Clam Shell Box Making

Small workshops equal a lot of fun. With fewer people to keep track of, I can encourage individuals to explore their projects on higher levels. Projects become more complicated and unique when students know they have the direct attention of an instructor. A couple weeks ago I taught a box making class and though everyone's boxes were the same size each enclosure was unique to the creator.

beautiful clamshell and book by C. Wozy

Clam Shell enclosures, as they're called, are great in a number of different capacities. Beautiful as gifts on their own these boxes are exquisite "gift wrapping" especially when you make them yourself!  Clam Shells open to lay flat and have two interior trays to cuddle close whatever you choose to entrust to their care. This structure is perfect for portfolio cases, and if I ever get around to developing a serious body of work I will definitely be making my own portfolio cases and enclosures.
They are a great alternative for housing old photographs, prints, greeting cards and letters. I know my mom is constantly adding to her collection of family photographs but there is only so much room on her mantle, walls, and piano for framed pictures. If you like to keep images loose (and away from acidic non-archival papers, tapes and plastic) this is a nice way to preserve your memories.

My group was so inspired after the Clam Shell Box that they asked to create another enclosure! It's so invigorating to hear that people want to learn what you know. We created these small boxes out of some thicker board that I had given up on cutting down to the correct sizes for the Clam Shell project. Our enclosures were constructed from archival quality binder's board. Think REALLY thick cereal cardboard - not corrugated, not chip/tagboard - nice thick (well... 1/16th of an inch thick) and strong, perfect for building walls! The extra box was made from double thick board which was ordered for a class that didn't need the supplies, bonus for Rachel, but is (as I said above) twice as thick as the board I regularly use to cover books and create boxes. It was very difficult to cut down to the sizes we needed even with brand knew X-Acto blades. I will have to do some neat experimenting with that thick board, see if I can use it to my advantage.