Pretty Tissue Box Basket

If you need a basket quick but don’t have the time or money to get one, here’s a recycling project that will turn your trash into a treasure! Although this project has an Easter/Spring theme, this project can be used year-round for many occasions – just change the wrapping paper. Make it extra special with the embellishments you add!   Materials: 1 empty tissue box 2- 3 sheets plain paper printed with images of your choice (scroll to the bottom of the page to download the basket weave image used here) tape or adhesive of your choice (I used a combination of Xyron and tape) embellishments of your choice (buttons, lace, raffia, ribbons, etc) Instructions:  1. Starting with the empty tissue box, cut diagonally to each of the corners:     2. Cut away the top part of the box, saving the two long pieces. Make the two long pieces into two even strips:    3. Measure the long sides, making sure to add allowance for folding over at the top, bottom and sides. Using these measurements, cut two strips from the printed sheet - the strip I used here is 4” x 10”. Fold and crease to fit the box.  4. Tape the strip to the box. To make the paper lie smoothly on the inside of the box, cut a slit at the corner for “ease”. Do the same to the bottom of the box.  5. Repeat the same procedure to the other side of the box. To cover the short sides, do not put an allowance for the side overlap, just at the top and bottom (my strips for the short side measure 4” x  4 ½ “). Run the two short pieces in your Xyron and stick to the box, hiding the overlaps and tape from the two long sides. Cover the box strips with the remaining printed sheet using the same techniques as above.  6. Locate the center of the long sides and staple the two strips to the box. This will form the handle. Overlap the two strips and staple together.  7. Don’t forget to cover the bottom of the box, too. Measure the bottom of the box, and based on these measurements, cut a piece of plain white paper. Run it in your Xyron and stick to the bottom of the box, making sure that the  overlaps, tape and print on the box are covered.  8. Decorate and embellish your basket – now, isn’t that purty? Free background: The print size of this image is 4” x 10”, print two to a page.