3x3 CARD HOLDER - TUTORIAL

Way back in November 2006, I shared this 3x3 note card holder showing an alternative way to use the die-cut box from Stampin' Up!'s Fancy Favor Box XL die.  Through the years, I have had a lot of requests for a pattern and/or instructional information; however, I have been unable to locate it.  Of course, having changed computers a few times in the past nine years hasn't been helpful in locating any type of information about this project.  As a matter of fact, I haven't even been able to locate the actual project!  After giving it some thought, I decided to use the die to cut a box and back my way into the altered box, which I did, but I created a step-by-step photo tutorial showing how to make a similar card holder without the die since it's no longer offered by Stampin' Up.  Here goes!

Cut your designer paper or card stock at 5-1/4" x 11-1/2".  Score it horizontally at 1, 4-1/4, 6-1/4, and 9-1/2 inches; score vertically at 2". Cut between the scored 2" sections, and remove the 1" x 2" portion on the end.

Use a pencil and ruler to mark the paper for cutting the slanted opening, working on the opposite end of the 1" flap.  Make a pencil mark at the center (1") at the top of both of the 2" scored sections.  Now this gets tricky to explain . . . my ruler in the photo is measuring 1" up from the bottom flaps, and my pencil is pointing to the mark that I have made on the scored line.  You want to make a pencil mark on both of the scored lines of that 3-1/4" panel that is 1" up from the bottom flaps.  Clear as mud?  The next photo will make more sense of this.

With the pencil and ruler, connect all of the pencil points, and then use scissors to cut out that section.

Your paper should now look like the one in the photo above.

It's time to assemble the box.  Fold on all of the scored lines, and then fold that 3-1/4" flap upward as shown in the photo since it will be the last flap that you adhere to complete the closure of the box bottom.

Place adhesive on the 1" x 3-1/4" flap, and then fold the other end of the paper onto it.

You'll notice that the flap that I folded up earlier is still folded upward.  It needs to be the last one that you adhere so the box front will have a pretty finished edge.  Now . . . I began closing the bottom of the box (card holder) with the two small flaps, but I later decided that I should have brought that bottom flap up first so that the two small flaps would be sandwiched between the two long ones so that the inside bottom of the card holder would look better.  However you decide to close yours will be okay because you can always cover the inside bottom with a piece of card stock, which will add more stability anyway.

And finally . . . the finished card holder, still naked and empty, but ready to be decorated and filled.  I hope this tutorial is helpful to you, especially those who have (through the years) asked for it.