How to Make a Box Out of Greeting Cards

Tiny Gift Boxes Made from Greeting Cards

There is an old saying that "the best things come in small packages." The "best things" might be diamond rings, expensive earrings, a gold charm or a semi-precious stone talisman. All those "small things" certainly are small--and expensive. However, the packages themselves do not have to cost much. In fact, they are often free, especially if we recycle old greeting cards to make them.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Greeting cards
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Glue stick

1. Choose a colorful card, as the front of the card will become the lid of the two-part box, and the back of the card will become the bottom of the box. If there is a message printed on the inside of the card, it is of no consequence, as it will be hidden when the box is completed. Cut the card evenly at its fold so the front and back of the card are separated.

2. Measure the length and width of the front of the card. Take the smaller of the two measurements and, using the pencil and ruler, mark the length you need to remove from the longest side so that the card is an exact square. Repeat for the back of the card, but make that square 1/8-inch smaller than the front of card. This is necessary because the lid must be a little larger to fit over the bottom part of the box.

3. Lay the front of the card on the table with the design side down. Line up the ruler with two opposite corners and make a 1/2-inch mark in the center of the square. Line up the ruler with the other two corners and make another 1/2-inch mark. You should have a cross right in the middle of the square. Fold each corner to the center of the cross and crease. Now you have a half-size square.

4. 

   With all four corners still in the center of the cross, fold one edge of this smaller square up and to the center and crease. Do the same with the opposite edge. Unfold the two most recent folds and fold the other two opposing edges of the smaller square up and to the center and crease. Unfold the most recent fold and you should have the smaller square with four corner "peaks" standing up. In the center, you should see the cross you drew at the beginning (see photo).

5. Make a cut on either side of the east peak up to the center blank square containing the cross. Do the same on either side of the west peak (see dark dotted lines in photo).

6. Place some glue on the surface of the center square containing the cross. Stretch out the east and west peak "arms" of the box since we will not be working with them immediately. Lift up the north and south "walls" so that the peaks attached to them fall down onto the cross and meet tip to tip. Press the peaks so that they adhere to the glue on the cross.

7. Fold the "arms" up and over the bent extensions of the north and south "walls" and press the east and west peaks to the glue on the cross. The top of the box is complete. Repeat the entire process with the back of the card that will become the bottom of the box.

Tips & Warnings

• Using a larger card may make learning this technique easier for beginners. A glue stick or rubber cement is preferable to liquid glue which could cause the paper to buckle. Use of a burnisher or the side of a closed marker to make the creases sharper will result in a more finished-looking box with crisp edges.

• Keep the scissors and glue away from small children.

Resources

• Mother's Day Idea 2: Gift Box