It's hard to find a gift box and matching greetings card, so I designed this easy gift box to complement a card I wanted to give to a friend.

You don't need many tools and only one or two sheets of cardstock for each colour for a finished box size as shown in this tutorial.

It is resizable - you can adjust the dimensions to fit the gift. Add embellishments or personalise to your heart's content!

Please read the instructions in full as there are more ideas at the end for blinging up your gift box during/after assembly.

Supplies

I used gold linen cardstock for the sleeve, and double-sided red cardstock for the base and lid.

Step 1: Tools and Materials

You will need:-

Tools

Scoring tools or metal ruler and a ballpoint pen that has run out of ink
Scissors
Ruler

Materials

29.7cm x 8cm cardstock of colour A for sleeve, 2 pieces. Maximum 240gsm
21cm x 21cm cardstock of colour B for lid and base, 2 sheets. Maximum 240gsm
Double-sided tape or strong glue.

Step 2: Dimensions

The diagrams show the dimensions for the sleeve and the base/lid.

The finished box will measure 14cm by 14cm by 4.5cm deep.

Step 3: Cutting and Scoring

TIPS: Measure accurately for a perfect fit. A flat surface is important. If using a ballpoint pen make sure there is no ink to stain the card and ‘draw’ lines down using the ruler. Lay cardstock on a folded newspaper if not using a scoring board. Press quite hard for easy folding. Spread only a thin layer of glue to prevent warping.

For the sleeve

Make two of the sleeve part from cardstock colour A. Score each at 13.6cm and 27.2cm across from left edge, and 4cm down from top edge. Cut as shown in the diagram on the previous step.

Lay them display side up. Carefully, align and attach one part over the right-hand tab of the other so you have one long piece with the second tab on the right. Turn over and fold the bottom tabs and attach them to the inside of the top half. Join the ends at the second tab to form a square.

For the base and lid

Make both base and lid with the same colour card and dimensions. Score at 0.5cm, 2cm, 3.5cm, 17.5cm, 19cm, and 20.5cm. Rotate 90 degrees and repeat the score lines. Cut as shown in the diagram.

With the display side up fold the first 0.5cm upwards (valley-fold). Fold the other lines away from you (mountain-fold).

Sharpen the creases with a metal ruler or scoring tool for a professional finish. Take care not to damage the cardstock.

Once all folds have been made on cardstock B, tape/glue each tab securely to the inside of the adjacent side so that the sides are upright.

Step 4: Assembly

Tape/glue the sides of the lid and fold down. Repeat for the base. The edges should lie on the bottom surface. Insert the sleeve into the lid part so that the folded edge of the sleeve is still visible as this looks more professional. The sleeve should fit the lid snugly without buckling.

(If it does not fit then check your measurements. You may need to remake a piece to fit. Don't throw away anything, you can always use the discarded part to make another box by adjusting the dimensions of the other parts to it.)

Tape/glue the edge of the sleeve to the inner sides of the lid only.

Step 5: Finishing Touches

TIPS: Why not line the base and lid with a decorative material such as satin or tissue paper? This will not only impress the recipient but will cover up the inside of the box.

And how about adding a velvet/organza/satin ribbon or bow; or personalising the box? If you decorate the box then it may need to be done before assembly.