Holiday Card Boxes

Ever have so many holiday cards but not quite sure what to do with all of them, don't want to throw them away for sentimental reasons, but don't want to leave them in storage for a whole year?

Re-purpose them & make them into a box! Boxes are great for giving gifts or using as ornaments on your tree.

Things you will need:
1 Christmas Card
Ruler
Pencil
Scissors

Open the card and divide in half along the fold. Using the ruler, measure the front of the card's shortest side; eg on my card: 5 3/8 in. Now mark the longest side of the card 5 3/8 inches, keeping in mind the image on the front of the card is the one that will be displayed on the front of the box.

Cut along your mark so that you are left with a squared piece to work with.

Flip over the card and mark the center by lining up the ruler up on opposite corners.

Fold in corners to the center mark.

Unfold two of the opposite corners.

Using the edges of the sides still folded in, fold the edge to the center.

Repeat for other opposite side.

Unfold all the way.

Using the two opposite corners you previously unfolded, fold corners into the center. Repeat folding the edges into the center.

Unfold card all the way.  You have created fold lines that will make it easier to mark and cut out.

Using a pencil, mark the lines in the crease as so.

It is important that you mark/cut the lines exactly like the ones in the picture. You are creating flaps for the edges to fold over & hold it all together.

On the corner exactly opposite, create the same lines. Cut along the lines.

If the bottom lines do not mirror/match with the top lines, the card will not fold properly into a box.

Once you cut them, you are left with flaps that are parallel.

Fold in the corners with the flaps attached

Fold up edges with flaps attach so the flaps are square. You begin to see a box take shape.

Fold in the remaining corners over the flaps.

I couldn't quite take a picture as I was folding (missing a third hand) so...

I've taken pictures of before & after.

The corners on the inside form a lock so it is not necessary to secure it with tape or glue.

My top box measured to be 2" squared.

The directions for the bottom box are the same except you want to cut the bottom square to be 1/8th inch smaller than the top box.

eg. My bottom card will measure 5 1/4" x 5 1/4"

For those who wish to be creative and print images out on card stock paper, that works just as well!

Before you print the image (say from msWord), rotate the image on screen 45 degrees, then print.