Exploding Box

Whilst this is a square exploding box, they can be made in a variety of shapes, and with fewer or more layers...so have a play !  
The basis of this square box is made up of 9 equal sections, but again, you might have shallower or higher sides, so experiment once you've made this one.  

Because I aren't one for wasting, I decided to make my largest layer 21 cms square, as an A4 piece of card is 21cms wide.

This was then scored into thirds - 7 cms wide sections.  The other pieces were cut into  18 cms square (scored at 6 cms), 15 cms square (scored at 5 cms) and 12 cms square (scored at 4 cms)  The four corner squares were then removed to form a cross shape.
 
I made the lid slightly larger than the base area, otherwise you will find that it squashes the sides in, especially when you have multiple layers.  So I started with a 12.5 cms square and scored at 2.5 cms and 10 cms.  This allowed a nice depth to enclose the base and sides within.  The notches were removed to create flaps ready for shaping and securing the lid.  I did however do all decorations before I made the lid up, and indeed before I fastened all the layers together.

Once you've cut all your layers you should have something like this.  They don't have to alternate in colour, this is entirely personal preference.

 And this is the lid waiting for the notches to be attached to the inside of the lid sides



All the layers are decorated (below) before attaching to each other at the base section.

 
Whilst I have only decorated with papers at this stage, it is ready for me to personalise when I decide on it's recipient.  These particular papers I feel would work equally as well for a male as well as a female.....so I have plenty of scope.

This is a Christmas themed one, using the classic 'Twas the night before Christmas' poem, spiralling around the layers among the embossed pictures.

And the blue one was something I made eons ago .... when peel offs were all in fashion !!!
Christine