Cosy Cottage Teapot Box

23rd May 202522nd Jun 2025 EsselleCrafts1 Comment

It’s time for another teapot favour box design! After having such fun designing my Teapot Dome inspired teapot box, I decided to create one in the style of a cosy, country cottage!

A 3D paper craft teapot gift box made in the style of a cosy country cottage with a pink door and pink windows decorated with small paper flowers

Perfect for birthdays, garden parties or housewarming gifts, the templates to make this box come as both SVG cut files and printable PDFs, making them accessible for a variety of crafting needs.

To make one, you will need:

* Cottage Teapot Box template (SVG and PDF available)
* Computer and printer to print the PDF templates and instructions
* Digital cutting machine
* Double-sided cardstock (220-250gsm / 80-92lb recommended)
* Craft glue / double-sided tape

If you are not using a cutting machine you will also need:
* Craft knife / scissors
* Scoring tool
* Ruler

Watch my video tutorial showing how to assemble the box, and be sure to follow the tips below:

TIP 1 : If you would like to emboss the main body of the teapot, or the lid, then this should be done first before assembling. For this teapot, I used this Sizzix 3D Texture Fades Mini Cobblestone embossing folder on the main body, the handle, spout and pitched roof piece. I had to do three passes on both of the main body pieces, carefully covering one side at a time.

A 3D paper craft teapot gift box made in the style of a cosy country cottage with a mint green door and windows decorated with small paper flowers

And for this teapot box, I used this roof tile embossing folder on the lid. Again, I had to do three passes, covering two lid flaps at a time.

TIP 2 : Glue the two doors and the four rectangular windows and window frames in place whilst the main teapot piece is still flat.

A 3D paper craft teapot gift box made in the style of a cosy country cottage with pink doors and pink windows

TIP 3 : For the pitched roof, push the right side tab under the front lid flap and the left side tab under the lid flap on the left. Press it down firmly to secure it in place.

The hexagonal lid of a 3D paper craft teapot gift box made in the style of a cosy country cottage

TIP 4 : When attaching the (white) pitched roof window piece, apply glue to the front of the (brown) lid as well as the two tabs on the white piece. By leaving the window off at this stage, you should be able to poke a thin pair of tweezers through the window gaps to press it into place.

The lid of a 3D paper craft teapot gift box made in the style of a cosy country cottage

Once fully assembled, your cosy cottage teapot box will hold a range of small gifts or delicious treats. But that’s not all! With the addition of a string of battery operated lights inside, this versatile box can also serve as a glowing lantern centrepiece – guaranteed to impress!

What will you fill your little cottage teapot boxes with? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy crafting!
Suzanne

3D Papercraft Projects · Teapot Favour Boxes

Teapot Dome Inspired Gift Box

2nd Apr 202526th May 2025 EsselleCrafts1 Comment

As soon as I found out about the quirky Teapot Dome gas station in Zillah, Washington (built in 1922), I just knew I had to make a little papercraft teapot box in its image.

A small papercraft teapot gift box made in the style of the teapot dome gas station with a white body a red lid a red handle and spout and tiny black windows

I included as much detail as I could, even making sure to use the correct number of windows, using this image as my main reference.

The teapot dome gas station in Zillah Washington USA under a deep blue sky

Using my Teapot Favour Box template, I cut all of the pieces out of 216gsm textured cardstock. I used white for the main body pieces, a light cream for the top rose, and red for the lid, handle and spout pieces. I also cut an extra (red) hexagonal piece and added six small side tabs to form the base.

For the main body, I scored the six white pieces whilst they were still flat using my score board, at 2.5mm horizontal intervals, to create a brickwork effect. I then did the same with the six red lid pieces to create a roof tiled effect.

I attached the main body pieces to the red hexagonal base, then assembled the rest of the teapot box in the usual way.

I created the door and the three windows as a png file in Inkscape and used ‘Print Then Cut’ in Cricut Design Space to cut them out. I also cut out a narrow frame for each one using red cardstock.

