Small Gift Box Tutorial Using Gift Box Punch Board

It seems everyone really liked the small gift box I posted in the Wacky Watercooler July Blog Hop post this past weekend, so as promised here are the instructions on how I made it. 

I can't take all the credit for this tutorial however, as my friend Sandy showed me how to make my first box with the Gift Bag Punch board.  Her example was based on a video by a UK demo named  Linda Parker.  Linda's version is made with 12" x 12" card stock and she shows some really cute samples on her video to give you an idea of how versatile this punch can be. 

What You Need to Make It:

• 8 1/2 x 11 Card Stock for box base
• Coordinating DSP
• Simply Scored Score Board
• Gift Bag Punch Board
• Trimmer
• Bow Builder Punch 
• Adhesive - Sticky Strip or Tom Bow Glue and Glue Dots

Assembly:
1.  Cut the card base to measure 6 3/8 x 10 7/8".

2.  Use your Simply Scored score board to score at:

• on the short side score at 1 3/8" and at 5", turn
• on the long side score at 1 3/8", 3 1/4", 6 1/8" and 8"
  

3. Using the Gift Bag Punch Board:

If you haven't used the Gift Bag Punch Board yet, here is Stampin' Ups! introductory video which demonstrates how to use the punch and the various elements of it. It will help you understand how this wonderful tool works.

 

In this view you can see that I have punched out on the score lines and at the edges of the card stock on both sides.

• On the long side of card stock line up the 1 3/8" score line with the starting line on the gift bag punch board and punch.  Move the card stock to the next score line (3 1/4") and punch, move to the next score line (6 1/8") and punch, and then move to the last score line (8") and punch. 

• Line up the very right edge of the card stock on the start line and punch. 
• Flip the card stock and repeat the process in the previous step.  

4.  Use your bone folder to burnish all the score lines.

5.  Put glue strips on the tabs or use Tom Bow glue as indicated in this photo and then assemble box. Make sure that the sides are even and square before you press down on the sticky strip to secure it.  This last step is essential for getting your box to sit squarely. 

 6.  Once the box is assembled you'll want to decorate it.  I've listed the card stock and DSP sizes below for layering mats and dsp.  You could eliminate either of these steps dependent on the look you are going for. 

Decorating the Front, Back and Sides of the Box:  

I like to decorate my boxes with card stock mats layered with a coordinating designer series paper. The photos below show where the mats would be added to the box. 

 

Cut Card Stock Panel mats as follows:

• 1" x 3 1/4" cut one for front lid panel
• 1 1/2" x 3 1/4" cut one for top lid panel
• 2 1/2" x 3 1/4" cut two for front and back panels
• 1 3/8" x 2 5/8" cut two for bottom side panel 
• 1 1/8" x 1 3/8" cut two for side top lid 

Cut DSP panel mats as follows:

• 7/8 x 3 1/8" cut one for front lid panel
• 1 3/8" x 3 1/8" cut one for top lid panel
• 2 1/4" x 3 " cut two for front and back panels 
• 1 2/8 x 2 1/2" cut two for bottom side panel
• 1" x 1 1/4" cut two for side top lid

Use Tom Bow adhesive to glue the mats together then glue to the box. 

For Banner on Lid:

The Banner Triple Punch gives you triple the banner options in one punch. You can make banners in three widths--1", 1-1/2", and 2"--in any length. Just slide the paper in, punch, and get perfectly notched banners (or gift tags, bookmarks, belly bands) every time.  Here I've used it to make the banner on the lid of the box:

1.  To make the banner: 

• Cut a 2" x 4 1/4" piece of card stock and punch out banner shape
• Cut a 1 1/2" x 4" piece of coordinating dsp and punch out banner shape
• If you want a third banner cut a 1" x 3 3/4" piece of card stock and punch out same as above.

2.  Adhere the 2 or 3 banners together with sticky strip.  Line up the back edge of the banners with the back edge of the box lid and gently press the front edge of the banner over the front end of the lid.  Turn the banner over and using the Simply Scored score board make a crease where you see the fold line. On my box the crease line was approximately 2".  

Here you can see the three banners that were stacked and adhered to the top of the lid with sticky strip.  The part that extends over the top to the front of the box lid was glued down with a small piece of sticky strip to hold it in place. 

This is what the box lid looks like from the inside once the banner has been added.

 3.  If you want to secure the box lid to the box base you can add a Velcro sticky back fastener.  This is optional.  See photo for placement.

Here's My Finished Gift Box:
I didn't particularly care for the plain card stock banner on the top of the box and so I added some cherries to it, to match the smaller ones in the Cherry on Top Designer Series paper used for the panels.  The large cherries were from a stamp image in the Button Buddies (retired) stamp set.  I fussy cut them out and glued them on with Tom Bow glue.  

I added a small  Watermelon Wonder bow that was punched out with the Bow Builder punch.  It's assembled with glue dots and was adhered to the front of the lid banner.

More Samples:

Here are some additional samples of gift boxes and bags that I've made over the past few weeks, with the help of my friend.  A big hats off to Sandy Stoyanowski who first showed me how to use the Gift Bag Punch and then loaned it to me for my Open House and subsequent classes, while mine has been on back order. Can't thank you enough Sandy! 

This little cutie is made with the same dimensions but I didn't layer the card stock and DSP panels, I only adhered DSP. This box base is Island Indigo card stock and the beautiful paper is from the Bohemian DSP collection.

The card base for this box is Crisp Cantaloupe (retired In Colour 2015).  The panels are made with Strawberry Slush card stock and All Abloom Designer Series Paper (retired).  The bow was cut out of Pistachio Pudding DSP from the All Abloom Collection.

Well that's it for today.  I'll have some other gift bags and boxes to show you once I have my very own Gift Bag Punch Board and can play with it at my leisure.  I think this is one of the best tools that I've used in a while not only because it was so useful, but because it was a lot of fun.  

Before I go I'd just like to add that I think it's important if you're going to make bags and boxes that you keep templates that you can use for reference.  I have several now and it makes life so  easier when you don't have to re-create the wheel every time or look for videos and tutorials on line. Here's the template I made for this box and it has all the measurements all in one glance.

If you enjoyed this tutorial or had difficulty with it please let me know, I'd love to hear about your experiences with the Gift Bag Punch Board and this little gift box.  Any tips you can share are also appreciated.

Happy Stamping!
Penny Tokens