Making Pentagon Boxes - Freebies included!

Ok, I decided to do another post on making paper boxes. I just LOVE making paper boxes! This week I've been busy creating a pattern for an pentagon box. Like my square boxes, I wanted to create the file in Photoshop, with different layers you can copy and paste over. Today, though, I am going to also provide a step by step video of how to create the box. This pattern is just a little bit more difficult to create--especially the lid. If you have two-sided tape, that would really help. But you don't have to have it--I don't! I'm also going to include in this tutorial some downloadable boxes already made and ready to go--just print them, fold them and tape them and they are yours! (the kits used in the samples are from Atomic Cupcake and Digital Arts Cafe)

Also--if you like this tutorial, I have similar tutorials you may also want to check out--Making Paper Boxes, Envelopes, Heart Boxes/Favors, Triangle Box, and Box with Separate Lid.

Here is the step by step video. You can download the pattern by clicking on the link below. There are step by step directions after the video if you prefer that method.

The Pattern

To get the pattern, go to my TPT site here: Pentagon Box Pattern
It makes a fairly decent sized box. But if you want one the size of those in the picture, you'll want to change the size a little bit. I made it this size so I could fit the whole pattern on one page. Any bigger, and you'll have to move the lid to another page. If you DO want to change the size, here are the directions.
1. On your layers menu, highlight all four layers--the lid lines, lid cover, box cover and box lines. Hold down the CTRL key to highlight all four layers at the same time.
2. Press CTRL+T. Hold down the SHIFT key as you grab the corner and resize the box to the desired size.
3. Now press enter and unhighlight the layers.
4. Go to File, New and create a new 8 1/2 x 11 page. Go back to the original document.
5. Highlight the lid cover and lid lines layers, and drag over to the new page.

That's it! You MUST do it this way, because if you change the size of the box and the lid separately, the lid might not fit the box anymore! Make sure you resize them together so that they will still fit.

I am also adding a PDF version of this pattern, in case you are not savvy on Photoshop and just want to print it on regular scrapbooking paper--here is the download-- Pentagon Box PDF.

Kits by Connie Prince

For my kit, I am using Sweet as Can Be by Connie Prince. I love her stuff! Connie has kindly given me permission to give this finished pattern out as a freebie .pdf. If you like this kit, please go see her stuff! I LOVE her style! I will also give out two other freebies using two more of her kits - Sunny Rays and Warm Days, and Moment in the Sun.





Directions

Here are the written directions on how to digital scrapbook this paper box. There is a video at the bottom.
1. Download the file attatched above--the pentagon box. Unzip it, and open it in Photoshop.
2. You'll note that there are four layers--the Box Cover, Box Lines, Lid Lines, and Lid Cover. Make sure the line layers always stay on top.
3. Pull in the paper you want as your main background. Place it so it completely covers the blue Box Cover layer. Put your cursor on the Box Cover layer, and then CTRL+click on the layer (the picture portion of that layer). You will now see "marching ants" around the layer.
4. With ants still marching, click on the paper layer. Then do CTRL+C and then CTRL+V. Now you've copied a new Paper layer, in the shape of the blue Cover layer. You might want to press the eye button on the Box Cover layer to make it invisible. You won't need it again.
5. Make sure the Box Lines layer is on top of the new Paper layer.

6. Decorate the box however you want, using other items from your kit. NOTE: This box is upside down. The bottom rim of it is actually the top. So if you want your decorations to show, you want them where the crease is.

7. Do the same steps for the lid.

8. Print. I would suggest that for your first attempt, you print only the pattern and attempt folding it to get the hang of it, before you print the real thing. This box takes a little pratice in folding--the lid especially. Anyway, the best case scenario is to print it on cardstock, on a laser color printer--though an ink jet would work, of course!

9. Cut it out carefully and as perfectly as you can. Make sure that you cut the full tab out on the two lower tabs.

10. THE BOX: Fold all edges as perfectly as you can.Hopefully you remembered to keep your lines layer on top, so they are very easy to see.

11. Now use tape, glue, or two-sided tape to put the box together. The two ends will overlap. I usually tuck the small one in back, the longer one in front. Then I just did a loop witht scotch tape to tape it on top. Two-sided tape is best, but I didn't have any. The disadvantage to not paper scrapping anymore!

12. LID: This part is a lot harder, and it took me some practice to really get it down. First, fold on the lines. You'll notice that the lines bend at the ends--so you have to fold the straight line, then the diagonal lines after that.

13. Now the hardest part. Use your thumb to create a crease inbetween the two diagonal lines, and fold it inward. Then press it to one side. Make sure that it forms a 90 degree angle when you do. Then use tape or glue to keep it there. I wish I had two-sided tape for this, but I just use scotch tape. I don't like it because you can see the tape, but oh well. I'll live.