I am super impressed with how it’s turned out! ❤️

Happy crafting!
Suzanne

3D Papercraft Projects · Favour Boxes · Papercraft Projects · wedding favour boxes

Tuxedo / Suit Jacket Favour Boxes

23rd Mar 202530th Mar 2025 EsselleCraftsLeave a comment

I have just updated my Tuxedo Favour Box template to include a regular tie as well as the bow tie. This means that you can now use the template to make a smart suit jacket box!

A dark grey paper craft suit jacket favour box with a white shirt a light purple tie and matching handkerchief in the top pocket

You can make the suit jacket box using any coloured or patterned cardstock you like. You could even personalise it for a wedding or other special occasion using a particular colour scheme. And how about adding a matching tie and handkerchief! The possibilities are endless!

Remember, if you are making the tuxedo box, I recommend coating the lapels, pocket trims, button and bow tie pieces with clear acrylic gloss varnish to create that iconic satin finish, or alternatively use a black satin finish cardstock.

A black paper craft tuxedo favour box with a white shirt a black satin paper bow tie and a white handkerchief in the top pocket

The tuxedo box templates come in both SVG and PDF format, making them accessible for a variety of crafting needs and can be perfectly paired with my dress favour box templates.

A dark grey paper craft suit jacket favour box with a white shirt a light purple tie and matching handkerchief in the top pocket and a pink papercraft dress favour box with a pretty pink paper bow at the waist

Designed to hold a gift card and some small treats, the tuxedo / suit jacket box is perfect for wedding favours!

A dark grey paper craft suit jacket favour box with a white shirt a light purple tie and matching handkerchief in the top pocket and a white papercraft dress favour box with a pretty white satin bow at the waist

Which style will you make and for what occasion? Let me know in the comments below.

Two black paper craft tuxedo favour boxes with white shirts and black satin paper bow ties and two dark grey paper craft suit jacket favour boxes with white shirts and light purple paper ties

Happy crafting!
Suzanne

3D Papercraft Projects · Papercraft Projects

Business Card Holder Tutorial

17th Mar 202518th Mar 2025 EsselleCraftsLeave a comment

You may remember that last year I updated my business card to include my new website and some of my favourite 3D papercraft projects, and I also created this little box to display 100 of the cards in.

A business card display box made from mint green cardstock and decorated with white spotty card on a desk holding 100 business cards.

Well, now I’ve created a different kind of box to hold 70 cards. I went to a networking event recently and this was so handy to carry around to give the cards out.

A business card holder made from mint green cardstock and decorated with white spotty card holding 70 business cards.

This is how I made it …

I started by measuring a set of 70 cards and worked out that I needed a 6cm x 15.7cm piece of cardstock, a 13cm x 9.5 piece of cardstock and a 2.5cm x 19cm strip for the belly band. I used the lovely vintage mint green colour again to match my other box and used my scoring board to score the lines shown below, then I cut out the tabs.

Three pieces of mint green cardstock cut out to size to create a business card holder

I assembled the box using my favourite glue (Cosmic Shimmer Special Acrylic Glue) and started with the front section.

The front of a business card holder made from mint green cardstock

This is how the front section looks from the side once the back piece was glued on and folded over.

The side of a business card holder made from mint green cardstock used to hold 70 business cards

Next, I cut out some patterned paper panels to cover each of the sides.

Seven pieces of mint green and white spotty card cut out to size to decorate a business card holder

After gluing the panels on, I put all 70 business cards inside the holder, then wrapped the belly band around the centre. I creased all four edges using my bone folder, then trimmed it in the centre and glued the ends loosely together.

The front of a business card holder made from mint green cardstock and decorated with white spotty card used to hold 70 business cards

As a finishing touch, I die cut a circle out of mint cardstock and a smaller one out of white cardstock and glued them onto the belly band. I then printed and cut out my logo and glued this to the centre.

I love that it perfectly compliments my business card display box, and my cards were kept safe and neatly presented at the event 🥰

What do you think? Will you be giving this project a try?

