DIY Explosion Box Wedding Invitations/Announcements.

Hello everyone this is my first instructable and I am amazed at what everyone has done, my mother has been making explosion boxes for years, and I thought it would be pretty neat to use these as wedding invitations, so I am here to show you guys my journey. These boxes are really unique ways to invite people to your wedding as opposed to cards. I really had fun making these and I hope you will as well!

Materials Used are for One box.
-What you need:
4 Pieces of Cardstock in the following sizes, Layer C (1) 12”x12”,  Layer B (1) 11 1/2”x11 1/2 ”, Layer A (1) 11”x11”, and The Lid (1) 6 1/8”x6 1/8”
A Glue Stick
Hot Glue Gun, or I just had a hot glue stick that I melted with a lighter.
A Votive Candle
Silk/Fake Rose Petals
Glass Votive Holder
Paper Scoring Tool, or I used an old pen with no ink in it.    
Various photos sized (2.75”x3”) for the flaps, 3 of the Bride, 3 of the Groom, 3 of the Bride and Groom together, and 1 or 2 of the chapel or location.
A (2.75”x3”) piece of paper with the location, time and everything on it as the invitation, to go on one of the flaps.
Scissors
Wedding Themed Scrapbooking Stickers
Ruler
Pencil
Optional: Any decorative sort of ribbon or paper to decorate/personalize in your own way

Step 1: The Bottom of the Box.

Take the A, B, and C pieces of cardstock and lay them out on your working surface flipped over so the pattern is down.
Measure 4 inches from the edges of all the pieces and create the grid pattern shown using a pencil and ruler.
Score all of the lines you created using your scoring tool or pen and ruler.
The shaded region shown below will be the pieces you cut away leaving the “+” shape.
Cut the pieces away.
Keep the extra pieces! You will be using these later to hide the white on the back of the cardstock.
Apply the glue stick to the middle white square of layers A and B
Layer the pieces on top of each other to line them up so the C piece is on bottom, B in the middle, and A on the top as shown.
Take your extra pieces and apply them using the glue stick to the white parts on the backs of all the flaps to get rid of the visible white squares, for the smaller flaps, just measure and resize the pieces to width, you will have used all of your squares now.
On the flaps, apply the 2.75” x 3” pictures and the invitation using the glue stick to your liking. I have the groom and bride on opposite sides, and on the other two, us together, and the invitation.
The bottom part of the explosion box is now finished. Set aside.

Step 2: The Centerpiece for Inside the Box.

Now we will assemble the candle votive for the center of the invitation.
Take your glass votive holder, and put some hot glue down at the bottom of the inside, push in the silk flower petals so they stay in place inside the glass.
Apply hot glue to the bottom of the candle, and push that down in the middle of the flower petals.
Voila! The centerpiece is finished, apply hot glue to the bottom of the glass and place in the middle square of your explosion box as shown.

Step 3: The Lid.

To make the lid, you take the 6 1/8” x 6 1/8” piece of cardstock, and measure an inch on all sides and make the grid shown below.
You then take the ruler from corner to corner to create the diagonal lines in the 4 corner boxes.
Score all of the lines you just made, and fold up as shown.
Apply the glue stick to one of the triangles in the corner as well as the fold on the outside and push together like the picture.
Repeat for the other 3 corners and you have your lid!
Hold up the flaps and push the lid on, it will fit just perfectly.

Step 4: Decorate!

After the box is finished, decorate with the stickers/ribbons or anything to make it unique.

Step 5: Finished!

You are now finished, so you can make as many as you like, and you will find yourself getting quicker as you make more.
Everyone you give these to will absolutely love this invitations.