Shaker Box Tutorial

Have you ever wanted to try a shaker box, but thought it sounded too intimidating? Well I am going to tell you a secret. It is one of the coolest effects and yet one of the easiest techniques around. You can make it as simple as a square with a square shaker. It can be as intricate as a Cricut cut paper piecing where the center shaker is cut in the same shape. I chose to recreate a cupcake I made a few posts back. I thought it'd be perfect for a birthday card, though I may add a candle if I find one that matches. =)

Here are the basics to making ANY shaker box. If you give it a try I want to see!!! So post a link to your blog post if you share or even a link to an online gallery. I just want to see!!!

Supplies
scissors
foam doublesided adhesive
cardstock scraps in chosen theme
transparency
glitter (or very small crystals)
1" punch

Step 1: Cut out the diecut or paper piecing pieces you plan to use. I used a cupcake paper piecing from ScrapbooksEtc.com. The striped paper is Me and My Big Ideas and the cupcake is lily white sugar coated cardstock.

Step 2: Use your chosen punch to cut out the center. I have cut a 1" square. SAVE the scrap that is removed.

Step 3: Use the scrap punch to cut around on your transparency so that the finished piece of transparency is slightly bigger than the hole it will cover. Do the same for you backing paper. The one that will show through the shaker material. Make this one slightly bigger than the tranparency. You will have three sizes of squares. Your original scrap, a transparency slightly bigger than that, and a backing square slightly bigger than the transparency.

Step 4: Turn your paper (the one with the hole in it) and cover the hole with the transparency. Then use the foam tape to adhere it to the back of the cardstock. (holey cardstock, transparency, THEN foam tape). Make sure there are NO gaps in the tape. At this point (before you expose the second side of sticky on the tape) rub over the whole transparency with a dryer sheet. You will read below why.

Step 5: After exposing the back of the double sided foam tape you pour in your filler. I used Mainstays Glitter in bubblegum and Fashion Glass pink glass. Very gently pour in and cover with your backing paper. Make sure you put it down so that the backing paper will show the side you want when flipped over. Press firmly along the foam tape. If you need to trim the backing paper a bit, now is the time.

Step 6: Flip over your finished shaker. Finish piecing together your pattern and/or embellish as you wish.

For this example, I made a cupcake shaker. I just tried to use up scraps so it can definitely be fancier with a little embellishing. You can make your shaker out of any paper piecing pattern that has a large area that can support a shaker. You can also cut out a diecut or even make your shaker square/round and simply embellish the finished product with embellishments to fit your theme. Also consider using 'shaker stuff' that is in your theme. For example: small buttons, confetti, tiny punches. The tip to rub a dryer sheet across your transparency after you are done cutting is important, before adhering, to avoid static build up that will leave you with a shaker that doesn't shake so well. =)