Happy crafting!
Suzanne

Small Business

#SBS Winners Event 2025

3rd Mar 202518th Mar 2025 EsselleCraftsLeave a comment

Back in June 2020, I became a #SBS official winner over on Twitter after entering Small Business Sunday! This is a weekly initiative, set up by Theo Paphitis in 2010, which now has over 4,000 #SBS winners and supports small businesses here in the UK. 2025 sees the 15th anniversary of #SBS Small Business Sunday, since Theo launched it in October 2010.

Small Business Sunday official winners badge awarded to Esselle Crafts

I’d entered several times before, with no joy, and so I changed my pitch slightly and was thrilled to find out the following evening that I was one of six small businesses to gain a repost by Theo to his half a million Twitter followers!

A tweet from Theo Paphitis welcoming Esselle Crafts and five other small businesses as his Small Business Sunday winners

It’s incredible to have support from Theo because he’s recognised all of my hard work and has helped spread the word about what I do to his following. I was so thrilled I created this box card ‘award’ to celebrate my achievement! 🎉

A 3D paper craft box card made in the style of an award with stars popping out of it to celebrate Esselle Crafts winning SBS

Part of being a #sbswinner means that you are invited to attend the #SBSwinners event each year in Birmingham. For many reasons I was unable to attend until this year and, oh my goodness, it was amazing!

A view towards the stage at the SBS event 2025 inside the Birmingham ICC

I got to meet and network with lots of other winners, had opportunities to hear from businesses such as Google and Natwest on how to grow in business and got to hear from Theo Paphitis who spoke on stage. He is thrilled to welcome new #SBS members every week and highlight just how important it is to support small businesses here in the UK. His vision is that everyone who has ever won a #SBS re-tweet from him becomes part of a friendly club; like-minded individuals who can share successes and learnings.

A view of Theo Paphitis on the stage at the SBS event 2025 inside the Birmingham ICC

At the end of the event I collected my certificate and queued up to meet Theo and have a photograph taken with him. Such a proud moment!

Suzanne from Esselle Crafts receiving her SBS winners certificate from Theo Paphitis at the SBS event in Birmingham 2025

Anyone looking for a small business boost from Theo should post to him on X, LinkedIn or Instagram about their business on Sundays between 5pm and 7.30pm and include the hashtag #SBS. Six lucky businesses are chosen every Monday at 8pm and then invited to enter their profile on the #SBS website, attend the annual #SBS networking event and take advantage of the networking opportunities made available.

Absolutely can’t wait until next year to do it all again!

Suzanne

3D Papercraft Projects · Favour Boxes · Halloween Party · St.Patrick's Day · Teapot Favour Boxes

Pot of Gold / Cauldron Teapot Box

1st Mar 20252nd Mar 2025 EsselleCraftsLeave a comment

It’s time for another teapot favour box design and, although we’re nowhere near Halloween, I’ve created this one in the form of a witch’s cauldron!

An impressive black papercraft teapot gift box in the shape of a witch cauldron surrounded by gold chocolate coins.

But then, with St. Patrick’s Day on the horizon, I thought it would also work well as a lucky pot of gold!

A green papercraft teapot gift box in the shape of a St Patricks Day pot of gold surrounded by gold chocolate coins. One gold coin is being placed inside the top of the box.

The templates to make this favour box come in both SVG and PDF format, making them accessible for a variety of crafting needs.

A black papercraft teapot gift box in the shape of a witch cauldron and a smaller green teapot gift box in the shape of a St Patricks Day pot of gold with a few gold chocolate coins in front.

To make one, you will need:

* Cauldron Teapot Box template (SVG and PDF available)
* Computer and printer to print the PDF templates and instructions
* Digital cutting machine
* Double-sided cardstock (220-250gsm / 80-92lb recommended)
* Craft glue / double-sided tape

If you are not using a cutting machine you will also need:
* Craft knife / scissors
* Scoring tool
* Ruler

Watch my video tutorial showing how to assemble the box, and be sure to follow the tips below:

TIP 1 : When attaching the side handle, make sure that it is lined up in the centre.