Once you've done that for all five sides, your lid is finished! Yay! It might be a tight fit--you have to be pretty exact or it won't fit right. Just be sure that when you make the box, you don't let it be loose--make sure you fold it and tape it exactly. Also, make sure that when you fold the lid, each crease is a 90 degree angle.

And last of all, here are a few downloadable pdf files--all of them are completely finished pentagon boxes, ready to print, and all are made with kits by Connie Prince! It includes the file for the box used in the example. You can find the free designs included with the pattern. 

GET FREE PATTERN AND DESIGNS

And here are some photos of the new and improved design, using the "Pink Fusion" kit from Lindsay Jane.

Other Ways to Use Digital Kits & Photoshop - PART 2

Ok. This is the second part of a three part series on OTHER ways to use your kits. It is my opinion that once you've got a firm grasp on digital scrapbooking, it's worth it to BUY kits. Sure, get the freebies when you can and if they are good, but buying kits is worth it because they have so many other uses. In Part 1, I showed examples of how I used kits or just Photoshop in projects related to my job as a teacher.

Today's post is how I've used it in my church. Now, I am LDS, and most of these projects are for Primary--kids 3-12. But, I'm sure these projects can be used for many other purposes other than church. A lot of them are just really great for kids. You could adapt some of these projects for birthday parties or toys for your children.

Paper Boxes

Now, I've already done an entire post on paper boxes. I've made a ton of these in the past, from various patterns. Sadly, I can't seem to find the files for very many of them. Guess I threw those files out! If you want to learn more about this, you might want to read my post about it - Making Paper Boxes Using Photoshop.

Here's an example I made for when I had the six-year-olds a few years ago.

Paper Boxes are one of my favorite things to make. When I used them in Primary last week, I made up six of them, put a piece of paper with a song written on it inside. Then I called on a kid, let them find a box (I had them hidden all over the room) and they would open it and get the song. Then--they got to keep the box. Total excitement at this point. I've also used them to put CTR rings in as a gift for the kids, and another time they were an invitation to a birthday party. Each kid got a box with their name on it, and there was a piece of paper inside with the details. There are SO many things you can do with this! Another time I found a pattern for a triangle shaped box. I put a poem on it, and inside was a little candle for them. So cute.

Oh--and here's something REALLY fun. Panos actions has a really cool action that will make a box FOR YOU. All you have to do is choose the photos. When its done running, it will have a box all ready to print and fold, and each side will have a photo you choose! It's so cute! This is a FREE action, too! You kind find it here: Panos Effects Paper Box Action

Paper Bag Puppets

I wanted to make paper bag puppets of all the prophets for a song called "Follow the Prophet." So, I used a combination of digital and material. This is Noah, just one of the four that I made. I did the face by drawing a box and rasterizing it. Then I used the dodge and burn tool to do the shading on the face. (I haven't covered those tools yet--I'll do it soon!) The eyes and eyebrows are just shapes. The nose is actually from a picture. I cut it out and dragged it in, then lightened the opacity and and used the feathered eraser to blend the edgest into the background.

The clothing is all from a kit. The umbrella is clipart, and the teeth and tongue are shapes. I then used actual white batting to make the beard and hair. Here's what it looked like when finished:

Chain Rings
This was kind of silly I suppose. I could have done this very easily with regular paper. But I was just starting to digital scrapbook, and I was obsessed with my kits.  It was actually a really good way for me to see what I had and mess wit lots and lots of kits. So I made these strips. I printed them and cut them out. Then the kids made a chain. I can't even remember what we wrote on each strip now--a scripture or something. I don't know. But the kids loved it!

Envelopes

I'm so frustrated. CANNOT find this file, but I swear I saw it the other day! Anyway, a few years ago I made envelopes for the kids. Very similar to boxes. I found a pattern for it, converted it to be more workable in Photoshop, and then used my kits to scrapbook the envelope. Then I printed and folded. I placed a little flat rock inside the envelope as part of my lesson, if I remember right. So sorry I don't have a visual for this one! But I DO have a tutorial on it, and a downloadable file for two different sizes of envelopes. You can find it here: Making Envelopes.

Church Posters

You know how you walk into the foyer and there's ALWAYS some advertising poster there? I got to do one once for Relief Society. It was so cute. I just had it printed in a larger size. It looked so nice!















Singing Wheel

I did this just last week. I created a singing wheel for my calling as the chorister in Primary. I made individual sections of a wheel, all of them scrapbooked with kits, showing different ways to sing. Then I glued them on to a poster board wheel, used a brad, and had my dad, whose a carpenter, back the poster board with wood.

So, that's all I've got for church stuff. I'm sure there will be more--there's ALWAYS more!

If you would like a downloadable and printable copy of the Primary Song Wheel, you can find a post about it here.