Tuesday, 25 August 2015

Beach Hut Boxes

With the arrival of long, hot summer days (and spending far too much time on the beach) I soon had a new gift box design in mind - in the shape of a cute little beach hut!

Beach Hut Favour Boxes for Beach Theme Party Gifts

I started with a simple box design, then developed an idea for the roof so that it would open whilst staying attached.

Beach Hut Favour Boxes for Beach Theme Party Gifts

Wednesday, 19 August 2015

Upcycled Shelves

Following on from my DIY display shelves tutorial, I have put another old box file to good use.


I rescued this one from a bin, and as I only had one I decided to do something a little different with it.

The lid was already broken off, so I neatened the edges and removed the fittings with a flat screwdriver as before. I then taped over the holes that remained.

I cut the lid to make three separate long pieces - two to create the middle section, and one to strengthen the left side where the lid had been. These were then glued together and taped into place. The pieces had to be measured carefully so that they sit flush when fitted in.


To create further shelves, I used pieces from another box file lid that I had left over from the last project, and cut them to fit. I cut out eight pieces, doubled them up for strength and taped them firmly into position. I measured the spaces between them carefully so that each 'square' space was the same size.


I covered the back and sides with one piece of white wood-effect sticky-back plastic, then used smaller pieces to cover the shelves and the inside. The whole structure was now strong, solid and secure.


I could have kept it looking like this, but I decided to add some colour with a square of patterned paper inside each space. These can easily be removed or covered over if I ever want a different look. 


Hopefully you have been inspired to create something similar yourself...

Saturday, 15 August 2015

Teacup Template

To complement my Teapot Treats gift boxes, my matching teacup and saucer template is now available as a PDF download.


The template is designed to fit on A4 (but can be re-sized) which will make a teacup approximately 4.7 x 8 x 11cm. It has clear instructions (in English) and can be purchased through my Etsy shop.



To make one of your own, you will need:
  • PDF template
  • Patterened or coloured cardstock (200-250gsm recommended)
  • Craft knife / scissors
  • Scoring tool
  • Ruler
  • Craft glue / PVA
  • Embellishments (optional)

To add detail to these teacups, I also added a light touch of gold to the edges of the cup, handle and saucer.


For those of you who will soon be hard at work, crafting your own little tea sets, I would love to display some of your wonderful creations here!

Happy crafting!