Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Ecolovies ~ Cereal box mini boxes


This craft came about when flipping through olden times craft books, and I saw 'how to make a hat box'. The hat box they showed required cutting about 400 tabs on the outside of each piece of heavy card stock and securing them together with glue and then bias that was glued around the decorative paper the entire box was flawlessly covered in. I sat there for about an hour thinking, there has to be an easier way to do this craft, when it hit me.... sew it! So I set out to make a hat box in miniature out of old cereal boxes (the best card stock around).


Supplies you will need. A pen, scissors, a needle and thick embroidery thread, a small hole punch, and an old cereal box.

First measure out how large you want your box to be. I just made mine as big as the box was tall... it made for easy measuring. A shorter piece, just as long as the first piece, made for the lip of the lid.

I folded that part around until I had a circle or oval, and traced the bottom of it on to the cereal box... and that was the lid and bottom of the box.




The only special tool I would really recommend would be a mini hole punch. I bought mine 11 years ago in preparation for our wedding invitations where I had to tie tiny ribbon through two sheets of paper, and around the end of a skeleton leaf. Yes, it was just as tedious as it sounds. lol! But it works great for other projects too... mostly ones that involve a needle, thread, and my 7 year old.

After measuring the pieces and cutting the lid and bottom, I punched holes along the bottom and both short sides of the main box piece. I then secured the thread through both holes and sew down and back up again to bind the sides together leaving me with a ring of cardboard.


Then comes the tricky part... attaching the bottom. I tied a middle hole to the back next to the seam, then I tied hole that was directly across from it to the front. Then I sewed all the way around... not being picky about the way it looked... until I met up at the other tie. I tied it off, not cutting the thread, and then continued around until I got back to where I started, and tied it off again. This part really doesn't have to be neat. I didn't have any problems skipping a hole or two on each box, or doubling up if I needed to... it doesn't take away from the box at all.


I then did the same thing with the lid.

Put the two together and you have a whole mini hat box!

Then all that is left to do is decorate!

This is one that my daughter and her friend decorated for their "someday drive through lemonade stand".


And here is the one I pictured up top. I really love how it turned out.

SHARE:

7 comments

Callista said...

those are adorable!! kinda makes me wish i still bought box cereal instead of making my own. i'll keep these in mind for when i babysit though :) thanks!

Val in the Rose Garden said...

That's funny that you said that Callista... because I don't buy cereal either! LOL! I bought these two boxes for the move and my kids have loved having cold cereal... but I can't say I have bought cold cereal in years before this. Even during our last move I bought organic instant oatmeal instead. Funny how these crafts come about. :)

Val

Tess said...

I really think you should enter this on the instructables kids crafts contest. I reckon you would have a good chance of winning a prize. I can't think of anything of my own to enter yet!

http://www.instructables.com/contest/kidscrafts/

Val in the Rose Garden said...

Thank you Tess. :) That is a really nice compliment. I think I will.

Have a great day!

Val

French Picnic said...

These are awesome! Thanks for entering over at French Picnic!! Love your craftiness!!!

Jack Alexa said...

Bundling boxes are truly goliath for any sort of thing. Wholesale Cereal Boxes To stack your things contemplating a particular objective then, at that point, utilize these Wholesale Cereal Boxes with re-attempted plans, styles, tones, shapes, and stocks. We are other than surrendering sans screw viewpoint and free transportation helps all around the USA.

Alix Hills said...

We offer a wide range of Packaging boxes wholesale to work with our clients. The crates are produced with the sturdy material that went through the most recent machines. the eco-accommodating methodology is made a piece of all the assembling.

Blogger Template Created by pipdig