Last week I saw a beautiful tablescape with a mass of white gift boxes decorated with red ribbons and bows. It is stunning! As soon as I saw it, plans for duplicating the idea began to take shape. First, I brainstormed where to find white boxes. Then, it dawned on me. I know how to make boxes.
Remember the exploding boxes I made for the grandkids? The We R Memory Explosion Board jig makes it very easy to quickly make boxes. They don’t have to be glued together. Boxes in a variety of sizes will make the tablescape even more interesting.
At first, the idea was to buy some white poster boards from the dollar store. Then, I remembered the Christmas cardstock paper pads we have. The backside of these is usually white. I could use the white backside on the outside. Sudden epiphany! Why not use the decorative sides and mix and match?
How To Make Your Boxes
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Supplies Needed
- * 12 x 12 Decorative Cardstock Paper Pad
- We R Memory Keepers Explosion Board
- Paper Cutter
- Tacky Glue or Double-sided tape
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Sharp scissors
- Wired Ribbon
Cutting the Paper for Your Boxes:
For these boxes, I used four different Christmas cardstock paper pads. First, choose which cardstock you want to use for the lid and which for the box. For the boxes and lids, you can mix the papers or match them.
Decide what size box you want to make. Using the We R Memory Keepers explosion board, the largest you can make is a 4 – inch square with 12″ x 12″ cardstock.
First, use the Explosion Board chart to determine the size to cut each of your papers. The explosion board jig gives you the capability of making 7 different sizes, you can choose to make whatever sizes you like.
Directions for Boxes
Use the paper cutter to cut each to size.
Scoring The Papers
Then, place one of the cut paper squares in the corner of the Explosion Board. Start by scoring the vertical line at the box size indicator. Then, score the diagonal line just to the vertical line! It’s just that easy!
It’s not necessary to use the heart stencils in the corner or cut out the excess. Just fold the boxes. When you place the finished lids on the boxes, they will hold the box in place. Thus, you can make these very quickly.
The Box Lids
Using the Lid Chart included, select the lid size you’ll need for each box and then, cut the decorative paper to the coordinating paper size.
Crease and fold the lines for the lids.
Place the paper in the corner again and score the vertical line at the “Lid Indicator”. Then, score the diagonal line just to the vertical line.
Next, rotate the paper counterclockwise and repeat this step for each of the remaining sides.
Then, fold on the scored lines. Use the scoring tool to press and rub the folds so you have sharp corners.
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Fold the score lines. Then, glue the tabs. First, glue the flaps together on the inside of the diagonal. Next, dot some glue on one side of the flap. Use a toothpick to spread the glue. Note that I glue the flaps on two opposite sides of the lid. Wooden clothespins or little plastic clips come in handy for holding the flaps while the glue dries. The plastic clips have little teeth that will leave an indent in the box unless you fold a strip of cardstock, lay it along the outer edge, and clip over it. Problem solved.
Tacky Glue securely glues the corners together. You can use double-sided tape if you like, but I prefer the trusty Tacky Glue. I think it makes a sturdier lid.
Adding Ribbons and Bows to the Boxes
The wired ribbon makes the bows stand up nicely. You can choose a thinner ribbon if you like, but this 1-1/2 – inches wide ribbon works very nicely for any of these box sizes.
For step-by-step how to make a ribbon bow like these.
The Christmas Tablescape
This tablescape begins with a white tablecloth. It makes a nice background for the colorful boxes. A few Christmas picks can be tucked in around the boxes. A little box sits atop a mercury glass candleholder. (I have another one in a bin downstairs. I’m going to have to find it. Geez! Look beyond that.)
A few boxes sit on a crystal cake stand.
Silver chargers, red dinner plates, white salad plates, red napkins, and beaded napkin holders are stacked at each table setting.
DIY gift boxes for a tablescape are a great idea for using some of that cardstock sitting in your craft stash, aren’t they?
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MiloTree
What a great post Debra! Your table is glorious, and I love how you made the boxes. I’ve never heard of a jig like that – it looks super useful! Thanks for the excellent tutorial, and hope you’re having a lovely holiday!
Oh, Thank you, Barbara! These We R Memory jigs do come in handy. Thanks for visiting. Hope you’ve had a great holiday, too!