Gift boxes - the recycling way .

First I have to give credit to Isobel Gregory, a local artist and recycler fantastique.
Secondly apologies for the quality of my photographs.
Here goes.

First you need a card, Christmas Card for this season, but any card will do.  Or stiff paper.

Separate the front from the back.

Decide on the depth of the box you require, this may well have to take into account the picture on the front also!

Then measure that on all four sides.  Scoring where you will be folding, either with the special card making kit, see below, or just a ruler and the back of a knife, you do not want to cut through where you will be folding.

The back of the card trim a few millimetres off all the way round, then do the same measurements and scoring as you did for the front.

Cut in on all four sides to your folding line.

On both bottom and top.

Fold up and using either glue, double sided sticky tape, make up your box lid and bottom.  The bottom being some millimetres smaller than the top should fit snugly.

This is the card making scoring kit, with scorer.  But as I said you can use a ruler etc.

I didn't finish my corners being in a rush to show you the almost finished box!  You can then put tissue paper inside the box and the chosen gift.

Another one from Isobel.  Toilet roll inner, cover with fancy paper, tucked in round the edges.  Squash in the top and the bottom, tie with ribbon, one small lovely box.  I havent got that far!  But can show you the squashed loo roll inner, which I made an owl from for my grandson.

Now if it was just an owl I would not have squashed in the bottom!  But to give you an idea of the gift box, I did.  These type of gift boxes cost pounds......  Let your imagination and creative juices flow!

And finally.  The Dawn Patroller made it back through the snow.  He has been away a week.  Visiting Edinburgh, eldest daughter, partner and two grandsons, Lincoln, daughter 3, partner and granddaughter.  Sheffield, his brother, Manchester daughter 2 and partner, and Edinburgh again, daughter 4. As a lot of his nights away were on blow up beds, settees and a single bed I am happy I made the decision not to go.

Both Cait Sith (Fairy cat in garlic/Gaelic) and I  are glad he is back.  However he is in the spare room as he came back with a stinking cold.

Now, if I can remember what to do as we ran out of time on Tuesday I will attempt to show you how to make gift bags from wrapping paper.  Watch this space.
Oh, and please let me know if the instructions are followable, in which case I will try to do better.