Welcome back, Stampers! Today we’re on part 6 of a 6-part series featuring sneak peeks from the upcoming 2017 Occasions Catalog and I have saved the best for last!! Be sure to bookmark this blog (hit Ctrl+D on Windows or CMD+D on a mac). Even though this is the last post in the Occasions sneak peek series, watch this space because I’ll be posting the Sale-A-Bration sneak peek on Monday! Be sure to visit my blog weekly to see all new ideas featuring some of the products you’ve seen already and some new products that you haven’t!

You can get your hands on these fabulous products starting January 4th. If you are not currently working with another demonstrator and need a copy of the catalog, request yours below! Want to browse through the sneak peek series? Review part 1 here, part 2 here, part 3 here, part 4 here and part 5 here! Today we’ll be focusing on some gift and treat packaging ideas featuring the new Window Box Thinlits Dies, which is sure to be a catalog favorite!

Gift Packaging Ideas featuring products from the 2016-2017 Annual Catalog

Before we jump into the fabulous ideas featuring the Window Box Thinlits Dies, here are some great gift packaging ideas that were recently featured on Shelli Gardner’s blog! Shelli is so creative! I love these boxes that she makes for family members. Here are 5 ideas to get your creative juices flowing!

I just love that pillow box! It would also make a gorgeous gift card wrapping for a wedding gift.

Look at that paper gift bow! Isn’t it fabulous! I just love looking at these gift boxes from Shelli. It’s so inspiring and makes me want to jump up and make one for myself!

Mini Egg Cartons

Okay, I had to point out a “blink and you’ll miss it” product from the 2017 Occasions catalog. It’s the new Mini Egg Cartons!

These coordinate with the cute easter Basket Bunch stamps that I introduced you to in Part 4 of the 2017 Occasions Sneak Peek Series! They also coordinate with a must-have stamp set from the Sale-A-Bration brochure called Hey, Chick that features 3 different chickens! So cute! The mini egg cartons are a natural cream color but can be easily dyed using a Stampin’ Spritzer filled with rubbing alcohol and a few drops of ink! Just spritz…

… and let it dry! Then you’ll end up with a custom colored egg carton! Here are three dyed egg cartons. From bottom to top: Calypso Coral, Bermuda Bay and Sweet Sugarplum!

Fill, wrap with ribbon and add a tag! Instant cute gift box! The tag below features the “Enjoy” sentiment from the new Everyday Tags stamp set, which coordinates beautifully with the Cheerful Tags Framelits Dies! This image first stamped with Peekaboo Peach ink. Then the stamp was inked in Calypso Coral. A sponge dauber was used to apply Versamark ink to the bottom of the stamp. It was then positioned with the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to slightly overlap the original Peekaboo Peach image. Last, add a bit of gold embossing powder and heat set!

Gusseted Cellophane Bag featuring the new Timeless Tags Thinlits Dies and coordinating That’s The Tag photopolymer stamps

I love this next idea so much that I totally borrowed it to wrap one of my mom’s Christmas gifts! I don’t have the dies used here but the bag itself is what really tickled my fancy! This is just a 6″ x 17″ gusseted cellophane bag and a half sheet of the Fabulous Foil Designer Acetate! The 6″ x 12″ piece of acetate was scored at 4″ and shoved into the bottom of the cellophane bag. And it’s sturdy enough that you don’t have to use tape or anything to hold the bag open! Perfect! I even had a bunch of crumpled paper on hand to fill the bag similar to the one below. Booyah! Love it when I get to put these ideas into action! My mother loved the gift packaging too :)

Here’s a close up of the tag, which was made with the new That’s the Tag stamps and coordinating Timeless Tags Framelits dies. The white doily you see is the new Lace Doilies, which are white on one side and vanilla on the other! In my opinion, these are the best doilies that Stampin’ Up has ever offered!

Really quickly, I just wanted to let you know that tomorrow is the LAST DAY to save big!

Save up to 60% off retiring and holiday products before they’re gone! See what’s on sale!

