Making a Paper Box

I have been busy working in my studio so that I can reopen my Etsy shoppe with new items. It seems that the Foley Performing Arts Gallery wants to keep my ooaks for awhile longer. Apparently my lil wee ones did some whispering during the Christmas event to the folks that visited and Ms. Bonnie, the curator, believes those folks will be back to adopt them. I think with the hope that will happen, I can let them visit there for awhile. I do miss them though. A part of me goes into making my ooaks and that makes them hard to part with. BUT....I get over it and am just happy when they find another forever "Believe in them" home.

Now...what were we talking about? Just like me to forget...Ohhhh yes...working in my studio. I have been working on designing some Valentine's faeries. Sometimes the sculpts come first but sometimes the props come first. One prop I'm working on is a pretty little box that one faerie is going to sit upon. I think I enjoy making the props as much as the sculpting and especially when I can upcycle an item. My item for my box was some paper scraps I had laying around. Yes...I said paper scraps. It didn't really matter what was on the paper because I knew that I was going to cover the box in fabric. (with hearts on it...it is for a Valentine's faerie ^_^) I thought that perhaps some of you might like to know how to make your own box. It can be made to any size that you want. All you have to keep in mind is that you need to start out with a square shape. Now..go look through all those beautiful scrap papers you have, grab a pair of scissors and a pen and let's get started:

Supplies Needed:

Paper (scraps or perhaps a pretty print one)

Scissors

Pen

Take your square and pull one corner up into the other so that you have made a triangle. Gently crease fold.

Now open it up and turn it facing you where it looks like a diamond (or a kite...that's what the Chazman thought it looked like) Fold the bottom corner up to the top one, like you did for the first fold and then gently crease it.

This is how it should look so far. Got it? Good...let's move on. ^_^

Take a corner and fold it up to the center and then gently crease. Do this to each remaining corner.

Now take a corner and fold it up to the top cease across from it. Do this to each remaining corner. Isn't it fun folding paper? Relaxing!!!

Up to this point, this is what your paper should look like. A quilt pattern. Now take a corner and fold it up to the closest fold. Do the remaining corners the same way and remember to gently crease your folds.

Hold your paper up so it looks like a diamond. Do you see the four little blocks that make a square in the center? Good...that is the size your box is going to be and the guide to making your cuts. If you look closely you can see where I made my marks to cut.

 You want to cut up the sides to the square in the center...remember don't cut past the corners of your square. Do this on the opposite side as well. Just the two sides across from each other. Do not cut the other two opposite sides...ppplease!!

This is what you should have....oh yes...turn the paper around so that the arrow is pointing to you. That was another observation made by the Chazman..hehe!!

Now take the paper and fold it up to the square box in the middle. Then take the next fold and fold it over the top of the first fold. The tiny fold at the point will be inside the bottom of your box.

This is what it should look like at this point.

Take the pieces sticking out and fold them to the inside of the square. This is how it should look. Do the opposite side the same way. Then take the short sides and fold them over to the center the same way.

This is what it should look like after the first short side is folded in.

                      Ta-Da...you made a box..well the top of one and I'm so soo proud of you.                                                                                  

The folds will hold themselves in but if you want you can take your pin and turn the box on it's side and crease the folds a bit more.

To make the bottom of your box you follow the same steps with this one exception. You need to make it a bit smaller than the top so they will fit together. Take your square and fold one corner into the opposite but instead of meeting them corner to corner you will need to pull it back a few centimeters, then crease fold.

Now take and cut off the overlaying sides of the triangle and follow the steps you did to make the top of your box.

Here is your box...all completely put together.

(Purple and Blue papers..I see a Mardi Gras faerie)

 

Now you can embellish your new little box however you want to. I hope this tutorial was simple and easy to follow. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask away. ^_^ Remember in the beginning I told you that I used scrap paper for my box because I was going to cover it in fabric. Well, here is my little box.

Keep in mind if you do plan on covering yours in fabric to take into consideration that the bottom will have to be a bit smaller so that it will open and close easily with the extra bulk of the fabric. Now back to work on my Valentine's faeries.

Until next time.....HUGS, Regi