Milk Carton Matchboxes!

Milk Carton Matchbox: portrait.

Milk Carton Matchbox: landscape. Pull the tassel to open the drawer!

Lightbulb moment! I know that it's sad, but I am really excited about this one. Have you noticed all those hybrid bakery delicacies in the news lately - you know, The Cronut, part croissant/part donut. Well, I have brought that mindset to papercrafting - box making, in particular.

Yes - meet the Milk Carton Matchbox (Milkbox???). A very successful combo, I think. Best of both worlds. Easy open - pull the tassel to open the drawer. Stand it up for display, lay it flat to open. Fun and easy to make. A cute little gift container.

Here are your free downloads (tut to follow):
MilkCartonMatchboxA.pdf 
MilkCartonMatchboxB.pdf 


There are two different styles to choose from: different print mixes. To make it easy for you, the printed areas coincide with the fold lines. The shapes are really easy to cut out, so I am just doing this project as a printable.

Milk Carton Matchbox Tutorial

 1. Above, Milk Carton Matchbox components: the drawer, the wrap, and the tassel pull. The pieces have been cut out and scored. There are no fold lines for the long sides of the drawer. You simply fold them in half to meet the base, like so:

2. Continue making the drawer. Place d/s tape on the short tabs on the right side of the cardstock:

On the wrong side of the cardstock, place tape along the outer edges of all four sides:

Next, stick the tabs:

To complete the drawer, fold down the flaps and stick them down on the inside. Finished drawer:

Now for the milk carton-style wrap:

3. Join the flap on the long side. Apply d/s tape to one side of the open "top"edge. Stick the top edges together, with edges (and centre holes) aligned:

The wrap is now finished. Time to make the tassel.

4. The tassel is made from craft thread, red and green required. Cut a piece of card 5cm (2in) wide. Cut two slits in one side to catch the thread:

Above, the tassel components: card, hanging loop, and the green tassel-wrap. Wrap the craft thread around the card 8-10 times. Catch the ends in the slits on the card.

5. Pass the loop under the top of the tassel wraps. Tighten.

6. Cut the tassel off the card. Straight across the bottom edge, then trim the ends. The tassel looks like this:

The tricky bit comes next: the tassel wrap.

7. Pic above shows how to position the tassel-wrap thread. Make a contrast-coloured loop. The loop is positioned with the loop end towards the cut end of the tassel. Hold it tightly against the tassel. 

8. Time to wrap. Important: start from the top end of the tassel and spiral downwards towards the loop. Wind tightly. When you get to the bottom, thread the tail of the winding thread through the loop.Trim the tail so it is shorter.

9. To complete the tassel, slowly and steadily pull the loop end thread from the top of the tassel. This will draw the threaded loop inside the tassel wraps, securing it. You can then trim off the top of the pulling thread. Tah dah! Tassel now finished:

10. Tie the tassel onto through the hole at the top of the Milk Carton Matchbox Wrap. If you wish, add a gift tag before you knot on the tassel. Slip the drawer inside the wrap. Milk Carton Matchbox is now complete:

To tag or not to tag...

The basic box design (withouth the small prints) would be the perfect surface for Zentangle-type doodle embellishments of your own design.

I'm now thinking of other hybrid boxes I can make. Hmm... bakery box/shoe box? Office envelope/shopping bag? Stay tuned. I'll probably have a go.