I’m attending a crop weekend in about 3 weeks and my sister is flying over from the UK to attend it with me. We’re signed up for the Secret Pal swap which means showering someone with gifts over the weekend. We decided that packaging was important and I was assigned to create boxes. One box is certain to be using the curvy keepsake dies (when I get them) but I thought I’d explore other options.

As I was thinking about making boxes, I saw the Fab Friday challenge this week and decided to make a Halloween themed box.

I found a template for making a pyramid box but after looking at the template realised that all I have to do is make a square and then extend one side 3 times. So if the base of the box is a 3×3 square, cut a 9×3 piece of card. Then score every 3 inches and score from the 3 inch score line on each side to the middle of the edge (i.e. at 1.5 inches) and make two identical pieces.

This works fine if you have a  12 by 12 piece of cardstock, but using an 8.5 by 11,  the easiest way to do it is to cut a 1/4 inch strip from the long side so that you end up with 8.25″ by 11. Then cut 2.75″ off the long side leaving you with a 8.25″ by 8.25″ piece of card and your smaller piece is now 2.75 by 8.25 (which is what you need for half a box). Cut another 2.75″ wide piece off your square piece of card and you have what you need for your box. Incidentally, if you cut the remaining piece in half, you have what you need for a second box. Score every 2.75″. Make a little score line at 1 3/8 to give you the centre of the short edge. Now score from that to the closest score line running across the card stock creating triangles.

I don’t have Stampin’ Up!’s Simply scored scoring tool (yet) so I used my trimmer to score everything except the triangles. I found that the envelope punch board works well for the triangles.The triangles that you’ve produced will make the pyramid but there’s too much excess to pull the box together. I cut off a curved piece to make things easier to fix together. Decorate the box if you like and then stick the two pieces together. I then took a  1/8″ punch and made a hole at the top of each point on the box.

Use your bone folder to burnish each fold line and then use about 18 inches of ribbon to pull the box together, folding the curves that you cut inside, and tie a bow. I added a tag before doing the bow – this is from the Good Greetings hostess set stamped in memento black ink on tangelo twist and cut out with the smallest oval framelit. I used the next framelit to cut out a piece of basic black and adhered the tangelo twist piece to it. I was surprised that the 3/8″ ribbon worked with the 1/8″ hole, but you can see that it was fine. This is of course the Tangelo Twist 3/8″ Satin Stitched ribbon which is totally luxurious.

I enjoyed making these so much that I made a few more. I can see that Christmas this year is going to be totally different – all about the packaging!

If you have any questions, just drop me an email and I’ll be happy to help.