In anticipation of New Year beautiful gift packages are especially popular. I will show you how to make a gift box that is not only elegant, but also functional. I will demonstrate calculating and plotting of the box, as well as ideas for packaging.

For making gift boxes we will need:

• cardboard;
• glue;
• a stationery cutter or scissors;
• a ruler;
• a knitting needle.

For additional decorations:

• satin ribbon;
• decorative tags or a logo;
• rivets and burrs;
• grommets;
• a hardware setter;
• a piece of leather for a flower.

To start, determine the size of the box, measure the length, the width and the height of the gift that will be packed.

In my case it's 19х7х2.5 cm The box will have a lid and a bottom. This means that you need a piece of cardboard with a size of 29 cm by 17 cm for the bottom, and a piece of cardboard with a size of 27.3 cm by 15.3 cm for the lid. The size of the lid should be increased by 3 mm (in length and width) and the height must be reduced by 0.5 cm for the ease of opening. But first things first.

Make a layout with a pencil (the diagram above, the points marked in red) on a piece of cardboard. I chose bright Christmas colors — red and gold. I usually use a slightly different cardboard which is of the same color on both sides, it is easier to work with it. You don't have to draw lines across the whole length, it is only necessary to make marks if the cardboard has a front and a reverse side, all marks and creasings are made from the reverse side. Make the following marks from the edge of the sheet: 2.5 cm+2.5 cm+7cm+2.5 cm+2.5 cm (the bottom width). Make the same marks on the opposite side. The length of the bottom has the following marks: 2.5 cm+2.5 cm+19 cm+2.5 cm+2.5 cm.

After the markup is made, connect the lines with a ruler and a knitting needle (I use it for creasing the grooves for folding). You can immediately fold the sides of the future box using a ruler.

Repeat the same process for the lid, but change the dimensions: 2 cm+2 cm+7.3 cm+2 cm+2 cm (the width) and 2 cm+2 cm+19.3 cm+2 cm+2 cm (the length). We get such a workpiece.

Now we need to make cuts along the lines marked in red.

Cut the corners along the dotted lines. All the sides must look like in the left photo. It is easier to do that in several steps, starting with sections in the order shown in the photo below.

Another important thing! For convenience, it is better to reduce the sides for folding by 1 mm. Of course, you can measure correctly in the beginning, but I find it easier to slightly undercut the edges. It is easier to start glueing from these sides. Apply superglue, press, do not wait for drying, carefully smoothen and press with a ruler.

Next, apply glue on the "tabs" and glue them on.

And then glue the "tabs".

The bottom is ready, make the lid in the same way.

The box is ready. You can stop now or continue to decorate it. Cut a ribbon and glue it on the lid with a little overlap on the inside.

All further decorations are largely due to the fact that they expand the functionality of the package: they will hold the contents during transportation and make the lid and the bottom harder.

For this we need a piece of ribbon and two pieces of cardboard with a size of 1 mm less than the lid and the bottom from all sides (in my case it is 6.9 cm by 18.9 cm). I want to place a logo inside, you can instead print out a sheet with contact information, a beautiful picture, a greeting, or information on care.

Glue the logo on the cardboard for the lid. If you have hardware and a setter for it, continue to decorate. I punch holes in the corners for rivets and burrs.

Put in the cardboard for the bottom (do not glue it), place the gift and mark with a pencil the points for holes in which we will put the ribbon. First, the bow looks very nice, and second, it securely holds the contents during transportation.

Punch or cut holes at the marked points. If possible, install hardware — eyelets and rivets and burrs. My favorite press helps me, all I have to do is to change a cap.

This is how it looks from the back.

Now all we have to do is to glue the liners on the lid and the bottom.

I decorate the intersection of the ribbons with a simple flower made of scraps of leather. It is very simple to make it. First we cut out big and small flowers in a form of camomile. Scorch the edges with a lighter and they will become convex. Glue them together and get a volume camomile.

Color combinations may be different, most often I use a matte solid cardboard with a weight of 250-300 g/m2.

You can also make a pocket in the inner part of the lid.

And use fabric and various combination of ribbons and bows as an additional decoration.

For fragile items, you can glue a lodgement or just put a stamp with a logo on the inner part of the lid.

During transportation the contents of the boxes will not move and crinkle, the double construction of the bottom and the lid allow safely sending of works by mail. Additionally, you can wrap your present with craft paper.

This is a simple box with a plenty of options for decoration! Show your imagination, transform it by the simplest means! Give the good, my friends!