Happy Birthday Jane - Michaels Large Memory Explosion Box

 Here is the first explosion box I made using the supplies found in stores and online at Michaels!
I created this box for Jane to give her on her 8th birthday and it's filled with photos and memories of her at age 7.

Here is a video flip through of me walking and talking about this finished Large White Memory Explosion Box:

I used the Large White Memory Explosion Box as the base then covered the sides and lid with papers from the patterned paper pads: 12x12" Paper Pad, Sprinkle 12x12" Paper Pad, 6x6" Paper Pad, Double Sided 6x6" Paper Pad and Foil 6x6" Paper Pad. Then I embellished the lid edges with strips from the Glitter 6x6" Paper Pad.

On the top of the lid I used a rainbow ombre paper from the 6x6" Paper Pad as the base then I made a birthday-themed cluster using bits & pieces from lots of the embellishments: the back side of a Holographic Paper Doily, a tag from the Travel Die Cuts (many of the designs in this pack are shapes and icons from my Horizon and Go the Scenic Route collections but done in pastel colors!) with a piece of blue baker's twine from the Decorative Trim Assortment tied through the hole, a Chipboard Frame Sticker, Balloon & Gift Layered Stickers, a purple flower and "and many more" die cut from the Birthday Die Cuts, and a sprinkling of tiny pieces from the Embellishment Mix for the finishing touches.

Inside the explosion box is an explosion of photos, papers, die cuts, embellishments - ALL THE THINGS! Makes it oh so fun to open the lids and see every layer.

In the very center of the box I added a square of pink glitter paper from the Glitter 6x6" Paper Pad topped with a Holographic Paper Doily (again I flipped it over to the plain white side), a Chipboard Frame Sticker, a "happy birthday" Celebration Banner Sticker, a blue lolly from the Balloon & Gift Layered Stickers, a couple enamel dots from the Embellishment Mix, and finished with four pink Puffy Photo Corner Stickers.

Let's take a look at every flap! On this first flap I covered the angled page with a rainbow ombre silver foil "best day ever" paper from the Foil 6x6" Paper Pad. I topped that section with a "best day ever" and two butterfly die cuts from the Travel Die Cuts. I covered the back with a square of green glitter paper from the Glitter 6x6" Paper Pad.

I tucked a 3" square photo of Jane into the pocket and slipped on a purple Heart Paper Clip.

In the next section, I covered the bottom flap with a floral paper from the Double Sided 6x6" Paper Pad then topped it with a "just for you" round die cut from the Shapes & Phrases Die Cuts, three candles from the Birthday Die Cuts, and a pink glitter enamel heart from the Embellishment Mix. One awesome thing about these explosion boxes is you can add lots of depth and dimension between the flaps - so I used foam squares to attach most of the die cuts so they literally pop off the flaps. I covered the top section with a yellow silver foil heart polka dot paper from the 6x6" Paper Pad. I added a 3 1/2" square photo of Jane and placed pink polka dot trim from the Decorative Trim Assortment down the left edge. I layered an "oh happy day" sticker label and purple flower from the Celebration Stickers, a yellow flower from the Birthday Die Cuts, and a "loving this life" perforated sentiment from the Travel Die Cuts.

I covered the bottom flap of the next section with a rainbow confetti paper from the Sprinkle 12x12" Paper Pad. I backed a Chipboard Frame Sticker with a round pink journaling spot from the Travel Die Cuts and wrote journaling on it with a black pen. I embellished with a birthday cake sticker from the Celebration Stickers and a "happy birthday" Celebration Banner Sticker. I covered the top section with a purple floral paper from the Foil 6x6" Paper Pad then I added a 4 1/2" square photo embellished with four yellow Puffy Photo Corner Stickers, two flowers from the Birthday Die Cuts, and three small flower stickers from the Celebration Stickers. The outer section of each layer is actually a pocket! So much room for so many photos and memories! I didn't add anything in these pockets but I did place a square of yellow paper from the 12x12" Paper Pad in this one so perhaps Jane can add photos and journaling of her own.

Rotating the box clockwise, on this next section of flaps, I covered the angled pocket with a piece of yellow ice cream/rainbow paper from the Foil 6x6" Paper Pad then I added a present and a "celebrate" die cut from the Birthday Die Cuts. In the pocket I added a round sentiment die cut from the Shapes & Phrases Die Cuts.

I also added a 3" square photo of Jane and on the edge I created a tab with a piece of washi tape from the Rainbow & Pastel Washi Tape and I added a flower sticker from the Celebration Stickers.

I covered the bottom flap of the next section with rainbow confetti paper from the Sprinkle 12x12" Paper Pad and embellished with a green butterfly die cut from the Birthday Die Cuts, a "yay you!" die cut from the Shapes & Phrases Die Cuts, and yellow "happy birthday" and purple flower stickers from the Celebration Stickers. I covered the top flap with green and silver foil sprinkles paper from the 6x6" Paper Pad and added a 3 1/2" square photo with a yellow Heart Paper Clip slipped onto the top edge of the picture. To finish this flap I added a pink present die cut from the Birthday Die Cuts and two smaller green and blue present stickers from the Celebration Stickers.

