Card box tutorial

Welcome to my first blog tutorial.

:o)
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Hello all! I have been making these origami treat boxes for years - mostly using recycled Christmas cards. They are great for gifting little trinkets and candies. Once you make these you'll never look at a Christmas card the same way again! Everytime I see a pretty design on the front of one I think, "Hey, that would make a nice box!" :o) I have also made these boxes using a 12x12 piece of scrapbook paper for a larger box -- so unique and a fun way to package a small gift!

Here's how it's done.

You'll need these simple tools:

1 - You'll need paper for the top and bottom box pieces. I like to use cardstock, but for this tutorial I'm using an old Christmas card.

2 - Cut your paper into a perfect square - you'll need one for the top and one for the bottom. The top piece should be about 1/4" larger than the bottom piece. (For example, if the top piece is 5-1/4" x 5-1/4", the bottom should be 5"x5".)

3 - Use a ruler to mark an X in the center.
4 - Using the X as a guide, fold each corner to meet in the middle.

5 - Now fold the top and bottom sides in and crease well.

6 - Open up and then fold the sides in and crease well.

7 - Now you're going to open up two of the flaps of your box...

7 (continued) - Open the box to look like this:

8 - Find your crease lines for cutting. Cut along these lines on both sides. (I know, I know, origami isn't supposed to be CUT, and there's another way to make these boxes where you fold these corner edges in instead of cutting them, but I've found that these boxes have a better shape if these pieces are cut and tucked in.)

9 - Fold these cut edges into the center, and then fold the large flaps over them to complete the box top (as shown in the next few photos).

10 - You can add a little bit of glue or tape to hold the ends in place, but I find that if you play with it a little you can get the pieces to hold on their own.

10 - Repeat this process for the box bottom, fill with candy, and put the two together.

11 - If anything in this tutorial doesn't make sense...ask me! :o)

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If you make some of these cuties on your own, I'd love to see what you come up with!

Fold.

Create.

Enjoy.
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