DIY Cute Packaging . . .

This is a package of my favorite chewing gum. Remember when gum used to come in flimsy foil packaging that would fall apart in your purse? No more! I love the little box this Orbit gum comes in. I love it so much I decided to deconstruct it and copy it as a box for the Mommy Calling Cards winner. Here's how I did it:

1. Take all the gum out and let all the kids have a piece so they'll leave you alone. Carefully, so no tearing occurs, undo the box's lightly glued construction.

 

2. Trace the outline of the box on sturdy weight, lovely-to-look-at cardstock.

3. Using sharp scissors, cut out along the tracing lines.

4.  Using the scoring blade of a paper cutter {if your not in the know:  a scoring blade has a dull edge that puts a score line in paper, making it perfect for folding} mimic all of the folds from the original wrapper.

5.  Fold all of the score lines

Your box should now resemble the gum box.

7.  Using an exacto knife or razor blade, cut a slit in the box for tucking the tab in.  Rememer to do this on a piece of cardboard or self healing cutting mat, as shown below.

8.  Apply glue {I used regular old glue stick} to the side tabs of the box.

9.  Fold box together, holding glued points in place with paperclips.  It helps if you have cute paperclips that match your cardstock. Kidding.  Let dry.

I put the calling cards in, tucked the tab into its slot and affixed a label and letter 'G' for the winner's last name. I love how this turned out!  I will be keeping my deconstructed gum box in my craft supplies for further use.  And now I'm on the hunt for other commercial product packaging that I can remake or copy.

Of course, it looked even better when I tied it up with spring ribbon, put it in a box with some delicious chocolate and paper flowers and topped the whole thing off with dragonflies! Who wouldn't want to open a spring filled package like this?

And Amber would be proud . . . it was less than 13 ounces {you must check out her flickr gallery!}.