Don't throw out those old greeting cards! Here is a craft idea for recycling the many lovely, funny, or imaginative holiday, birthday, and other greeting cards that friends, family, and businesses send to one another. These mini-boxes are so easy to construct that even young children can make them with a bit of assistance.
Choosing Appropriate Greeting Cards for the Mini-Box Project
This craft project is perfect for recycling new or used greeting cards. Christmas cards make especially lovely boxes; but any holiday will do. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Easter cards will make fun boxes. Birthday cards, get well cards, and thank you cards all have the potential to transform into unique and attractive mini-boxes.
Greeting cards with centered images work best. Cards that are 4 inches by 6 inches or larger will be easiest to work with. Smaller cards can be used, but the boxes will be proportionately smaller.
Materials Needed to Make a Greeting Card Gift Box
- One greeting card for each box.
- Scissors
- Straight edge or ruler
- Pencil, pen, or marker
- Tape
Steps to Make A Greeting Card Gift Box
- Cut the card into two equal-size pieces, along the fold (see illustrations below).
- On the back of the card's cover, use a ruler or straight-edge to draw a large X from corner to corner. The center of the X should be at the center of the page. Draw a corner-to-corner X on the message half of the card, too.
- Starting with the card’s cover, bend each of the four sides up to the point where the edge meets the center of the X. Crease the folds, then lay the card cover flat. Do the same with the message half of the card.
- Holding the card’s cover vertically, use scissors to make a cut starting from the bottom of the left fold line and stopping where the fold line touches the arm of the X. Do the same for the right fold line. Flip the card around and make the same cuts on the opposing fold lines.
- Fold the cut ends of the card’s cover, tucking the short flaps inside the larger flap. Fold the excess top of the larger flap down over the shorter flaps. Use a piece of tape to secure the flaps. This will be the cover of the box.
- Cut and fold the ends of the other half of the card; secure with tape. This will be the bottom of the box.
Uses For Greeting Card Gift Boxes
This is where the craft-maker’s imagination will come into play. These mini-boxes can hold jewelry, candy, small gift trinkets, or… anything!. One first grade teacher gives them to her students to use as banks, to hold the plastic money they receive as a class allowance for their economics unit.
Mini-gift boxes using recycled greeting cards are quick and easy to make and practical to use. Adults and children alike can participate in this craft project. And it doesn't have to cost a thing!
For more family craft ideas, read "How to Make Thanksgiving Keepsake Placemats."
Margaret M. Williams - Margaret M. Williams (Peggy) has been a teacher for over 25 years. She currently teaches first grade in a classroom that combines native ...
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