A green papercraft gift box in the shape of a St Patricks Day pot of gold, showing how to attach the side handle.

TIP 2 : Once the lid is assembled, apply a small dot of glue to the centre (underneath) to help hold its position.

A green papercraft gift box in the shape of a St Patricks Day pot of gold, showing how to secure the hexagonal lid.

TIP 3 : Push the assembled triangular foot through the outside (textured side) of the circular foot holder, then glue the three tabs down to secure it in place.

A papercraft gift box in the shape of a cauldron, showing how to assemble the feet.

There are many different ways that you can style your little pot of gold / cauldron boxes. Here are some examples:

A green papercraft teapot gift box in the shape of a St Patricks Day pot of gold, showing eight variations of how to style it.

Once assembled, your little pot of gold / cauldron teapot box will hold a range of delicious treats, making it the perfect gift box for St Patrick’s Day celebrations or for spooky Halloween surprises!

A green papercraft teapot gift box in the shape of a St Patricks Day pot of gold. The lid is off, showing the box is filled with gold chocolate coins.

What will you fill your little boxes with? Let me know in the comments below!

Two papercraft teapot gift boxes in the shape of a St Patricks Day pot of gold and a Halloween cauldron with chocolate gold coins at the front.

Happy crafting!
Suzanne

Papercraft Projects · Upcycling Projects · Valentine's Day

DIY Woven Paper Heart

18th Jan 202518th Jan 2025 EsselleCraftsLeave a comment

In this tutorial, you will discover how to turn an old envelope, or some scraps of paper, into a gorgeous woven paper heart! Perfect for Valentine’s Day, they are easy to make, and would look adorable attached to a card or gift for that special someone in your life!

To make a paper heart, you will need:

* coloured paper (a different colour on each side works best for this) 80-90gsm recommended
* scissors / craft knife
* pencil
* ruler

You can watch my video tutorial to see me making one of these hearts, or follow the written instructions below:

First, you will need to cut out four strips of paper, each one measuring 17cm x 1cm / 6.7″ x 0.4″. I’m reusing an old envelope for mine.

Take one of the strips and fold it in half to make a crease. Open it out again and fold one end backwards to make an L shape, aligning the edge along the middle crease (see first example pictured below).

Fold the other end forwards and align it along the middle crease (see second example below). Press down firmly.

Fold the left hand end upwards, keeping it in front (see third example above) and the right hand end upwards, keeping it behind (see fourth example above). Make sure the long edges are neatly aligned, and press down firmly.

Repeat with the other three strips of paper.

Next, interlock two of the pieces, making sure that one of them is back to front (showing a different colour, if you have one).

Then do the same with the other two pieces.

Fold the top (gold) strip down over itself.

Then fold the second (white) strip to the right so that it runs parallel to the previous one you folded, and tuck it behind the the next (white) strip.

Cut the (white) folded strip as shown below and tuck it backwards under the (white) square beneath it.

Cut the end off the (gold) strip, then fold the last (white) strip over it to the left. Tuck this neatly behind the middle (white) strip.

Fold the middle (white) strip back, trim off the excess and tuck it backwards under the (white) square beneath it.

Repeat the process with the other side. I recommend turning the heart over so that you are working on the back of it.

And here is the finished heart! All of the ends should be neatly tucked in and held in place, so there is no need for any glue.

Will you have a go at making one of these adorable paper hearts? If so, what colours will you choose?

Happy crafting! ❤️
Suzanne

3D Papercraft Projects · Favour Boxes · Valentine's Day

Heart Favour Box

15th Jan 202515th Jan 2025 EsselleCraftsLeave a comment

This adorable little heart favour box has an envelope-style lid and can be filled to the brim with sweets or small treats. Easy to assemble, it is perfect for Valentine’s Day, wedding table favours, bridal showers and so much more!

Paper Craft Heart Favour Box for Valentine's Day

Complete with a heart and a cute paper bow, the templates for this box come in both SVG and PDF format, making them accessible for a variety of crafting needs.

