Category: General Crafts

Now that you’ve learned to make a gift bag out of a calendar picture (the post from March 3), you are ready to make a paper gift box!

Start with a square of paper. You can use card stock, heavy construction paper, origami paper or a calendar picture. I had several packs of card stock that I bought several years ago. Recently, I picked up a few 6″ and 7″ square packs of origami paper. The heavier card stock works well for larger boxes. Origami paper and calendar pictures work better the smaller you go.

Step 1: Choose 2 pieces of paper and the size box you want to make. One sheet of paper will make the top of the box. The other will make the bottom of the box and fit inside the top.

Step 2: Cut the top paper into a square. Cut the bottom paper 1/8″ smaller than the top. (If your top paper is 8 1/2″ square, the bottom paper should be 8 3/8″ square.)

Step 3: To make the top of the box, on the back of the square draw lines with a pencil and ruler from corner, forming an “X”.

Step 4: Fold one corner to the center point of the X and crease.

Step 5: Fold the edge of your previous fold so it meets the center pencil line and crease.

Step 6: Unfold your folds. You are left with a set of horizontal creases.

Step 7: Repeat Steps 4-6 for the remaining three corners. When completed you will have a series of creases that form a grid.

Step 8: You will make four cuts with scissors. Pick two opposing corners. Create a tab that is two blocks and two blocks high (not including the “point”) by making one cut on either side of your center line. Repeat the same cuts on the opposing corner.

Step 9: Fold the opposing corners that have not been cut to the center point of your “X”.

Step 10: Fold them in half again, creating the first two “sides” of your box.

Step 11: Fold the ends of the sides inward, forming the base of the remaining two sides.

Step 12: Fold the tabs created in Step 8 over the side bases created in Step 11. The point of the Step 8 tabs will meet at the center of the “X”. Place a small piece of clear tape to secure the points.

You have now completed your box lid!

To make the bottom of the box, just repeat all the above steps, except your beginning square should measure 8 3/8″ square (or 1/8″ smaller than the top).

Now, the hard part…what to do with all the boxes you make?

The largest box below is made with heavy card stock. It is large enough, and sturdy enough, to hold a special gift for someone.

The smallest one, made with an origami paper cut to a 4″ square, is quite delicate and will squash easily. I think I will put a string on it and hang it on my Christmas tree!

As always, have fun! Leave a comment or send me an email at marykisner@comcast.net.

Sometimes I need a small gift bag in a hurry…I’m visiting a friend and want to take a few magnets, a single lip salve or a bar of soap. I have stopped trying to keep a stash of small gift bags from the store on hand. Even with a huge pile on hand, I could never find just the right color/pattern/picture appropriate for that person. Now I reach for my folder of pretty calendar pages and make one that’s just right!

For several years I have received over a dozen new calendars every December. I saved them because I just couldn’t throw all those pretty pictures away. Last year I finally took the pile and (carefully) ripped out all the pictures I really liked and disposed of the rest of the calendar. That reduced the pile to a folder of pictures about 1″ deep.

I needed a small bag yesterday, and since I’m looking forward to Spring, I chose a page of beautiful flowers.

The larger bag above is made with an 8 1/2″ by 10 1/2″ calendar page. The smaller bag above is made with a 7″ by 7″ calendar page.

You will need: scissors, a ruler, clear tape, a hole punch and a piece of ribbon (about 20″ long).

Below is a diagram of how the bag is made. The first three steps show the first fold on the left side, but I fold mine to the center. Your choice!

Here is the calendar page I chose today:

First, I turned the page over and trimmed the torn edge.

Next, I folded the top edge (where there is usually a hole to hang the calendar) and added a small piece of tape in the center to keep it folded.

Now, fold both sides to the center, with a little overlap, and place a small piece of tape at the top. Fold it to the inside of the bag.

Then add tape the rest of the way down the seam and fold extra to the inside.

Now fold the bottom corners to the center and crease.

Open up the corners and tuck the folds inside each corner. Open the bottom vertically.

Fold each point to the center (with a little overlap) and tape.

Next punch two holes for the ribbon tie.

Add a piece of ribbon to close the bag.

This size bag was just perfect for one bar of my Aloe Vera soap!

If I’m in the mood to make more than one bag, I store them flat in the filing cabinet without ribbon.

So, save all those extra calendars and make small gift bags yourself! Enjoy!