Last year, I made Crock Pot Candy for the holidays, and found myself needing small bags or containers to put them in. This year, I’ll be making plenty of these baskets because they’re just the right size – not only for the candy but for baked goodies and other treats as well.
This template is flexible – use your favorite border and corner punches to create variations, and if you don’t have a Coluzzle™ (used for the one above) or a similar circle cutter, you can just punch holes and tie a bow on top:
Materials and tools:
- 6” x 12” piece of cardstock (I just cut a 12” x 12” cardstock in half)
- bone folder or Scor-Pal™
- pair of sharp scissors
- ribbons and embellishments of your choice
- optional tools: corner punch, border punch, hole punch, Coluzzle™ (or similar circle cutter)
Instructions:
1. With the short side at the bottom, score the cardstock piece at 1½” and 4½” marks. Note: if you don’t have a Scor-Pal™, measure 1½” from the left edge, then score, repeat, this time measuring 4½” from the left edge.
2. Rotate the cardstock so that the long side is at the bottom, then score at the 2”, 4½”, 7½” and 10” marks. Note: if you don’t have a Scor-Pal™, do the same as #1, but this time, using the measurements 2”, 4½”, 7½” and 10”.
3. Without moving the cardstock, make a score line at the 3½” mark, stop when you intersect the score line you made at #1, then, still at the 3½” mark, make another score line from the bottom edge to the second score line made at #1. Do another set of score lines at the 8½” mark. Please refer to the picture below as it is hard to explain, but it really is easy when you see the pic.
4. Using the score lines as guides for cutting, cut out along the black lines indicated below:
5. With a border punch, decorate the edges like so (may be an optional step):
6. Optional step: Fold on the outermost fold lines, and use a corner punch to round or decorate all corners. Note that for the topmost project picture, I used a Coluzzle™ to round the corners.
7. Open the flaps, and then fold along all the score lines.
8. Put adhesive on the side tabs and adhere to the basket sides. Note that you can attach the side tabs at an angle, like the topmost picture.
9. If you want to put a bow on top, bring the top flaps together and punch two holes. Thread a ribbon through the holes and tie into a pretty bow. Refer to the finished project above.
10. If you want to put a handle on top, use a Coluzzle™ or a similar tool to cut half circles on both the top flaps. Fold where you see the crease lines.
11. Put one flap under the other, and then insert the half circle handle into the space formed by the other handle. Below is the top view of the finished square basket with handle.
12. Embellishments may be added to the basket sides – decorate as you wish - then fill with wrapped goodies!
