Cathedral Window Gift Box

Need a pretty gift box? This one is inspired by Cathedral Window patchwork and is super-fun to assemble. The facetted appearance is created by marquise-shaped corner tabs (if you've ever made a pillow box, you'll be familiar with them). Overlap the tabs to assemble. There's a pull tab, and a paper handle on the base, for easy opening.

Here is your free printable papercraft:

CathedralWindowGiftBox.pdf

CathedralWindowGiftBox.svg

To assemble, score and fold. Insert loop ends through top slot and tape underneath. Slide the base handle in place and tape the ends on the inside.
Next, assemble the box by overlapping adjacent marquise shapes.

Happy last-minute papercrafting!

Calendar Globe Gift Box 2020

It's a 2020 calendar - and a gift box, too! This print-and-cut 2020 calendar globe is ideal for last-minute holiday crafting. You can make it up in quantity, quickly. A choice of two gifts tags is included.

Here're your free calendar gift box files:

CalendarGiftBox1of2.pdf
CalendarGiftBox2of2.svg

CalendarGiftBox2of2.pdf
CalendarGiftBox2of2.svg

To make up the calendar, print onto photocopier card. Score the fold lines, cut on the red lines as indiated. Crease the folds, then glue the tabs. You're done!

Happy crafting!

Honeycomb Rosette Snowflake

Here's a fun-to-make seasonal decoration that can also be used to embellish gifts. The snowflake has a hexagonal honeycomb motif. You fold in the hexagons to make a centre rosette that adds 3-D interest. 

Here's your free snowflake design:
Honeycomb RosetteSnowflake.pdf
HoneycombRosetteSnowflake.svg

To get the two-tone effect, use double-sided paper (you can make your own by printing one side of your paper). If cutting by hand, use a designer's scalpel over a cutting mat. The preferred option is to use a digital paper cutter, such as a Silhouette machine. 

To fold the snowflake, fold a crease at the attached end of the hexagon, then fold down the hexagons consecutively, tucking the last one under. The hole in the centre of the snowflake allows for easy adjustments.

I have also given you a plain Honeycomb Rosette.

Happy papercrafting!

Calendar Globe 2020

Have you started holiday crafting yet? Here's a 3-D desktop calendar for you. Jan-Jun flips over to Sept-Dec. The 12-sided shape is fun to make. Assemble two halves and d/s tape - or glue - them together. Gift tags included!

Here's you free printable 2020 calendar:

CalendarGlobe2020.pdf

CalendarGlobe2020.svg

I find that 160gsm photocopier card works fine.

Happy papercrafting!

Leaf Tab Pillow Box

My pillow box binge continues. Today I have a pretty box with leaf-shaped tabs. You will need glue dots to secure the tabs - but remove them carefully and the box can be re-used.

Here's your free print-and-cut pillow box:

LeafTabPillowBox.pdf

LeafTabPillowBox.svg

Score and crease the curves of the leaf-shapes carefully so they have smooth curves. 

Happy papercrafting!

Pleated Pillow Box

I'm on a pillow box binge. Today's box is pleated - not one for the beginners, but great fun to make. It has a trendy chevron print which echoes the zigzag pleat in the box centre. Dimensional interest makes a refreshing change.

Here's your free print-and-cut design:

PleatedPillowBox.pdf

PleatedPillowBox.svg

Squeeze the pleat, add a bow for a new look.

When you make pleated papercraft creation, you must take care to score and pre-fold the creases on both sides - that is the secret of success. Folding the side flaps is a bit tricky - the pleat folds reverse and pop into place. Have a test run on scrap paper before making up the box for real.

Happy pleating!

Hexagonal Pillow Box

Here's another new pillow box shape - a hexagonal box, sister project to yesterday's diamond-shaped pillow box. Pillow boxes fold flat for storage - and can be re-used - so they are a thoughtful gift-packaging option. As you can see, each of the top panels has a different print - mixed prints always do it for me - and they happen to be in style now. 

Here's your free printable papercraft:

HexagonalPillowBox.pdf

Hexagonal Pillow Box.svg

Remember to score - and pre-crease - all the fold lines before assembling. That's the secret to success.

Happy papercrafting!

Harlequin Pillow Box

Today I have a brand new shape of pillow box for you - the side panels are diamonds - so the look is more geometric than organic (kiki - not bobo). It folds flat as usual - and the centre peak provides a bit more room for the box contents. I actually dreamt this idea - which I think is a personal first! :D

Here is your free pillow box design:

HarlequinPillowBox.pdf

HarlequinPillowBox.svg

The box is really easy to make - either by hand or digital cutting plotter. Just make sure you score the centre folds across the diamonds (and the diamond flaps, as well). 

Don't forget to re-use your pillow boxes! They pack flat and take up little space.

Quilling: The Art of Paper Filigree, by Philippa Reid. Review.

