A Tutorial Request - Paper Boxes

Someone left a comment on yesterday's blog post requesting a tutorial on the paper box that I had made.  So, here goes!  I do recommend that you read thru the entire tutorial before beginning your project.

Supplies needed:
box bottom - paper cut 8 3/8" square
box top - paper cut 8 7/8" square
insert for box bottom, if desired - 3" square
insert for box top, if desired - 3 1/8" square
embellishments for box top, if desired
bone folder, for nice, crisp creases
stamp pad and sponge dauber, if desired
adhesive of your choice

For the bottom of box, you will need a piece of 8 3/8" square patterned paper.  I'm using double-sided paper but single sided will work just as well.  Here is what I've chosen for the box bottom - "Alpine" from the Studio Calico Wonderland Collection.

For the box top, cut a piece of coordinating paper 8 7/8" square.  My box top is "Handknit" from the Studio Calico Wonderland Collection.  You don't have to use paper from the same collection but I would choose a coordinating color (we want our box to be pretty....don't we?)

Okay now take the paper that you've chosen as your box top, turn the WRONG side facing you and draw lines from opposite corners as shown (you'll end up with a big "X" which is very difficult to see in the photo below...sorry!)

Keeping the WRONG side facing you, fold each corner into the center of the paper, creasing with the bone folder that I'm sure each one of you has.  One corner done......

That 'X' is a little easier to see in the photo above.

Now fold and crease the other three corners.  When you are done, it will look like this - 

The next step is to fold the outer edge to the center, crease, and then open.  Do this on all four sides.  Confused?  First, fold the outer edge to the center and crease....like this

Now open it back up (you can see the crease at the bottom), 

Turn the paper 1/4 turn and do the same to that side.  (My first crease, which is hard to see, is now on the left hand side.)

After folding, creasing, and reopening the second side, turn the paper another 1/4 turn to fold, crease and reopen the third side.  And finally, repeat the same steps with the final (fourth) side.  When you get done with all four sides, your paper will look like this.

Alrighty, now fully open two opposite sides.  You should have something that looks like this.

Next step, bring the two folded (red above) sides upright and fold the open (blue above) ends up and into the box.  Here's where the fun begins with me trying to photograph this process.  I'll give it my best shot!  

Bring the two folded sides upright......

And then bring the open ends up and into the box......

Following are several photos that will hopefully prove to be helpful.

 

 

Finally.....a box top!

You follow the same steps with the paper for the box bottom.  The bottom will turn out just like the top (hopefully!) just a little bit smaller.  Here is my box bottom.

If you want to add an insert in your top and bottom pieces to hide the paper edges, you will need a 3" square to insert in the bottom and a 3 1/8" square to insert in the top.  I cut the bottom insert from the paper used for my box top.  The insert will fit in pretty snug but if you want you can also add a bit of adhesive so there is no chance for it falling out. 

 

Here is the bottom with the insert.

And the top with insert.

Put the box top on the box bottom and add embellishment to the top, if desired.  I decided to go with the December 25 stamp from the Stampin' Up Joyous Celebrations set.  I stamped using green ink on white paper, punched it out using the Stampin' Up 1" punch.  This was adhered to green cardstock on which I had used my Stampin' Up postage stamp punch.  Foam adhesives were used to "pop" this on the box top.

Some of your box edges may look a little "rough" from the creasing.  If you notice in some of the photos above, some of the edges have a white look to them.  This is from using paper with a white core.  If this happens, you can sponge around the edges of your box using an ink pad color that matches your paper. 

 

I hope this tutorial helps.  It was difficult at times trying to snap a photo with one hand and show a folding technique with the other hand.  If there are any questions, please leave a comment or email me and I'll do my best to answer.  So, on your mark, get set, GO! construct a paper box!