The bottom flap of this section is covered with rainbow paper from the 6x6" Paper Pad (you might notice I adhered the paper upside down - oh well, it still looks pretty :) and added a 3 1/2" square photo of Jane with her arm up as if holding a bouquet of balloons. And so that's what I did in the top flap! I added four birthday balloon die cuts from the Birthday Die Cuts to the top flap (the flap is covered with a pink floral paper from the Foil 6x6" Paper Pad and then I added the strings with blue baker's twine from the Decorative Trim Assortment going from the bottoms of the balloons to her hand. I topped the strings in her hand with a mini blue flower sticker from the Celebration Stickers.

Rotating clockwise brings us to the 3rd section of flaps. I covered the angled pocket with a pattern striped paper from the Foil 6x6" Paper Pad and decorated the edge with a mint sequin trim from the Decorative Trim Assortment. I topped the pocket with a rainbow die cut from the Birthday Die Cuts.

I backed the inside of the pocket with purple glitter paper from the Glitter 6x6" Paper Pad. On a 3" square photo of Jane I slid on a mint bow paper clip from the Embellishment Mix and tucked it into the pocket.

I covered the bottom flap of the next section  with a rainbow striped paper from the Double Sided 6x6" Paper Pad, added a 3" square photo on top, and placed an orange "hooray" sticker from the Celebration Stickers over white space on the picture.

For the top flap, I covered it with blue silver foil marks paper from the Foil 6x6" Paper Pad and added a large rainbow die cut found in the Travel Die Cuts, a "happy birthday" tab from the Birthday Die Cuts with a piece of blue baker's twine from the Decorative Trim Assortment tied through the hole, and two small rainbow polka dot butterfly die cuts also from the Birthday Die Cuts.

On the bottom flap of the next section, I covered it with rainbow sprinkles paper from the Foil 6x6" Paper Pad then placed a floral die cut from the Travel Die Cuts on top with foam squares for dimension. I covered the top flap with orange floral paper from the Foil 6x6" Paper Pad, placed a 4 1/2" square photo in the middle, and embellished with green Puffy Photo Corner Stickers and a "hello gorgeous" sentiment die cut from the Shapes & Phrases Die Cuts.

Rotating clockwise one last time brings us to the last section of flaps. On the angled pocket I covered it with blue ice cream paper from the Double Sided 6x6" Paper Pad and added a blue floral/pink Adhesive Pocket Card on top. The card in the little pocket is missing from this photo, but in the next photo you can see I added a birthday cake sticker from the Celebration Stickers to the card.

I lined the inside of the pocket flap with orange glitter paper from the Glitter 6x6" Paper Pad then tucked a pink "hooray" journaling spot die cut from the Travel Die Cuts into the pocket. I wrote a message to Jane on the journaling spot.

I covered the bottom of the next flap with rainbow paper (again I added it upside down, oopsies lol) from the Foil 6x6" Paper Pad then added a round purple "love" die cut from the Shapes & Phrases Die Cuts on top along with a purple flower die cut from the Birthday Die Cuts.

I covered the top flap with pink and geometric silver foil paper from the Foil 6x6" Paper Pad, added a 4 1/2" square photo in the middle, and embellished with purple Puffy Photo Corner Stickers.

Here is the last section of flaps! I covered the bottom with rainbow silver foil striped paper from the Foil 6x6" Paper Pad then added a Holographic Paper Doily topped with an orange flower die cut from the Birthday Die Cuts. I covered the top flap with blue floral paper from the Foil 6x6" Paper Pad. I added a 4" square photo of Jane with pop dots, embellished with blue Puffy Photo Corner Stickers, clipped on a pink Heart Paper Clip to the top right corner of the photo, and finished with two flower die cuts from the Birthday Die Cuts. Hooray!!

Here's another look and the open explosion box:

There is also a lid for every layer of the explosion box! So you get the "explosion" effect three times with every action of taking off the lid. So fun! On the middle lid, I covered it with yellow silver foil sprinkles paper from the 12x12" Paper Pad and edged it with glitter paper strips from the Glitter 6x6" Paper Pad. I embellished it with a Holographic Paper Doily topped with a "happy birthday" cake die cut from the Shapes & Phrases Die Cuts, an orange present from the Balloon & Gift Layered Stickers, and three gold stars from the Embellishment Mix.

On the smallest lid, I covered the top with purple silver foil sprinkles paper from the 12x12" Paper Pad and edged it with glitter paper strips from the Glitter 6x6" Paper Pad. I topped it with a floral "hello" die cut from the Shapes & Phrases Die Cuts using foam squares since there is a lot of space between the layers which means you can go super thick with embellishments and adhesive.

Here's the finished explosion box, ready to give to Jane for her 8th birthday!

I hope you are inspired to check out the Explosion Box products in Michaels stores and online!

Here are the clickable product links to all of the exploding box supplies:

I'll be back soon with my other example using the Small Kraft Memory Explosion Box, this time it's about Fox!