'Love You to the Stars' Explosion Box

Download Activity Template

Step 1Take a sheet of black cover paper and use metallic poster paint sticks to turn it into a galaxy artwork. Starting with a purple paint stick, add in a Milky Way swirl then some clouds and waves. Go back in with a blue paint stick to add to the design before filling any gaps with the black poster paint stick. Go back in with the blue and purple if needed and continue until you are happy with your design. Allow to dry. Repeat this step on another three sheets of paper.
Step 2Add a small amount of white paint to a palette and add an even smaller amount of water. Use a flat brush to mix the paint and water so it is smooth and thin. Holding the palette over the galaxy paper you created in Step 1, load up the brush with paint and drag the bristles of the brush down and off the edge of the palette. This will flick white paint onto the galaxy in a spatter effect to create stars. Continue until you are happy with the design. Allow to dry. Repeat this step on your three other pieces of paper. You may not use all of the paper for your explosion box, so be sure to keep any leftovers for future projects.
Step 3Decorate the cross shaped pieces of the explosion box with your galaxy paper as well as photos, black paper and star stickers. You will need to cut some components to fit and use glue to attach. Adult supervision is recommended when using scissors. You only need to decorate the centre square for the smallest cross piece. We have decorated the largest and third largest piece with our galaxy paper, the second largest with photos and the smallest with stickers and paper. We have then added our ‘Love You to the Stars’ message into the centre using a permanent pen. You can use our image as a guide or create your own designs!
Step 4Take the largest cross piece and flip it over so the decorated side is face down. Cut four squares of galaxy paper the same size as the four outer squares.
Step 5Print out the template provided and cut out a set of template pieces. Fold one of the squares from Step 4 in half and align the ‘I’ template to the centre of the folded edge. Trace around the template with a pencil then carefully cut along the lines. Unfold and there will now be an ‘I’ in the middle of the galaxy square! Repeat with another square from Step 4 using the half ‘U’ template, then repeat with the remaining two squares using the half heart template.
Step 6Glue the ‘I’, heart and ‘U’ squares onto the cross squares as shown, making sure the pieces are all facing inwards. Allow to dry.
Step 7Flip the large cross piece back over then stack the cross shaped pieces from largest to smallest as shown, gluing in place in the middle. Ensure each layer is centred on the middle square below. Allow to dry.
Step 8Decorate the lid piece of the explosion box. We have chosen to use our galaxy paper and added some glitter using glue. Allow to dry. Construct the lid by folding along the score lines and gluing the tabs in place. Allow to dry. Cut a 30cm length of embroidery thread and decorate along the length with felt star stickers, sandwiching the thread between two stickers of equal size to hold in place. Make sure the stickers are aligned to each other. Leave one end of the thread free and tape this end in place inside the box lid, in the centre.
Step 9Pull up the sides of the explosion box and pop the lid in place with the thread of stars tucked inside. Your explosion box is now ready to gift! When the lid is lifted the sides will fall outwards, revealing the loving message and photos.