Christmas Packaging Idea and Tutorial

Happy Friday everyone!  Yesterday, I was playing with a design I developed last year and decided I would use this project to try my first photo blog tutorial!

This box was designed for a packaging class I held last November.  I specifically made the measurements of the box hold a hand sanitizing bottle from a certain lovely soap and lotion store.  I gave them out as Christmas gifts last year to the girls’ teachers and such.  The packaging gives this inexpensive product a WOW factor that recipients really appreciate.  I know my girls’ teachers really loved them last year – I think teachers must go through a lot of hand sanitizer!!!  I have updated the colors and Designer Series Paper to reflect this year’s products so I can give as gifts again this year!  (to different people of course!)

So here it goes – my first ever blog project tutorial!!! Good luck (to you and me!!)

STEP 1

Real Red cardstock measures 4 1/4″ x 11″.  Score at 1/2″, 2 1/2″, 5″ and 7″ on the 11″ side.  Turn the piece 90 degrees and score at 1 1/4″ on one long side.  Flip it over and score at 1 1/4″ on other long side. Cut on score lines up to the side score lines as shown in photo above. Remove the 1/2″ pieces from both top and bottom.  Fold all score lines.

STEP 2

Punch a 1 3/8″ circle from 1st panel – as shown above.  Now, here you can choose the width of your circle depending on what you would like to put in your holder.  For instance, use a 1″ circle punch to insert a M&M holder or test tube (I haven’t been lucky enough to find those in Canada yet).  Use your imagination!!

Place Sticky Strip on the edges of two side panels as shown above.

STEP 3

Assemble the box front and sides by bringing up the left side to meet with the Sticky Strip sides.

Measure in 1 1/2″ on both score lines from the top and remove them as shown above.

STEP 4

This photo is the same as the last one, but here it’s shown where to put more Sticky Strip.    Continue to fold up the box from the left and your almost there!!

STEP 5

Now it looks like this.  Cut a  piece of Real Red cardstock to 2″ x 6 1/4″  – this becomes the back of the holder. Attach this piece to the existing back – this creates a taller back piece and it’s more sturdy.

Cut a piece of dsp to 1 3/4″ x 3 5/8″ and attach it to the front of the new taller back.

STEP 6

Finish your holder by adding the front and side panels.  Cut three pieces of Chocolate Chip cardstock at 2 3/8″ x 1 7/8″ and three pieces of dsp at 2 1/4″ x 1 3/4″.  Adhere them together and attach to front and sides of holder.  Finish embellishing as you wish!

Supplies used:

Stamps – Christmas Punch hostess set

Paper – Real Red, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla cardstock, Merry Moments dsp

Inks – Real Red, Chocolate Chip

Accessories – Sleigh Bells ribbon, Trio Flower punch, Old Olive brad, Red Rhinestone brad, Sizzlits Snowflakes #2 set and Big Shot

I hope you enjoy making one or twenty of these great little gifts – I’d love to hear from you!  If you’ve read this through and are still with me, you may be interested to know that creating this tutorial has taken me 3 1/2 hours.  Kudos to all those papercrafters out there who create tutorials for us to use – I’m suddenly much more grateful for your service than I was 3 hours ago…

Have a wonderful long weekend and to my fellow Canadians – Happy Thanksgiving!!

TTFN,

Natasha