A Tumble Cube Advent Box
The Tumble Cube Advent Box looks pretty when wrapped with a bow.
This Tumble Cube Advent Box is the third and last box of my tumble cube series which includes a Birthday Cube and a Hanukkah Cube. I have included a box pattern to contain the tumble cube and a scalloped edged box for the 25th present.
This Advent Box is a fun present to give to a child or an adult. I love the appearance of the stacked boxes because it make the present extra special. Small treats can be a put into the twenty-four drawers such as a Hershey Kiss, Shopkins, stickers, or a quarter. The drawers vary in size from a 1/8 inch accordion style box, a 1/4 inch box and a 1 1/2 inch box. There are eight of each type of box in this cube. The smaller boxes can contain stickers or a coin. The larger box can contain two Hershey kisses. I have found that some Shopkin toys can fit into the drawers too.
After filling the cube, I realized that the weight of the coins and candies move the drawers around a lot when the box is flexed. If the present is given to an adult it will be ok. But if it given to a small child, they will want to contort the boxes and the coins might fall out. If giving it to a child, maybe use all of the drawers as clues to a scavenger hunt. I have included 8 clues with my design.
I taped and used Glue Dots to stabilize the drawers. I am posting this project because it is wonderful project but it is not perfect. I will continue to think about how I can make it perfect but in the mean time, I think it is too nice of a project to not publish it. Maybe my readers can come up with a better solution to the drawer problem...maybe tear away sheets in front of the drawers?
A tumble cube is eight cubes which are tape together to form a bigger cube. When the cubes are moved, they go in different directions.
Watch the video of the Birthday Tumble Cube in action to see the mesmerizing movements of the cubes. The concept is exactly the same for this Advent Cube.
Here is the PDF file. I used 65 lb. white card stock from Walmart for the cubes, American Crafts paper for the outside of the cube and glitter card stock for the numbers. I used Scotch Packaging Tape to tape the boxes together. I also used Scotch GiftWrap tape and Glue Dots to stabilize the drawers.
Here is the .Studio file.
Here is the SVG. The file extends past the viewing area.
Make Eight Cubes
Crease all of the window tabs as shown above. The window tabs are triangular tabs. This triangular tab provides a sturdy beam so that the cube does not collapse easily.
Apply glue to the tabs of the three sides of the left and right arm. Also apply glue to the tab on the bottommost tab as viewedinthe photo above.window. Adhere to create seven triangular beams.
Apply glue to the window tab as shown above.
Bend the box into a right triangle and adhere the tabs to create the box structure.
Apply glue to the edge of the triangular beam as shown above. The glue will be applied in six locations.
Form the sides into a box. Apply glue to the upper triangle and adhere.
Completed Advent Cube.
Repeat for the other seven cubes.
Make the drawers and the 25th Scalloped Box (The photos of the 25th box is not shown but the construction is the same for the top and the bottom of the box)
Make the drawers by gluing and adhering the tabs for the first two styles of boxes.
Make the accordion box by valley and mountain folding the sides. Apply glue to the tabs and adhere to make this third box style. The upper edge is folded as this will become a tab to adhere to the inside of the box.
Glue on the numbers to the three types of boxes.
Plan where you will be placing the boxes. the four boxes in the center can not have an opening because this is the area where the boxes are taped together.
The above two photos is how I planned the boxes. There are many configurations so you can decide how you want to place the boxes. Each cube has just one of each style of box.
Glue and adhere the tabs of the accordion box.
Please note: I folded down the semicircle on the top of the accordion box here but in a later photo it is not folded down because I used a Glue Dot to close the drawer.
Attach the Eight Cubes Together
Tape the cubes together at the six locations indicated above. I used Scotch Packaging tape. The tape needs to be durable because it will be under a lot of stress when the cubes are moved around. Apply the tape precisely as the tape needs a good bond. (The tape on the far side was not cut to size as I wanted to show that tape is applied to this side.)
Please be aware: the tape needs to be the exact length of the box and can not overhang. The tape should not interfere with the movement of the drawers when they are opened and closed.
Flip the boxes over to the other side.
Tape the cubes together at the two locations indicated above. The box can now be flexed into different configurations.
Glue the Pretty Paper to the Boxes.
There are 24 windows and 24 square to complete the tumble cubes construction.
Make the Tumble Cub Box
Cut out the bottom of the box and crease the tabs as shown above.
Glue the bottom two tabs of the sides to the center square as shown above.
Glue the sides together to complete the bottom of the box.
Glue and adhere the tabs for the top of the box.
Completed box.
Optional: Make the Scavenger Hunt Clues (I have included 8)
Fold them into a little square.
I used Glue dots to adhere the accordion style box closed.
I cut the Glue Dots in half and adhere the half moons to the half mood tab.
I used Scotch GiftWrap at the bottom of the small box and adhered it to its portion on the cube. I had to do this because I placed two quarters in the box and flexing the box caused the quarters to move around.
Completed Advent Tumble Cube
The Tumble Cube Advent Box fits perfectly inside its box.
Put the scalloped box on top and add a bow to make a perfect present for a child or an adult.
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