BACK TO CRAFTS

Affordable Folded Paper or Card Gift Boxes

'Tis almost the season where your hard-earned earnings are spent faster than you can earn them and any way to save is appreciated, which is why these DIY affordable folded paper or card gift boxes are a great money-saving project!

17/09/2023

More often referred to as bomboniere, these pretty folded gift boxes provide an easy and affordable way to contain small gifts or for all special occasions. Think Mother's Day or Father's Day, baby showers, weddings and anniversaries, and even Christmas gifts.

What is a bomboniere?

Bomboniere is a derivative of the French bonbonnièere that which a small box that contains bonbons - sweet treats that are handed out to guests at weddings and confirmations, etc. Nowadays, these gift boxes are wonderful and an inexpensive way to present small gifts or delicious treats.

There are many different designs for bomboniere on the Web but all are made by using thick coloured paper or thin cardstock. Most craft and hobby stores such as PNA stock a selection of sizes in cardstock in a rainbow selection of colours and all at an affordable price when you compare it to the cost of purchasing a readymade gift box.

Uses for a Bomboniere

When used as a party or wedding favour, a bomboniere is a way to express thanks to guests. It is a long-established tradition that dates back hundreds of years and one that still continues to this day. Since the introduction of social media, we have seen an increase in bomboniere designs thanks to craft sites and blogs that give us ideas on making these gift boxes and ways to embellish them. Thanks to this, it is acceptable to gift these pretty boxes for almost any occasion and once you have a template, you can modify the design to make bomboniere of any size.

These boxes are perfect for all types of gifts and you can add various embellishments to finish off the boxes depending on the occasion. If you are working with a limited budget, think bows and ribbons, small scraps of lace, or gather interesting foliage from the garden.

How to make a bomboniere or gift box

Select a colourful or patterned cardstock for your folded gift boxes and then simply enlarge and print out one the templates below. We offer three different designs that you can choose from. Transfer the template onto your cardstock and outline it with a sharp pencil. To cut out the shape it is best to use a craft or utility knife with a new blade and use a self-healing mat. Check out the range of Olfa cutting tools and accessories at Builders stores. Score along the joints to be folded and overlap edges using a blunt pointed tool (an empty pen works great). Rather than use glue which can be messy and take ages to dry, I use double-sided clear tape to assemble the boxes.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

More Ideas for Bomboniere Gift Boxes

Add pizzazz to plain cardstock using spray paint. Lightly press the nozzle on the spray can so that it spits out only a small amount of paint onto the cardstock.

back to top