Handmade Gift Boxes

My family and I are starting a new Christmas tradition of making a boatload of cookies and then giving them out to neighbors, family, and local shelters.  I found this gift box tutorial from Homemade Gifts Made Easy and thought - Yes!  this is the perfect container for our cookies!  I'm going to try to put about four sheets of 12 X 12 cardstock together to make my boxes bigger.  Here's what you do:

Picture Instructions for Box Base

This design works best with thin card, about the same thickness as a greeting card. In fact, you can even make your own gift boxes out of last year's Christmas cards.

Sizing: If you make your box from a 12 inch square, it will turn out the same size as a tie box, about 4 by 4 by 2 inches.

Make the base from a square piece of paper, with side lengths 1/3 of an inch (1cm)smaller than the piece you use for the lid. But if you use really thick card, then use a square with side lengths 2/3 of an inch (2cm) shorter than the lid-piece.

Step 1: Start with a square piece of paper, nice side facing down. Make a small crease in the centre of each side. I like to mark each crease lightly with a pencil too.

Step 2: Fold all four corners to the centre, using the creases from the previous step as guides.

Step 3: Fold and unfold each side to the centre.

Step 4: Unfold everything. You will have the pattern of creases shown here. Cut along the bolded lines.

Step 5: Fold top and bottom corners to the centre.

Step 6: Fold flaps up along the dotted lines so that they point straight up toward you.

Step 7: Fold top and bottom edges so that they point up toward you.

Step 8: It should look like this. Now fold the flaps on the left and right into the centre.

Step 9: Finished! 

Picture Instructions for Box Lid

Remember to use a larger piece of paper for the lid. About 1/3 of a inch larger if you're using thin card, or 2/3 of an inch larger if you're using thick card.

Step 1: Follow steps 1 to 3 of thebase instructions. Then unfold until your paper looks like this. Finally, fold the top and bottom edges to the centre, as shown by the dotted lines here.

Step 2: Fold and unfold along the dotted lines shown here.

Step 3: Completely unfold the paper. You will have a pattern of creases like this. Cut along the bolded lines. 

Step 4: Fold the top and bottom corners to the centre.

Step 5: Fold along the dotted lines shown here

Step 6: The rest of the folding is the same as step 6 and onward of the base instructions. Fold the flaps up to face you, etc...

Step 7: Finished! Here's a picture of the lid and base together.