Window Shopping Bundle, featuring the Window Box Thinlits Dies

Okay, okay! I know you’re totally dying to see the new Window Box Thinlits Dies and all the cute project ideas! I don’t have an image for the coordinating stamp set, Window Shopping, but you will see the stamps from that set used in the projects below! Here we go!

Below are all of the pieces you will get with the Window Box Thinlits Dies.

Assembling the Window Box hexagon gift box

You will need to cut two pieces using the largest die, which fits a half sheet perfectly! Expect to get 1 box per sheet of letter sized cardstock. Once you have your two pieces, cut the tabs off one of the pieces and glue them together to make a little man, like so:

To finish the box, burnish the score lines and apply adhesive to the hands, armpits and love-handles (see black dashes in the image below). Then fold the legs on the score lines, wrap the arms around the legs and tuck the head!

Let’s check out some project ideas! Here’s a gift of thanks for a host Who wouldn’t love receiving this cute gift box?

Tucked inside the gift box are 8 mini cards which were made with the Window Shopping stamp set and coordinating detailed dies from the Window Box Thinlits Dies.

There’s also something special about this box… it opens at the side instead of the top! Take notice of how this box opens because I’ll show you another way to open it that’s similar to this. In this design, the box is mean to stand up on a table, with the top and bottom having a straight flat side. The box opens at a seam, sort of on a hinge.

Alternative way to assemble the Window Box – opening on a hinge

You will cut 2 pieces from the cardstock, just like you would for the top-closing version of the box. Instead of making the man, though, you will cut the large hexagon in half and adhere that piece to the bottom for both box halves.

Fold both boxes and adhere so they look like the photo below. Then adhere the flaps on one side, to make the hinge, and cut the flaps off of the other side.

Here’s the finished box, one more time:

Did you see the 3D Banner Builder die in the Window Box Thinlits Dies?

Really quickly, I want to point out the 3D banner on this box. It was made with what I call the banner builder die from the Window Box Thinlits dies. This piece will cut and score banners up to the height of the die. See that little triangle piece in the middle there? That will help you center the die over shorter banners! Run this through your Big Shot, fold on the score lines and, voila! 3D banner that pops off your project!

More project ideas featuring the Window Box Thinlits Dies:

Know someone who loves boats? Build a boat gift box for them! The little water piece at the bottom was made with piece that you’d likely throw in the garbage after die cutting! It’s used here to decorate the bottom of this nautical box! So cute!

Know anyone who loves games? These next two projects are for you! Here’s a pokeball made with the hinge opening method I showed you above! I love this idea and it comes at a perfect time for us! My brother-in-law is getting married this summer and their wedding theme is Pokemon! You can bet I’ll be making them this box and filling it with something cute!

Pokemon not retro enough for the gamer in your life? How about Pac Man?

The ghosts were made with the traditional top-open method. But the Pac Man and Pac Woman were made with an alternate assembly method! Notice that the top and bottom of this box are pointed, making it slightly different from the hinge-open method I showed you earlier.

Alternative way to assemble the Window Box – making a Pac Man

Here’s how to make the Pac Man box. Begin by cutting two pieces and assembling the man. The difference this time is that you won’t cut the flaps off of his feet. Instead, you’ll slice him down the middle until you reach the bottom of the tummy. The uncut portion will create a hinge. Fold on the score lines and adhere all of the flaps together for one half of the box. Repeat for the second half. Trim off any unneeded flaps.

DIY Wedding Decor featuring the Window Box Thinlits Dies

This last idea is my absolute favorite. If the other ideas didn’t make this a must-have for my list, this last one certainly did! Cut and assemble the box using the top-close assembly method (actually, I think this box has a side flap that opens but I don’t have an image to show you how to do that just yet). Insert it with a battery operated tea-light (not shown) and wrap it with some of the new Very Vanilla 1/4″ Satin Ribbon (page 51 of the Occasions catalog if you’re looking for it). Repeat! Ready to see what you’re making?

Ta da! How gorgeous is this!! I love the multiple hexagons on a table runner. Such a simple thing and so elegant! It’s a cost-effective DIY wedding table decoration… or any table for that matter! I want to make one for my formal dining room!