Easy Starter Heart Exploding Box

Create a quick, easy explosion photo gift box for Valentine’s Day with this free heart explosion box SVG!

Question: What do you do when it’s just five days before Valentine’s Day and you don’t have any gift at all for your spouse?

Answer: Get to work with the Cricut.

I made most of this photo-exploding gift box in two nights.

The first night, I cut and folded the base and sides and lid, and the Z fold-outs.

The second night, I glued in photos (which I already had because my printer isn’t working and there was no time to get any printed).

Then I created our “relationship in numbers” infographic, had the Cricut draw the words and numbers, and added a few accents.

(The buttons were added to give it some weight so the sides fall nicely when the lid is lifted. Read my five other tips to make your explosion box explode.)

I love how an explosion box looks so simple when it’s closed up.

But then…… awesomeness falls out when the lid is removed!

Here’s the first layer of the Valentine’s Day heart explosion box that I made as a gift for my husband.

Layer two shows our wedding and our family of six now! (Just a small change.)

When I realized I wouldn’t be able to get any photos other than ones I already had, it was time to get creative!

I decided to do a maze-like page with some of the most interesting numbers in it. We have spent most of our married life overseas, so that was the inspiration for my numbers.

It turned out to be my favorite page in this easy DIY explosion box. Here’s the tutorial on how to create your own infographic using Cricut pens and the draw feature.

And that’s it! Three simple layers, in lovey-dovey Valentine’s Day colors and lots of hearts for accents. I used washi tape for a few added accents, plus the buttons for interest and weight.

The project file is: design #23 – Mini Heart Explosion Box – in the Free Files Folder.

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Materials needed to make the Mini Heart Explosion Box

• The free SVG file downloaded from the Free Files Folder; it’s design #23 – Mini Heart Explosion Box 

• Bone Folder (I bought this one at my local crafting store)

• Glue – such as Art Glitter Glue or Beacon’s 3-in-1 Craft Glue

• 12×12 inch lightweight paper for the base (this brand is perfect; you can also buy it at Walmart)

• Multiple colored scrapbooking paper or cardstock, such as Recollections 65 lb. cardstock

• Brayer (I have both the Cricut brayer and the Speedball soft rubber brayer; I’m always setting them down in the wrong place)

• Photo paper (Glossy) or print out small photos at Social Print Studio

• Cricut Maker or Explore Air

• Cricut Scoring wheel or stylus

• Blue LightGrip mat

* Links to products are for your convenience in finding tools and materials, however, they are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. *

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How to use the SVG file in Cricut Design Space

Download the free SVG file from the Free Files Folder. It’s design #23 – Mini Heart Explosion Box .

Double-click to unzip the file.

Upload both SVG files to Cricut Design Space.

• INSIDE-Mini_Heart_Explosion_Box_minorDIY.svg
• OUTSIDE-Mini_Heart_Explosion_Box_minorDIY.svg

(Click here if you need to see step-by-step instructions for how to upload an SVG to Design Space.)

First, we’ll work on the OUTSIDE file.

Insert the SVG file on the canvas and Ungroup.

Change certain cut lines into score lines as shown below. The cut lines that look like outlined squares are the layers that need to be changed to Score.

Click on the layer you want to change to highlight it. 

Select multiple layers at once by holding down the shift key as you click. Select all of the layers with arrows as shown below.

Click on the Operation menu on the top left of the screen, then choose Score from the drop-down menu.

The line type is now Score. You can see it in the layers panel, and it’s indicated by the dotted lines.

Next, click on the layer to select both the score line and the cut piece below it, as shown with the red arrow.

Then click on the Attach button as shown.

See how these layers are attached now? Do that with each layer with a score line.

Use the same process to designate Score lines and Attach them to the cut piece below on the green and blue layers too.

If you’d like to see the project with the decorative side pieces, right-click on the top piece.

Choose “Send to Back.” Repeat it as often as needed.

The mini heart explosion box bases, lids, and sides are ready to cut now.

Cut all three base layers (shown in light yellow, green, and blue) out of the 12 x 12 light paper.

The dark squares are the side pieces. You can cut them out of any scrapbooking paper or cardstock.

The lids are the pieces on the right of the screen.

Next, we’ll work on the INSIDE file.

Insert the SVG file on the canvas and Ungroup.

All of the white squares are places where photos or other decorations can be added.

See the two film-strip-like pieces? Those are called Z-Foldouts. (Yes, I named them that.)

Change those two cut lines into Score lines and then Attach to the piece underneath, as shown below.

The video below shows exactly how to set the score lines, and what the Z-Foldout looks like when completed.

The base pieces are included so you can see how the rest of the project is laid out, but you won’t cut them out from this file.

Click on the eye icon to hide the base layers.

Now you are ready to cut out the inside elements. Use scrapbooking paper or 65 lb. cardstock for these pieces.

How to assemble the mini heart explosion box

Follow the assembly tutorial here!

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Your special someone will love the DIY explosion box you create as a heartfelt gift. A photo gift box exploding with treasured memories is the most personal gift you can give!

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Ready to download the free SVG or printable? Head over to the 📂 Free Files Folder and enter the ✨ magic word. ✨ (If you don’t have the magic word, just fill in the form below first.)

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