Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Project - Hide a Sweet Surprise in a Box Tag

I couldn't decide what to do -- make a gift tag or make a box. So I made two-in-one. Now I can decorate a tag to my heart's desire while still having a place to stash some goodies.

Miniature Box Tag for Valentine's Day
Miniature Box Tag for Valentine's Day

Materials & Tools
  • Template for miniature box tag

  • Brown craft paper, card stock or other heavy weight paper

  • Inkjet printer

  • Good pair of comfortable, teflon-like coated scissors, like Velvet Touch Scissors by Armada, or a craft knife and a straight edge

  • Paper trimmer, like 12" Portable Paper Trimmer Item #95987097 by Fiskars

  • Double-stick tape

  • Pigment inkpad, in Red

  • Cosmetic wedges or sponges for applying ink

  • Small piece of a brown corrugated paper

  • Handheld paper punch, like 1/8-inch Round Punchline Punch Item #52400 by McGill

  • Gold twist ties, from a bag of bread

  • Red buttons

  • Small brass heart

  • Red glitter glue

  • Small cheap paint brush for applying glitter glue

  • Small red feather

  • Adhesive dots

  • Small red miniature rose embellishments

  • Red and gold fibers for the tag hole


  • The Steps
    Click to enlarge images. Click the back button to return to this article.)

    1. Download the miniature box tag template from here.

    2. Cut an 8.5 by 11 inch piece of brown kraft paper. Print the template on to the paper with your inkjet printer. You can run the paper through the inkjet printer again, upside down, if you would like to make two box tags -- one on each end of the paper.


    3. Using scissors (or a craft knife and straight edge), cut out the template.

    4. Using the Fiskars paper cutter (with the folding blade inserted), crease the template on all the dotted lines to make folding easier.


    5. Lay the template flat so you can decorate it. Using a cosmetic wedge or sponge, apply red pigment ink onto the back of the template -- that is, the side to face out after you have folded the box.

    6. Cut a small piece of corrugated brown cardboard to fit the width of the folded box tag's front.

    7. Line the red buttons up on the corrugated paper and mark through the holes so you know where to punch. Punch small holes in the paper, then thread the gold twist ties through the holes and tie on the two red buttons. While you're at it, punch the hold in the end of the box tag. Now trim the ties close to the button so only about a half inch remains on each end.

    8. Apply the small brass heart to the corrugated piece using adhesive dots.

    9. Use double stick tape to attach the corrugated piece to the upper front of the box tag.

    10. Apply red glitter glue to the lower half of the box. While the glue is drying, add pieces of the red feather. Allow the box to dry completely.

    11. After the box is dry, fold the box into shape. Fold and hide the extra tab using double stick tape.

    12. Using adhesive dots, add the miniature roses to the tab stub.

    13. Add the fibers to the tag hole using a Lark's Head knot.

    14. Fill the box with M&Ms, miniature kisses or other small candies. Give the tag to your swwetheart on Valentine's Day




    Product Resource Guide
    · Most project photos on this page were taken with a 5.0 MP resolution KODAK EASYSHARE DX4530 Zoom Digital Camera
    · Browse for Paper Crafts Books at Amazon.com

    Article Description: Create a miniature tag with a secret -- sweet treats for your Valentine.