Quilling: The Art of Paper Filigree

By Philippa Reid

The Crowood Press Ltd, 2019

Paperback, £9.99

ISBN 978-1-78500-613-5

Star rating: *****

This superb new quilling technique book by Philippa Reid is a treasure trove of invaluable how-to information, whether you are a quilling novice or an experienced quiller looking to up your game. Quilling, the art of paper filigree, is a delightful decorative papercraft in which narrow paper strips are manipulated into ornate curls, twirls, and arabesques. This book attests to the versatility of the craft and the inventiveness of its practitioners.

The book describes myriad quilling techniques both traditional and modern in a concise and articulate manner, with great enthusiasm and humour. You can tell that this book was a labour of love. The author, Philippa Reid, has impressive quilling credentials – and a delightful blog (www.quilliance.wordpress.com).

Technique books – rather than project-led books – are my favourite type of craft book because they provide the user with the know-how to create and innovate on their own. This book will truly get your creative juices flowing. It is jam-packed with essential knowledge and invaluable tips. (My highlighter was on overdrive – so very many useful tips, terms, and ideas.) Going through the contents, the chapters are:  Starting Out, Working with Paper Strips, Making Spiral Coils, Looping Techniques, Tight Coils and 3D Modelling, Affixing Your Quilling to a Background, Special Effects, Creating with Paper Strips, Borders, and Infilling. 

The text is plentifully accompanied by photographic examples.

The author is quick to attribute the quilling innovations of others and her overview of the craft is right up-to-date with descriptions of modern methods (more open designs, typographic outlining).  I am happy to report that paper beads receive a brief look-in (and  are officially recognized as a quilling variation).

Wheatears, Spreuer shapes (like keystones), huskings, ring coils, eccentric coils, vortex coils, pixie hoods, paper spills, tracery, bandaging, edgework (shitateru) – quilling has a vocabulary all its own. In fact, my only minor quibble with this gem of a craft title is that a back-of-book glossary would have been a useful addition (there is an index and a resource page).

So, thank you Philippa Reid, for this essential quilling book. I will be keeping it to hand. And I’ll be attempting vortex coils really soon!

Note: I was supplied with a review copy of this title.

Gingham Basket

A cute presentation idea - just the right size for a gift card or a small surprise. The design has a pillow basket base and it fits onto one sheet of A4 copier card.
There's a 3D flower on the basket tab and another on the gift tag.

The basket is pretty and pink - sorry about the photo!

Here's your free print-and-cut-design: 

GinghamBasket.pdf

GinghamBasket.svg

To make:
1 Print the design.

2 Score the fold lines. Crease the fold lines, paying special attention to the curved base. You must also fold the bases of all the flower petals.

3 To fold the flowers, fold petals consecutively, tucking the last petal under the first.

4 You can glue a dot on flower centre to secure it.

Enjoy papercrafting your spring basket!

Fabergé Egg-Style Sliceform

Here's a Fabergé Egg-inspired sliceform that can be posted as a greeting and used as a decoration. It slots together - big fun to assemble - and folds flat for posting. (It fits neatly into a C6 envelope.)

Here's your free sliceform egg:

SliceformEgg.pdf

Assembly tips:

Print onto photocopier card. You must have two copies each of the largest eggs -
two with slots on top, two with slots on the bottom. Glue like large eggs together (a glue stick does the job best). 

Important: you must cut slots - not slits - for the egg to collapse down smoothly and stand up straight. 

First join the large eggs at centre slots, the progress to the medium and small eggs. 

For a more detailed explainer, check out my Sliceform Snowflake Card.

Happy papercrafting!

The Art of Modern Quilling, by Erin Perkins Curet.

The Art of Modern Quilling

Contemporary Paper Techniques for Captivating Quilled Designs

By Erin Perkins Curet

Quarry Books 2019

Paperback £19.99 UK/ $24.99 US/$24.99 CAN

ISBN 978-1-63159-603-2

Here’s a fab new quilling book from an imaginative and resourceful self-taught quiller. Erin Perkins Curet shares her clever techniques, which include making your own quilling tools (a Stacked Quilling Form Tower) and using cookie cutters as moulds for quilled shapes.

Erin’s projects are colourful and often – useful (in addition to being decorative, as you would expect from a quilled project). There’s a lovely Arching Candle Holder – a quilled construction filled with bubble-like quilled coils, an ornate Mandala Wall Clock, and some Quick Roll Coasters.

Quilling techniques taught include How to Cut Your Own Quilling Paper Strips (more design versatility), Quilling Using Circular Forms, and how to make sphere-shaped beads by joining two domed shapes made using a mould. There’s perhaps a bit less on making basic quilling shapes – but the book provides the know-how to get you started.

If you like your quilling contemporary rather than trad, this new title is for you.

