Origami Greeting Card Box Tutorial

As we are about to close out this year and move into the next, most of us are thinking of tidying up and putting away the Christmas decorations. Now, what to do with all those greeting cards we received over the holidays?

Kari and Kijsa, hosts of the amazing Ask Kari & Kijsa blog saw my recent Origami card box post and requested that I provide a tutorial. So here is a way to recycle your holiday cards.

Once you make just one box, the process will go very quickly for making more. You can use them for small gifts or treats, or maybe even as little advent boxes for next Christmas.

If you prefer a PDF version, please click on the link in the Junie Moon Tutorials in the right-hand column.

Note: your end-result box size is essentially determined by your greeting card size.

Materials

• Old (or new) greeting card—we will use a rectangular card for this tutorial
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Sharp scissors
• Tape or glue

Step 1

Cut the front of the card away from the back section.



Put the back (inside message) part of your card to the side for now. We will work with the card front first.



Step 2

Lightly draw a line from one corner on the back of the front cover of the card. I’ve made my lines dark so you can see them.





See where the lines cross in the middle? I’ve made a heavy dot in the middle so you can see it.

Step 3

Fold each long side of your card piece towards the middle point but not on it. Then unfold.



Repeat the same instructions for the short ends of your card.

Step 4

On the short ends of each side, mark and then cut up to where the line runs diagonally across and meets the fold as illustrated below.



It should look like this.



Step 5

Fold each short-end side tab up and in towards each other like this. Tape or glue in place.



Perform this step for both box ends.



Step 6

Now fold the remaining short-end tab up and over the two side tabs you just secured. Tape or glue in place.



Do the same for the other box end.



You now have the top of your box completed; set it aside and make the box bottom.

Step 7

Using the reserved card piece, repeat Step 2.

Step 8

Now repeat Steps 3 and 4 except fold the ends up to the middle point as illustrated below.



Step 9

Now repeat Steps 5 and 6 to finish your box bottom.



The Result

You now have a box top and bottom—fill it with something scrumptious.



Note: You can erase your lightly-penciled guidelines if you so desire.