale box).To make a larger or smaller box, enlarge or shrink the patterns as desired.
Making the Heart-Shaped Box
Materials Needed:
- two 8.5 x 11" sheets embossed red card stock (for scrap-booking) and one 8.5 x 11" sheet white card stock
- ruler, pencil, scissors, white glue, gloss water-base varnish, 2' of 3/8" wide ribbon, needle & thread, 3 ribbon roses
- hot glue gun
Pattern
(To download pattern pdf, click on either pattern image below)
- two 8.5 x 11" sheets embossed red card stock (for scrap-booking) and one 8.5 x 11" sheet white card stock
- ruler, pencil, scissors, white glue, gloss water-base varnish, 2' of 3/8" wide ribbon, needle & thread, 3 ribbon roses
- hot glue gun
Pattern
(To download pattern pdf, click on either pattern image below)
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Instructions
1. Enlarge and print out box patterns on wrong side of red card stock. It is important to print out one each of the Top and the Bottom patterns since they are slightly different sizes in order for one to fit over the other. Cut out pattern pieces. Trace heart-shaped top and bottom onto white card stock, and cut out 1/16" within the tracing line so the white card heart is a little smaller than the corresponding red heart.
2. Starting with box bottom, score along all fold lines of the box side pieces using a scissors and ruler. Clip bottom edges as shown.
3. Score and fold tabs at ends of box sidepieces.
4. Apply glue to right side of tabs and glue the two strips together into a circle.
Clip liner edge in three places, apply glue and fold inward to make box lining.
Clip liner edge in three places, apply glue and fold inward to make box lining.
5. With fingers, gently smooth and shape box edge into a heart.
6. Apply glue to inside surface of tabs, and glue around white card base.
7. Apply glue to wrong side of red heart and glue to underside of box to cover tabs.
8. Repeat for box top.
9. Test some scraps of leftover red card stock with a coat of gloss water-based varnish.
If your scraps don't show any change - don't wrinkle, bulge, or buckle - then it's safe to varnish your box.
If your scraps don't show any change - don't wrinkle, bulge, or buckle - then it's safe to varnish your box.
10. Varnish the box top and bottom (inside and outside) with two coats of gloss varnish,
allowing the varnish to dry thoroughly between coats.
allowing the varnish to dry thoroughly between coats.
11. Cut 6 1/2" of ribbon and glue across top of box as shown. Glue ribbon ends inside box (hold with tape)
12. Thread needle and secure to end of ribbon. Run a gathering stitch across end of ribbon, then run a gathering stitch across the ribbon at 2" intervals seven more times. Cut ribbon 1/8" beyond last stitching row. Pull up thread to form a multi-looped bow. Wrap thread around center of bow and secure with a few stitches. Knot & cut thread.
13. Using hot glue, glue bow to box, and finish by gluing on three ribbon roses.
Making the Chocolates
Materials Needed:
- polymer clay - dark brown, medium brown, beige (optional colours; small amounts of black, white, translucent & yellow)
- aluminum foil, baking dish lined with paper towel, satin water-base varnish, soft brush, sheet of gold tissue paper
- (optional) a box of real chocolates for inspiration
- polymer clay - dark brown, medium brown, beige (optional colours; small amounts of black, white, translucent & yellow)
- aluminum foil, baking dish lined with paper towel, satin water-base varnish, soft brush, sheet of gold tissue paper
- (optional) a box of real chocolates for inspiration
Instructions
1. To keep the chocolates a consistent size and reduce the amount of clay required, cut 1" squares of aluminum foil and scrunch them into small balls.
2. You may use polymer clay in the colours it comes directly from the store, but for more accurate 'chocolate' colours, it is necessary to blend custom colours.
a. For dark chocolate, blend a little black polymer clay into the brown to get a darker brown.
b. For Milk chocolate, blend the medium brown polymer clay into an equal part of tan/beige
c. For 'white' chocolate, mix equal parts white and translucent with smaller bits of tan and yellow.
3. Roll out chocolate-coloured clay to 1/8" thickness. Cut a piece approx 3/4" square.
4. Place foil ball in center of clay, smooth clay around foil, and roll into a smooth ball in the palm of your hands. Using your fingers shape the ball into a diamond, square, or gumdrop shape.
5. Decorate the tops of the 'chocolates' - this is where a real box of chocolates comes in handy (for ideas). The three chocolates shown were embellished by: imprinting with a flower-shaped bead, imprinting with a metal stud, rolling a fine thread of polymer clay and making a spiral on the top.
6. More decorating ideas; press line designs with a knife, dent the chocolate all over with the rounded end of a brush handle, add 'dark chocolate' lines.
7. Chocolates ready to go in the oven. To avoid burning, bake in a pre-heated oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, then turn oven off and let sit in oven for 5 more minutes. Let cool.
8. When totally cooled, varnish with two coats of satin water-based varnish. *This is a very fiddly job, but well worth the results, since it gives the chocolates that 'finished glow'. *Tip - apply varnish to top and only 3/4 down sides, let dry, then flip over and varnish bottom and remaining half of sides. Repeat.
9. Cut 1 1/8" circles from gold tissue paper.
9. Cut 1 1/8" circles from gold tissue paper.
11. Trace bottom of box onto gold tissue, cut out, and glue into bottom of box.
12. Place chocolates into box. Optional - you can glue the papers and chocolates into the box or leave them loose.
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Copyright © 2011 Martha Boers
All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved
