DIY Card Box

This project is super easy and can create a nice accent incorporating your wedding colors. I got a few tips from one of our mock-up artists at work who is a big scrapbooker.  For this, I used the following supplies:

2 blank craft paper hat boxes purchased at Hobby Lobby (30% off day)
5 sheets of 12x12 scrapbooking paper purchased at Hobby Lobby (50% off day)
1 sheet of 12x12 scrapbooking card stock paper (left over from invites)
grosgrain ribbon (left over from bridal shower gift packaging)

x-acto knife, box cutter, cork-back ruler, bone folder, Jade glue (archivers glue), hot glue gun & hot glue, leftover paper from our invitations

I've been working so fast on these projects that I don't take the time to make pictures and I'm really sorry about that because I had been looking forward to sharing them with you all. However, I can tell you the easiest way to make these.

Start by measuring the sides of your largest blank hat box without the lid. Mine was 6" high. The diameter isn't as important right now. I cut 3 of the five sheets of paper to 12 x 7", leaving me enough paper to cover the entire rounded surface plus bleed. As you are gluing the sides with paper glue, cut 3/4" to 1" slits in the paper that is hanging over. Obviously, you don't want to cut right up to the box, just use your best judgment. This will allow you to fold and glue the excess paper over into the box neatly. Do this for both the top and bottom.

I then cut the 12x12 cardstock sheet into the best approximation of a circle I could manage. I used the small box lid to estimate and cut. No one will see the bottom, but it looks more finished this way. I used the bone folder while the glue was still wet to work out any wrinkles the paper might have developed. The box bottoms went quickly and the notching trick works wonderfully.

 

The lids are trickier because you have to cut holes in the large box lid, the small box bottom and a rectangular slit in the small box top for inserting the cards. This can make wrapping the paper a bit trickier, but with the notching technique, you should have no problem

Cut your holes out first using the box cutter. Again, estimating is fine because no one will see the inside of your box. Then wrap the lids by placing them in the center of a 12x12 sheet of scrapbooking paper, glue down, notch and glue the paper around the edges. On the small box, you will be able to glue to the inside. On the large box, there will be craft paper showing. No big deal because you will cover that with ribbon.

I glued the grosgrain ribbon on with hot glue. I then created a card that says "cards" to match our other stationery. I cut a small slit into the card, ran the ribbon through and under the box lid. I tied it under the lid and then used the hot glue to glue the two boxes together, lining up the holes.

That's it! A card box that matches our wedding theme and colors that is super cute, quick and cheap.