Acetate Box Tutorial

Well I am home today trying to recover from a chest infection and feeling a bit better now that I have almost 3 days of anti-biotics getting to grips with it. I just wish I had the energy to actually get up and do something!

Since I can't craft I have decided to post a long overdue tutorial on my blog so somebody else can be inspired to craft instead.

I made the cutest little 4" 'bee happy' cards earlier this year. I have finally decided to part with them - I don't have this Sizzix die so I will miss these little bumble bees - how sad am I? Anyhow in order to present them as a cute 'gift set' I needed a box to put them in.

This is what I came up with. It's a perfect little box created from a single A4 sheet of acetate, quickly and easily that makes up to 4.5" - the perfect size for my project. If you make up several score them, trim them to size and store them flat in an A4 folder or pocket and you will have boxes ready to assemble whenever you need to give a gift of mini handmade cards (or anything else that fits inside them). I purchased a pack of 10 acetate sheets from a local stationery store which made buying the materials real easy.

It works just as well with cardstock but I love when you get a glimpse of what's inside! I used white cardstock for the purpose of showing you how it's made since you can see it much clearer. When you use acetate you will need to score the lines with a paper piercing tool as this gives the acetate a crisp fold and avoids ugly white lines.

Begin with the acetate horizontal in front of you. Measure and score at 1", then a further 4.5", then a further 1" and then 4.5". This should leave you with a 3/4" piece at the end. This is the piece that will get tucked inside to join the box together

Now turn the acetate so it is vertical in front of you and measure and score at 1", then a further 1", then a further 4.5", then a further 1" and you should again be left with a 3/4" piece at the end which will form the bottom end 'tuck in' flap.

This is what you should end up with. I hope you can see this image and the measurements clearly enough to work from.

Place the box horizontally in front of you and use the piercing tool to pierce a 'dot' in every section that needs to be cut away. I have indicated them on my cardstock with an 'X'.

This is essentially what you should end up with once they have all been cut away. It doesn't show on this pattern but you will need to cut down the side of the section marked 'top' just to the first score line to create 2 little side tuck in flaps and then repeat the same at the other end.

Fold on all score lines then open out acetate and smooth all score lines flat. This is to take some of the fold out so you can them re-assemble the box and get a nicer finish. If you are storing these boxes ready for use then don't fold on the score lines at this point just leave them flat and fold when you need them.

Glue the 3/4" length at one side to just inside the 1" length at the other side to form the main box body, i.e. the tab where it states 'glue here' on right of photo to just inside 1" strip on left of photo.

Pretty quickly you'll see that you tuck in the 2 smaller side flaps, fold over the top and tuck in the top flap. Then you repeat the same for the bottom using the 3/4" tuck in flap.

I stick a clear round sticker over the bottom to keep it tucked in but clear tape would work too.

I also use clear glue dots to stick the box together so the adhesive isn't so visable.

I added a decorative band around the box, tied some ribbon and added a sentiment to complete it.

I love recycling and this box can be easily opened, the contents taken out and the box filled back up again to re-use and give to someone else. Mini cards are one of my favourite kinda cards to make so this little project ticks all of my boxes!

Now I'm off to put my chest to rest with a pillow, a blanket, the couch and my favourite period drama - Pride & Predjudice - I am exhausted!