Saturday, March 1, 2014

Cardstock Boxes

My late great-aunt taught me how to make these boxes and I thought I'd share the fun. 
Although these are quite small because I started with a 6x6 piece of cardstock, you can start with a much bigger square for bigger boxes. If you want a bottom and top to your box, just cut a second piece of cardstock a little bit smaller than the first and slip the smaller one inside the bigger one once the boxes are complete.
You will need: 
a square piece of cardstock (paper is too flimsy for anything but practice)
a ruler
a pencil
scissors
glue or double stick tape
a hard surface for folding
a hard instrument (like a bone folder) to make sharp creases

Start with a square piece of cardstock.
Turn it over. Then draw a line in the middle from one corner to the other.
Draw one the other direction too.
You will end up with an "X" in the middle of you paper.
Fold a corner to touch the center of the "X." Make very sharp creases; I used a bone folder.
Repeat on the opposite side.
Then fold the third corner to the center.
And repeat with the final corner.
Fold the right side to the center.
Repeat wit the left side.
Unfold, then fold the top and bottom toward the center.
After folding each side to the center your box should look something like this.
Unfold completely and cut along the sections I have marked with pencil.
After you cut, your cardstock should look like this.
Fold the two points that have more material toward the center.
You will end up with two pointy flaps on each side.
Bring them together.
Press them toward the bottom of the box.
Bring the corner up and fold it over those pointy flaps.
Get everything snug inside this fold.
Press the triangle into the center with some glue or double stick tape.
Repeat joining the pointy flaps on the other side.
Fold over the corner.
Make it all nice and tight.
Tuck it in, glue it, and Ta Da! your box is complete.
I made three boxes with similar prints of cardstock.

This is my first in-depth step-by-step tutorial with pictures. Please let me know in the comments
if you try this, how it works, and what could have been more clear. Thanks!

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