Note:  I was supplied with a review copy of this title.

Mini-Bag Gift Card Holder

Apparently mini handbags are a mega fashion trend. With that in mind, here's a gift card holder shaped like a handbag. Fun gift presentation. 

Here's your free design:

Mini-BagGiftCardHolder.pdf

Mini-BagGiftCardHolder.svg

To make: print, cut, score, fold, glue or tape on the handles as indicated.

Tuck the gift card inside and seal the flap.

Happy gifting!

Valentine Mug Tag

Here's a fun last-minute Valentine printable: a tag to adorn your Valentine's cuppa. 

ValentineMugTag.pdf

ValentineMugTag.svg

Don't forget the biscuits!

Valentine Sweetheart Gift Box

No sweetheart candy shortage on the papercraft front! Here's a fun candy print gift box. The handle hearts slot into the side panels to open or close the box. Gift tag, too.

Here's your free Valentine printable:

SweetheartGiftBox.pdf

SweetheartGiftBox.svg

Take care cutting the slots, score and fold carefully - and you are good to go. (There's only the side tab to glue.)

Happy Valentine's Day!  

Valentine Sweetheart Gift Bag

I'm told that there are no sweetheart candies this year Stateside - the company has gone bust. What a shame. Oh well, here is a gift bag with a sweetheart sweet-inspired print. 

ValentineGiftBag.pdf

ValentineGiftBag.svg

The bag is a demi-pillow box. Pillow box base, tab on top. Easy!

Happy Valentine's Day.

Bigger-on-the-Inside Valentine

An interactive Valentine with a co-ordinating envelope for you. Pull the hearts outward for the reveal. It is bigger on the inside!

Bigger-on-the-Inside_Valentine.pdf

Bigger-on-the-Inside_Valentine.svg

Easy to make - just take care scoring and folding the card as indicated. The position of the mountain and valley folds enables the folding mechanism.

Happy crafting.

Flowering Succulent Sliceform Card

Here's a friendly all-occasion sliceform card. It is suitable for Valentine's Day, birthdays, get well, thanks - or simply "hi". It is easy to make for a sliceform - it's all about the slots. Folds flat for posting (fits into a C6 envelope).

Here's your free Flowering Succulent Sliceform:

Flowering_Succulent_Sliceform.pdf

Flowering_Succulent_Sliceform.svg

Strictly speaking, a Schlumbergera is a Christmas cactus - but those cactus flowers are so pretty - why not year-round?

For how-tos, check out this link to a previous post.

Some of us have green fingers, others are papercrafters. Enjoy. :D

Russian Doll Sliceform Card

This Russian Doll-inspired sliceform card can be used as a Valentine - or as a birthday or anytime card. It is fun to make and has wow-factor.

Here's your free print-and-cut sliceform:

Russian_Doll_Sliceform_Card.pdf

Russian_Doll_Sliceform_Card.svg

The card is a simplified sliceform - so not too tricky to make. It's all about the slots! Important to remember: glue front and back of like dolls together with edges matching, cut out the slots - they have width (don't just cut slits). For more detailed how-tos, check out this earlier sliceform project.

Enjoy making your Russian Doll Sliceform Card.

Nested Russian Doll Valentine

Here's an interactive Valentine. The nested dolls tuck into the apron pocket of the largest doll. All three dolls are double-sided. There's a gift tag, too. 

Here's your free Valentine print-and-cut:

NestedRussianDollValentine.pdf

NestedRussianDollValentine.svg

To assemble, stick the apron pocket tabs onto the back of the largest doll. Affix the largest doll back onto the flip side, concealing the tabs. Fold the two smallest dolls in half on the crease, stick together. Tuck the dolls into the pocket.

For a 2D version of this card, check out my previous post.

2D card version

Russian Doll Valentines - have them your way! :D

Filigree Woven Heart

More print-and-cut paper weaving. The designs are engineered to fit on the heart's weaving strips. You can choose to cut out the mini-heart motifs or keep them as printed features. A gift tag is included, so you can write something corny like "I fancy you". 

Here's your free fancy filigree woven heart (instructions on the page):

FiligreeWovenHeart.pdf

FiligreeWovenHeart.svg

If cutting by hand, take care to snip the weaving strip cutting lines into the semi-circular border at the top.

Enjoy weaving your woven heart Valentine.

Woven Valentine Hearts

Danish woven hearts are traditionally for Christmas - but hearts are for Valentine's Day - so here's a print-cut-and-weave heart for you. The hanging loop is incorporated into the pattern template. 

Here are your free designs:

WovenValentineHeart.pdf

WovenValentineHeart.svg

Even though the weaving strips are irregularly shaped, you just weave them over-under-over in the usual way. Just look - and think - before you weave. You can opt to cut out the central heart motif or keep it as a printed feature.

Happy paper-weaving! :D