{DIY: W is for Wedding Card Box}

Supplies:

• Three round boxes (a small, medium and large)
  
• One roll of paper gift wrap
  
• Mod Podge Glue
  
• Four yards of ribbon
  
• An assortment of trims (artificial flowers, velvet leaves, etc)

Tools:

• Small foam paint brush
  
• Pencil
  
• Ruler
  
• Exacto Knife
  
• Scissors
  
• Glue Gun

Directions:

Lay a sheet of your wrapping paper print side down. Place your boxes on the paper (bottom side down) and trace around each box using a pencil. (see figure one) Carefully cut out each circle.

Measure the height of each box, and cut a strip of paper as wide as the height of your box and long enough to wrap completely around the circumference.

Turn all three boxes over, so the bottom of box becomes the top of your “cake tier”. You won’t be needing the lids to the two smaller boxes, just the lid for the largest box which will be the bottom tier of your paper cake.

Before you begin gluing, be sure to protect your work surface. Mod Podge can be messy.

Apply an even layer of Mod Podge to the top of one your cake tiers using a small sponge brush. (see figure two) Carefully place your paper circle on the top of the box (in the glue) (see figure three). Smooth out any air bubbles. Don’t worry about small wrinkles. They should flatten out as the glue dries.

Glue the paper circles on the tops of the two remaining cake tiers.

Use the same gluing technique to adhere the paper to the sides of each cake tier. As you wrap the paper around, it’s more important that the paper lines up with the top of the tier rather than the bottom. The bottom edge will be concealed with ribbon later.

When all three tiers are covered in paper, brush a thin layer of Mod Podge on each tier’s papered surface. This will give the cake a subtle luster and smooth down any edges you may have missed. If you would like a richer surface, apply several coats of Mod Podge. Be sure allow at least fifteen minutes for the Mod Podge to dry between coats.

On the top of the largest tier, as close as you can get to the edge, use a Sharpie Marker to draw a “slot” large enough for a card to drop through. (see figure four) CAREFULLY cut out the slot using an exacto knife. It can be helpful to use a small metal cork-backed ruler as a guide when you cut.

Decide how you would like to have each cake tier positioned, then use your hot glue gun to glue them into place. ( Be very careful not to burn yourself when handling your glue gun.)

At the bottom of each tier, wrap and glue down a length of ribbon. (see figure five)

Glue a ribbon along the edge of bottom cake tier’s lid. This lid becomes the bottom of your paper cake and makes the deposited cards accessible.

Decorate your cake ! (see figure six) Select your flowers, leaves and trims, and use your hot glue gun to glue them into place. You can place a traditional cake topper on the top of your cake, or create your own.

As a variation on the idea, I collaged old book pages on the surface of this cake. (see figure seven). You could decoupage anything. The sky’s the limit!

Article and Photos from OnceWed.com {Thank You!!}