How to Make a Milkbox Card Box

Recycle a milk box carton by reusing it as a decorated card box that can hold cards for any occasion such as holidays, birthdays, weddings and baby showers. Making your own card holder is an enjoyable project to do with your youngsters, as it allows them to show off their creativity while decorating the card box.

Things You'll Need

• Felt-tip marker
• Serrated knife or scissors
• Paper, any kind
• Pencil
• Glue
• Assorted embellishments

Instructions

1. Wash the milk box out thoroughly with water. If there's any trace of milk left inside the milk box, it will give off a horrible odor. Allow the inside to dry before proceeding to the next step.

2. Measure down from the top 2 inches of the milk box. Mark a line all the way around the milk box with a felt-tip marker.

3. Cut the top off along the line that you marked. A serrated knife works well, or you can use scissors.

4. Cover the outside of the milk carton with paper. Lay the milk carton down on its side, onto the paper of your choice. You can use white paper, construction paper, wrapping paper, pages from a magazine or paper that you designed and colored yourself. You can also use one sheet of paper to cover all four sides of the milk box, or use a different sheet of paper for each side of the box. To cut individual sides, lay the milk box onto the paper. Trace each side of the milk carton with a pencil across your paper.

5. Cut along the traced pencil lines with scissors.

6. Glue the paper onto the milk box. If the paper wrinkles, smooth it out with your fingers.

7. Leave the glue to dry according to label directions.

8. Add embellishments to the outside of your milk box. Items like buttons, ribbons, cotton balls or beads work well.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to make a larger card box, glue several milk boxes together first before covering the sides with paper.

• You can paint the outside of the milk carton and let it dry before adding embellishments.

• To help protect the pictures outside your card box, brush on PVA glue.

References

• Kinder Art: Milk Carton Pen Pot
• Creative Kids at Home: Community Mailboxes
• DLTK's Kids Growing Together: Easter Bunny Milk Carton Container