Butterfly Pillow Box

 A gift box always comes in handy. The butterfly motif is suitable for many occasions. Gift tag included.

Here's your print-and-cut freebie:

ButterflyBox.pdf

ButterflyBox.svg

Easy to make: print, cut, score, crease. Take special care folding the curves. Glue the top. Glue on butterfly body. 

Great for small gifts. 

Valentine Pillow Box

 Here's a Valentine Pillow Box with a Mexican papel picado-inspired heart-flower motif. It is pretty how the arcs project beyond the box edges. Gift tag included!

Your free print-and-cut design:

ValentineHeart-FlowerPillowBox.pdf

ValentineHeart-FlowerPillowBox.svg

Very easy to make. Print, cut - take care to cut the heart arcs at the folds. Score the folds, crease. Seal the flap. Good to go!

Valentine Pillow Box Pocket

 Today I have a pretty gift pouch for you. The motif is inspired by Mexican Papel Picardo. You won't have to do any fancy cutting though - just take care to cut the heart curves at the top opening.

Here is your free print-and-cut design:

ValentinePillowBoxPocket.pdf

ValentinePillowBoxPocket.svg

Easy to make - print, cut, crease folds. Carefully cut the heart arcs at the top. Glue the side flaps under. Optional tag. You're good to go!

Sweetheart Pillow Box

A heart-shaped container for small sweet treats - a pillow box cone.

Here's your free Valentine papermake:

SweetheartPillowBox.pdf

SweetheartPillowBox.svg

 To make: Print, cut out. Score the fold lines, crease the fold lines taking care on the curves. Glue reinforcements over holes. Glue the top marquise shape behind the top of the heart side. Glue the side flap. Pop open the pillow box, insert contents. Thread tag on a ribbon and through holes (use a tapestry needle).

Happy Valentine's Day!

Russian Doll Pockets Print-and-Cut

I am re-posting a favourite blogpost as a lockdown craft for your kids. 

Here are the print-and-cut Russian Dolls:

RussianDolls.pdf

The how-tos are printed on the page. 

Enjoy - and stay safe!

Gingham Gift Bag

Here's a cheerful mini gift bag you can make in a jiffy. It is an open-ended pillow box - all-in-one construction. There's a gift tag, too. Spring-y and cheerful - just what is needed.

Here is your free print-and-cut design:

GinghamGiftBag.pdf

GinghamGiftBag.svg

The design inspiration for the gingham print came from Digital Textile Design, by Melanie Bowles and Ceri Isaac. 

To make the bag: print, score the fold lines, cut out the bag. Fold the creases, giving special care to the marquise-shaped base. Glue the sides and you are good to go!

Flower Motif Woven Pillow Box

Here's a sweet re-usable pillow box. There's a woven design on the front  - a simple flower. A gift tag is included, too.

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

WovenPillowBoxFlower.pdf

WovenPillowBoxFlower.svg

To make the pillow box:

1 Print the design on photocopier card.

2 Cut on the red lines, score the curved lines.

3 Weave the front of the box: starting from the lefthand side, light pink piece underneath -  weave first strip under over under; weave the middle strip over under over; weave the righthand strip under over under. True up the strips, then tape on the wrong side with magic tape to secure. 

4 Score and fold the top and bottom margins on the woven pillow box piece. Glue a marquise shape onto either side of the front, matching edges.

5 Glue front to back of pillow box. 

Fold in the sides to plump up the pillow box.

You can add a ribbon handle for a mini-purse look.

Happy paper weaving!

Valentine Pyramid Gift Box

Here's some Valentine gift packaging for you - a pyramid box, with heart-shaped tag. Ideal for the presentation of a sweet surprise.

Your free printable papercraft design:

ValentinePyramidGiftBox.pdf

ValentinePyramidGiftBox.svg

Simply print, cut out (including the round holes - use a paper punch), score and crease the fold lines. Make sure you fold the square base. Lace a ribbon through the top holes to fasten. 

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.