This box is the perfect way to professionally package your handmade cards to give away as gifts. What better way to package handmade cards than with a handmade box to match? I have used this pattern many times; it is quick and easy with a little practice. The best thing about this pattern is it fits on a standard piece of cardstock measuring 8 ½" x 11". The box fits 6-8 cards of size 5 ½" x 4 ¼". It is easy to adjust the size of the box to fit more cards, but as a warning, you will have to use larger paper such as poster board which can be more difficult to handle. I have found that white glossy cardstock looks best, but you must be patient when stamping on it since the ink needs to dry completely or it will smear.
Materials:
1 piece of cardstock size 8 ½" x 11"
Stamps, ink, and any embellishments to be used to decorate the box
Paper cutter with scorer tool
Strong glue such as contact cement
Velcro or eyelets and ribbon* (used to hold the box shut)
Directions (Full Diagrams are shown below):
Stamp the cardstock with the design you have selected. Make sure to let it dry thoroughly so the ink does not smear.
Position the cardstock, so the longer edge is lined up left to right. Score the cardstock using the measurements shown in Figure 1.
Turn the cardstock 90° and score the cardstock using the measurements shown in Figure 2.
Your scored cardstock should now look like Figure 3.
Using Figure 4 as a guide, trim down the cardstock to look like Figure 5. Cut where there are solid lines and fold where there are dotted lines.
Lay cardstock flat with the unstamped side facing up for the rest of the instructions.
*Using the labels on Figure 5, fold A and B together to form a right angle labeled "AB" (Figure 5a).
Fold C and D together to form a right angle labeled "CD", (Figure 5a).
Fold AB and CD together to form another right angle. Glue AB and CD together to form Panel E (Figure 6).
Using Figure 6, fold both Panel E's in to form a right angle. Fold Panel F so it wraps around to rest on top of both Panel E's. Glue Panel F to both Panel E's. Your box should now look like Figure 7.
Panel G is the flap closure of the box. You should be able to fold Panel G so it closes up the box. The black circles on Figure 7 represent where the velcro should be mounted. Take a small piece piece of velcro and mount one half to Panel G on the inside (the non-stamped part of the panel). Mount the other half of velcro to Panel F on the outside of the box (the stamped side).
You should now be able to velcro the box shut.
Add ribbon and embellishments
*Tip! You can use eyelets and ribbon to hold the box shut instead of the velcro. Before you start glueing the box together, mount an eyelet according to Figure 5 on Panel G (the black circle marks where the eyelet should be). Make sure the finished portion of the eyelet is exposed on the stamped side of the box. Once the box has been glued together, you can then thread ribbon through the eyelet and tie a bow to keep the box closed.
