Project

Kraft Heart Box

Fill these striking boxes with your valentine's favorite things.

Photography: Trevor Tondro

Source: Martha Stewart

Introduction

How do you plan to celebrate Valentine's Day, the holiday devoted to love and friendship? We have a suggestion. Delight your valentine on February 14 by surprising him or her with a handmade box filled with their favorite sweet treats, as Martha does. Slightly imprecise borders add to the charm of this adorable gift.

materials

Paper Bow template

Paper heart box (Paper Mache heart box, 12", $4; and heart-box set, 3", 4", and 5", $4, consumercrafts.com.)

Colored paper, at least 11 by 17 inches (Canson Mi-Teintes drawing papers, in Dawn Pink, White, and Honeysuckle, from $2.50 for a 19"-by-25" sheet, dickblick.com.)

Craft paint (Martha Stewart Family Friendly multisurface satin acrylic craft paint, in Stop Sign Red, Black Belt, Fire Opal, and Watermelon, $2.50 for 2 oz., michaels.com.)

Flat paintbrush, 1 inch

Spray adhesive

Ruler

Uncoated posterboard or smaller heart boxes

Hot-glue gun and glue sticks

Waxed or parchment paper (optional)

steps

Fill box with treats. (If including unwrapped food, add waxed or parchment paper.)
Trace the top of the box lid onto colored paper.
Cut out the heart, about 3⁄8 inch inside the line. (The paper heart should be slightly smaller than the box lid.) Cut two 2 1⁄4-inch-wide-by-17-inch-long strips of paper to cover the outer sides of the lid.
Paint the inside and outside of the bottom half of the box; paint the interior of the box lid and a 1-inch border on the box-lid top. Let dry completely.
Spray adhesive onto paper heart and strips; press onto top of the box lid and outer sides of the lid. Measure and cut out dividers from posterboard, or use smaller heart boxes (as shown below, and on page 8 and page 17, top right), trimming the base of each so it's the same height as the larger one. Paint dividers or smaller boxes; let dry completely. With hot-glue gun, stick dividers or smaller boxes in box. Assemble paper bow for lid.
To make the bows, print out templates at 200%, then trace the patterns onto the colored paper you want to use for the bow. Cut out all elements.
Paint the edges by brushing on a 3/8-inch-wide border around each piece with a contrasting color; let dry. (We used Martha Stewart multi-surface satin acrylic craft paints.)
With adhesive dots or double-sided tape, attach the two loops together, overlapping the ends by about an inch. Cover the seams with the knot piece and glue or tape closed. Fold the ties and attach to the back of the bow. Stick the finished bow on the box at an angle.