Handcraft box - step by step master classes on making from paper, cardboard boxes and newspaper tubes

Choosing the shape of the chest

The form of the chest should be chosen so that it not only fit well into the interior, but also was useful.

You can choose between the following shapes:

• Simple rectangular
• Square
• Round
• Triangular
• Heart-shaped

Necessary tools for making a chest

Before you start making a chest, you need to prepare the basic tools. Below is a list of what must be at hand, because sometimes in the process of work there is no time to be distracted by looking for improvised means.

• Scissors .
• Paper
• Transparent adhesive tape
• Glue
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Eraser
• Penknife

Materials for decorating the chest:

• Rhinestones,
• clothespins,
• shoelaces,
• popsicle sticks,
• threads,
• cards, etc.

As for the last point, you can look for materials for decoration after the casket will be ready, because he will need some time for the glue to dry well.

Also, if necessary, you can replenish the above list, because making a crafts is a purely individual process and each person's imagination works differently, so you can add other improvised means.

The most common materials for the handicraft

Regarding materials for the creation of a casket, there are many options. It all depends on the ideas and tools of the master. Below are the materials from which, as a rule, caskets are made, as well as provided master classes on the intricacies of making a casket from different materials. So, basically, caskets are made of:

• Cardboard
• Postcards
• Newspaper sticks
• Ice cream sticks
• Shoe boxes
• Plywood
• Matchboxes

Of course, the materials can be completely different, depending on what one has on hand, but the above are the most common.

From cardboard

A chest for storing small items in the form of a heart can be a wonderful gift for Valentine's Day or any other holiday. To make this craft should be prepared PVA glue, 3 sheets of colored cardboard, ruler, tape, beads and paper flowers for decoration. On the cardboard to draw two hearts in size corresponding to the future box.

The heart, which is supposed to serve as a lid, should be 1 mm larger. Then, using a centimeter ruler to measure the perimeter of the heart, cut 2 strips of the required length with nicks on one edge, with which they are glued to the base. After the glue dries, all you have to do is decorate the casket and the gift is ready!

From the cards

It is not at all difficult to make a beautiful box if you have old postcards with beautiful drawings at home. You just need scissors, sewing thread, 5-6 postcards, a needle, a ruler and a pencil. First you need to sew 4 postcards together, and then the cover is sewn separately on 1 side. After that a box is made of thick cardboard, also by sewing the sides together and all sides are lined with fabric. The cards sewn together have to be bent a bit and sewn onto the cardboard frame. The cover is sewn on last.

Made of newspaper sticks

For twisting "straws" in addition to newspaper, pages of old books or glossy magazines will do. First of all, you should cut the material used into strips about 5 cm wide. Then you should take a knitting needle and wrap a sheet diagonally around it. At the same time it is necessary to glue the tip of the sheet. It is necessary to have about 18-24 sticks at hand.

The sticks are painted with paint to the taste of the craftsman, and given time to dry the paint. Then you need to take a piece of cardboard of the shape that the casket is supposed to be and glue the painted tubes to it. Then the whole outline of the bottom is first braided with one longer stick and the rest of the tubes are glued to it until the desired height is achieved.

When the box is the desired height, you can bend and trim the ends of the tubes. Then you can proceed to make the lid for the chest by gluing a textile bow or other decorations to it.

Made from popsicle sticks

Another idea is to make a casket using popsicle sticks. In this case, they need about 30. You will also need hot glue, corrugated cardboard, acrylic paint in two colors, scissors, ruler, pencil and satin ribbons.

It will be interesting if you paint 14 sticks with one color and 15 with another. With corrugated cardboard need to cut 2 rectangular pieces with parameters 5.5 by 7 cm, 2 semicircular fragments with parameters 7 by 3 cm, then all these pieces should be painted.

For the bottom layout you will need 7 sticks. To the bottom in a vertical position are glued sides of cardboard. The other two sides are lined up with 6 sticks each and glued on the sides to the cardboard sides. Semicircular fragments are connected to each other with 10 sticks, so will be finished lid. Tape is glued on the ends, and the lid is attached with two tapes.

From shoe boxes

One of the easiest options to make a beautiful and useful box is to use a shoe box. To create a box is enough to paste the box with fabric or colored paper.

If you need a smaller box, you can take as the basis of the box from the tea, milk, etc.

In the case of the milk carton, it will be enough to tip it on its side, make a slit in the shape of the letter "C" at the top and bend this piece of cardboard. This will be the lid. Then the box should be lined with a beautiful fabric, and then the lid and the bottom should be laminated with two satin ribbons-ties.

Made of plywood

Another fairly simple way to create a chest at home, is to work out the object from plywood. The only difficulty may arise at the first step-preparing the right size bars of plywood.

If you take the lid and bottom 10x10 cm, then the sides should be 10x8 cm. At an angle of 45 degrees the sides of the chest are glued. The sides are properly trimmed beforehand. Then the bottom is glued. To fix the lid, you need to put hinges using self-tapping screws. It is very important to chamfer the hinges on one of the sides and on the lid of the box. The exterior of the resulting casket is decorated according to the imagination of the craftsman.

From matchboxes

When making a chest from matchboxes, the craftsman will have to do some fine work. The craftsman will need 10 boxes, heavy cardboard, glue and various things for decoration: beautiful photos and fabrics for pasting, artificial flowers. First of all it is necessary to cut a square frame from cardboard. Then you need to glue the matchboxes together. Usually they are glued to 2 or 5 boxes, but the number can be absolutely any. The boxes in this case will serve as drawers.

The resulting dresser should be glued to the frame so that the cardboard inserts are on all sides. The next step is to decorate the box. As handles to the drawers, you can use nails, small hooks, decorative stones.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that there are many options for making and decorating chests at home.

In the article provided, the basic materials and step-by-step instructions with the necessary steps for gluing caskets were listed. In addition to these materials, caskets can be made from bamboo napkins, vinyl wallpaper, salt dough, sewer pipe, etc. Many variations and all depends on the means at hand and skill craftsmanship. Also, the boxes can have unusual shapes and decorated as far as imagination and creativity are concerned.

Photo ideas homemade casket crafts