Another Exploding Box - Polka Doodles GDT Card - A Secret Element

Good morning to you all. It's my second GDT post for Polka Doodles. The challenge this week is a Secret Element.

I decided that I'd use this challenge as an excuse to make DS's Christmas card. So, as he's been fascinated by the exploding boxes I've made recently, I thought it was the perfect excuse to make him one. Unfortunately my photos really don't this justice - it is full of texture and sparkle none of which my camera managed to pick up :(

Any how, here's my offering for the week...

This box is larger than the ones I have been making as I needed to increase the height to get the tree in the box! The box has been constructed from Kraft card and then decorated with papers and images from the new Polka Doodles CD Pretty Tuff. I have to say that had I had more time this week then I would have used a few more of the images from the CD as there is a fab train set and truck which would've looked really good 3D'd. I'll definitely be using this CD to make a lot of my male cards as there are so many images and papers to choose from that I don't think I'll ever be stuck for inspiration!

I decided that as the card was for a child that it would be good, if the surprise wasn't just the box falling apart to reveal a Christmas Tree and parcels, but that it was quite tactile too. So I dug out a kit are from a We R Memory Keepers which I've had in my stash for ages, and used flocked sentiments. Unfortunately, it just doesn't show them in all their glory in my pictures :o( .

My pictures also don't show all of the glimmer and sparkle on the tree which was created making duplicated images of a hand drawn tree. The edge of the tree branches have been stickled prior to attaching the glass lights and the sparkly shrink plastic star. I created the parcels using the same cube template that I drew up for the exploding box I made a few weeks back and have used hanging thread as the ribbon.

The boy has been coloured with Promarkers and then decoupaged to within an inch of his life - again I can't seem to capture this with my photos! :(

The frame to rear of the tree contains a computer generated Santa's checklist which simply says  Santa's List, Zak, Good/ Bad, of course I've ticked good - even though this week that isn't necessarily the case!! grrr less said about that the better though!!!.

Here's the box when it's closed. Even if I say so myself, I love my bow :D I made it using my new mini Bowdabra which I think I could be in love with :D, so be warned bows will be appearing on an object near you!!

Well that's it from me this week - I've not had the best of weeks thus far and am now soooo far behind with my Christmas plans that I doubt I'll be ready for the big day!! So unless things change I'll catch you next week at some point!

Enjoy your weekend

Claire x

Materials
Pretty Tuff CD - Polkadoodles
Kraft cardstock - Papermania
Ribbon - from stash
Light bulbs - from stash
Star & Holly Buttons - from stash
Wooden  Frames - We R Memory Keepers
Flocked Sentiments - We R Memory Keepers
Shrink Plastic
Gold Embossing Powder
Clear Star Sakura Pen
Promarkers

Tools
Fiskars - Star Squeeze Punch
Fiskars - Tag Squeeze Punch
Bowdabra - Crafty Ribbons
Heat Gun

I'd like to enter the following challenges:
C.R.A.F.T - Christmas Present
Charisma Cards - Spots
Crafty Purple Frog - For someone special
Crafty Ribbons - Make a tag
Simon Says Stamp - Anything goes
Whimsy Stamps Inspiration Challenges - Anything but a card
The Crafty Bloggers Network - Other than a card 3D