Today we’re making a Mini Milk Carton Box, and honestly, this is one of those little projects that never stops being cute. It’s small, neat, giftable and very easy to decorate for Christmas.
These little boxes are perfect for: wrapped chocolates or sweets
• tea bags
• small handmade gifts
• table favours
• craft stall goodies
• neighbour gifts
• little thank-you presents
We’ll make the box base from cardstock, then decorate all four sides with scraps, yes, scraps, from the gorgeous A Stitched Season Designer Series Paper. The quilt-style papers, trees, stars and Christmas prints are just right for this project because each small panel becomes a little feature.
Finished Project
A small milk carton-style gift box with decorated sides, a folded top and a stamped tag.
Materials List
You will need:
Cardstock
• 1 piece cardstock for the box base
• Basic White or Very Vanilla cardstock for the tag
Designer Series Paper
• A Stitched Season Designer Series Paper
Embellishments
• Ribbon or twine
• Mini peg, clip or hole punch if you’d like to close the top that way
• Stamped tag
• Die-cut stocking, tree or holly
• Button
• Gold thread or twine for the button
Tools and Adhesives
• Paper trimmer
• Scoring tool
• Bone folder
• Paper snips
• Strong adhesive or Tear & Tape
• Hole punch if using ribbon closure
• Stamps and ink
Cutting Measurements
Carton Base
Cut cardstock to:
• 21cm x 15cm
Score on the long side at:
•5cm, 10cm, 15cm and 20cm
Score on the short side at:
• 5cm, 10cm and 13cm
The remaining 1cm strip on the long side becomes the side tab for joining the box.
DSP Panels
Cut A Stitched Season DSP:
• 4 pieces: 4.5cm x 4.5cm
for the lower side panels
• 4 pieces: 4.5cm x 2.5cm
for the upper side panels
You can use all the same pattern, or mix four different patterns for a patchwork Christmas look.
Tag
Cut Basic White or Very Vanilla cardstock to:
• 3cm x 5cm
You can trim the top corners, punch the top, or cut one end into a banner shape.
Ribbon
Cut ribbon to approximately:
• 20cm to 25cm
This gives you enough to tie the top closed or add a small bow.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Start with your cardstock piece measuring 21cm x 15cm.
Place the 21cm side along the top of your scoring board and score at:
5cm, 10cm, 15cm and 20cm
Turn the cardstock so the 15cm side is along the top and score at:
5cm, 10cm and 13cm
Burnish all score lines well with your bone folder.
2. Identify the Sections
When your cardstock is in landscape position, you will have four main box panels plus a narrow side tab.
The bottom section will fold up to form the base of the box.
The middle section will be the main body of the box.
The top section creates the milk carton fold and closure.
3. Cut the Bottom Tabs
Along the bottom section, cut up each vertical score line only as far as the first horizontal score line.
This creates four bottom flaps plus the small side tab.
Trim away the small bottom rectangle from the narrow 1cm side tab so the box base folds neatly.
Slightly wedge the side tab if you like, so it sits neatly inside the box when glued.
4. Create the Milk Carton Top
At the top section, you’ll create the little folded milk carton shape.
On two opposite panels, gently pinch the top section inward to form the carton sides.
For a neat fold, you can lightly score diagonal lines on the two side panels of the top section, from the centre top down to the side corners of that top panel.
Don’t overthink this part. Once the box is assembled, the carton shape comes together easily when you pinch the top closed.
5. Add the DSP Panels
Before assembling the box, add your DSP panels.
Adhere the 4.5cm x 4.5cm DSP pieces to the four main lower panels.
Then adhere the 4.5cm x 2.5cm DSP pieces to the upper panels.
This is a lovely place to use different designs from A Stitched Season DSP. Try a tree print on the front, a quilt pattern on the back, and smaller red or green prints on the sides.
Decorating all four sides makes the box feel finished from every angle.
6. Assemble the Box
Add strong adhesive to the narrow 1cm side tab.
Bring the opposite edge around and adhere it to the tab, forming the box shape.
Press firmly from the inside and outside so the join is secure.
Fold in the bottom flaps and adhere them closed. For the neatest base, fold in the two side flaps first, then the back flap, then the front flap last.
Use strong adhesive so the box can hold treats without popping open.
7. Close the Carton Top
Pinch the top of the box together to form the milk carton shape.
You can close the top in a few different ways:
• punch two small holes and tie with ribbon
• clip it closed with a mini peg
• use a small bulldog clip
• tie twine around the top
• staple and cover with a ribbon or tag
• use a little hook-and-loop dot if you want it reusable
For a soft handmade Christmas look, ribbon or a mini peg is perfect.
8. Make the Stamped Tag
Take the 3cm x 5cm Basic White or Very Vanilla tag.
Stamp a Christmas greeting such as:
• Merry Christmas
• Joy
• For You
• Warm Wishes
• Handmade for You
• Christmas Treats
Decorate the tag with a small stamped image or stitched detail.
Attach the tag to the front of the box using Dimensionals, or tie it to the ribbon at the top.
9. Add Die-Cut Decorations
Use your stocking, tree or holly dies to create a small decoration for the front of the box.
A little stitched stocking looks gorgeous hanging from the tag.
A tree die-cut works beautifully on the front panel.
Holly leaves tucked behind the tag add a sweet festive touch.
Keep the embellishment small so it doesn’t overwhelm the box.
10. Add a Button
Thread a button with gold thread or twine and tie it off.
Attach it to the tag, ribbon bow or die-cut decoration.
The button gives the box that lovely homespun finish and ties beautifully into the stitched, quilted feel of A Stitched Season DSP.
Finishing Ideas
Fill your Mini Milk Carton Box with:
• wrapped chocolates
• peppermints
• mini candy canes
• tea bags
• handmade earrings
• small soaps
• wax melts
• gift tags
• tiny biscuits
• table favours
These are wonderful to make in multiples because once you’ve made one, the next few come together very quickly.
Make It Your Own
Try making a whole set using different DSP patterns from the same pack.
You could make:
• one for each Christmas lunch place setting
• a basket of neighbour gifts
• craft stall treat boxes
• teacher thank-you gifts
• little Advent surprises
• a matching set to go with handmade cards
You can also change the look by switching the cardstock base. Real Red, Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler, Secret Sea, Crumb Cake or Basic White would all work beautifully.
Batch-Making Tip
These Mini Milk Carton Gift Boxes are perfect for batch making.
To get a head start, cut several box bases at once, add your DSP panels, decorate the fronts, and apply the Tear & Tape to the tabs — but leave the boxes flat and unassembled.
Then, when you need a quick gift box, simply choose one from your stash, peel off the backing, fold it into shape and assemble it. In just a few minutes you’ll have a sweet little Christmas gift box ready to fill.
This is a lovely way to prepare ahead for neighbour gifts, table favours, craft stall items, thank-you presents or those last-minute little gifts that pop up in December.
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