How to Make a Stuffed Buche de Noel (Part 1)  

Back to List

Share Your Pillow Projects

How to Make a Fold-Out Flower Box

Deana Tierney, editor

21 users recommend

The box becomes the gift when you decorate the accordion fold-out with meaningful items such as photos and quotes.

Gale Zucker

Use a bone folder to get a crisp, neat fold when making your accordion box insert.

Sloan Howard

Use an embossing tool to press vein lines into your paper leaves.

Sloan Howard

The box becomes the gift when you decorate the accordion fold-out with meaningful items such as photos and quotes.

Photo: Gale Zucker

Add Comment
Email to a Friend
Print
Share

Stumble It!
Facebook
DIGG
Google

In this design from Debra Corson, a simple paper gift box becomes the actual gift. The method is easy and can be personalized into a meaningful token of your appreciation. Start by making the basic gift box from CraftStylish Gifts to Make, Vol. 2. Then, make an accordion fold-out, decorate the pages with personal items like photos or meaningful quotes, and then attach the pages to the basic box. Flowers are a great way to accent the accordion pages in your gift, but you can also use them as a lid decoration for any box you make.

What you’ll need:

• Ruler
• Bone folder (paper-source.com)
• Canson papers (Canson-Us.com)
• Colored pencils
• Craft or X-Acto knife
• Cutting surface
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Scrapbook paper
• White glue
• Embossing tool (optional)
  

1. Start by creating a gift box. Decorate the lid in any way you choose. Then, cut a strip of paper that is 3-7/8 inches wide by 25 inches long. To make the accordion-style pages, fold this strip in half widthwise and then work from the middle outward in both directions, alternately folding back and forth every 3-7/8 inches. You should have 12 pages (counting front and back) that are 3-7/8 inches square plus a tab at each end that is 1 inch wide. This will be used later to glue into the top and bottom of the box.

Use a bone folder to get a crisp, neat fold when making your accordion box insert. Fold your paper into 3-7/8-inch squares, working from the center out and leaving 1-inch tabs at each end.

2. Next, make the flowers. Download the pattern to make them. Using Canson paper, trace and cut two flowers using pattern “A” in one color and two flowers using pattern “B” in another color. Use the embossing tool to mark folds where indicated on the patterns by pressing on the paper. Fold each line and crease. Use the point of a colored pencil to draw the flower center. To create the pop-up flower shown, take both “A” flowers and fold in half again, creasing the fold so that the lower forms a right angle. Join them so that half of each is back to back, and glue them together. Refold each “B” flower and glue inside each “A” flower. Follow the directions to add flowers to the accordion pages or glue the flowers in the center of a box lid.

Use an embossing tool to press vein lines into your paper leaves.

3. To make the leaves, cut out 10 to 12 leaves using the pattern or just draw your own. Write short quotes or good wishes on each leaf or print them on colored paper before cutting out your leaves if you’d rather not handwrite them. Then, use the embossing tool to make the center vein and a few going off each side by pressing down to imprint the paper. Use the sides of a colored pencil to add color and make the veins appear.

To make the vein lines on your paper leaves really pop, rub over them with a colored pencil.

These pop-out flowers make great decorations for the inside of your accordion pages but also can be used to make pop-out greeting cards.

4. Glue the flowers into each page fold. Make sure you dab the glue toward the center so that leaves can be inserted easily. Glue a single-folded flower in first, with a trifolded flower on top. Check to be sure that the flowers pop up as the accordion page is unfolded. Once all of the flowers are glued, insert the leaves just behind them with a drop of glue.

Glue the pop-out flowers into each fold of your accordion paper.

5. To attach the accordion to the bottom of the box, unfold one side of the base. Bend the tab on the accordion back in the other direction. Insert the tab under the box side, push the box side back in place, and make sure the pages fold up neatly. Then reopen the accordion and glue it in place. Repeat with the lid, making sure that the pages fold into the box cover before gluing.

Insert the accordion paper into the box bottom by tucking the 1-inch tab under one of the box sides and glue in place.

Get the pattern for the basic gift box in CraftStylish Gifts to Make Vol. 2. Available on newsstands October 7th or order online in our store!

Gifts to Make, Vol. 2
by Editors of CraftStylish Classy, handmade holiday gifts that are easy to sew, knit, crochet, or craft. $6.99 more info...

Stumble It! Facebook DIGG Google

Add Comment Email Print

Comments (3)

LittleGreenFrog writes: Wow! I'm loving it, I might try it:)) Posted: 7:23 pm on December 2nd

crafteevivi writes: That is gorgeous and really versatile. I am thinking of fall and winter themed ideas. This is just beautiful! Posted: 10:39 pm on November 7th

AromaFields writes: This fold out flower box is so lovely. What a clever project! Posted: 12:20 pm on October 11th

You must be logged in to post comments. Click here to login.