To make one, you will need:

* Heart Favour Box template (SVG and PDF available)
* Computer and printer to print the PDF template and instructions
* Digital cutting machine
* Double-sided cardstock / patterned card (220-250gsm / 80-92lb recommended)
* Lighter, double-sided card or paper for the bow (160-220gsm / 60-80lb recommended)
* Craft glue / double-sided tape

If you are not using a cutting machine you will also need:

* Craft knife / scissors
* Scoring tool
* Ruler

Watch my video tutorial showing how to assemble the box, and be sure to follow the tips below:

TIP 1 : Start by assembling the base of the box, then move onto the lid.

TIP 2 : Use foam pads or small scraps of cardstock for added dimension under the heart and square panel.

TIP 3 : Before assembling the paper bow, loop both ends of the curved piece around a pencil or use a bone folder. This will make it easier to get it into the correct shape.

Once the box is finished, it’s ready to be filled with little treats and given to that special someone in your life!

The box can easily be customized for any occasion, so try experimenting with different colour combinations or themes. I really like how this black and pink version turned out ❤️

Which colour combination or theme will you choose?

Happy crafting!
Suzanne

3D Papercraft Projects · Upcycling Projects · Valentine's Day

DIY Upcycled Love Heart Gift Box

12th Jan 202513th Jan 2025 EsselleCraftsLeave a comment

Welcome to another upcycling project! This time I am going to show you how to turn an empty cheese triangle box into a super cute love heart gift box, perfect for Valentine’s Day! ❤️

Upcycled Love Heart Gift Box for Valentine's Day

You can include your own personal message inside, then fill the box with chocolates or other small treats and present it to that special someone in your life! ❤️

To make one of these boxes, you will need:

an empty cheese triangle box
pencil
paper
scissors
craft knife
sandpaper
white acrylic paint
pastel acrylic paints
paintbrushes
lilac or pale purple Sharpie
gloss varnish (optional)
craft glue
thin ribbon

You can watch my video tutorial to see me making one of these boxes, or simply follow the written instructions below:

First, fold a 7.6cm x 7.6cm / 3″ x 3″ piece of paper in half and draw half a heart shape onto it (I used a square Post-it note for mine). Cut this template out and draw around it onto the lid of the cheese triangle box. Cut the heart shape out carefully using a craft knife.

Using sandpaper, smooth any rough edges from where you have just cut. Then cover the lid, base and the cut out heart shape in two layers of white acrylic paint.

Once dry, paint the pieces in a light, pastel colour.

Next, using the Sharpie (a lilac or pale purple works well for this), colour around the outline of the heart shape on the lid approximately 2-3mm thick. Then, using a pencil, sketch your personal message onto the heart and colour over it with the Sharpie.

TIP : Leave it to dry, then apply a thin coat of clear acrylic gloss varnish to the painted pieces.

You really don’t have to be neat when doing the lettering as on the actual Love Heart sweets the purple is quite blotchy.

Glue the heart into the centre of the base, carefully lining it up so that it is visible when the lid is on.

Next, take some thin ribbon (or a thin strip of paper) and glue it around the middle of the base as shown below. This helps to neaten up the edges.

Press some tissue paper into the base and fill it with treats!

When the treats are taken out and the tissue paper is removed, your special personal message is revealed!

I really hope you enjoyed this cute Valentine’s Day upcycling project! ❤️ Once you’ve finished with the box, why not try popping a photograph inside it and hanging it on the wall as a photo frame

How to Make an Upcycled Love Heart Gift Box for Valentine's Day

Happy crafting and happy upcycling!
Suzanne

3D Papercraft Projects · Christmas Papercraft · Upcycling Projects

Upcycled Greeting Cards: Winter Tree Box Card

7th Dec 202418th Feb 2025 EsselleCraftsLeave a comment

As you know, I’ve been saving used Christmas cards for quite a few years now, and a lot of the older ones have elements on them that can’t be recycled, like glitter. So here’s another fun idea for upcycling some used Christmas cards – a winter tree box card!

Upcycled Winter Tree Box Card by Esselle Crafts

All of the elements, including the main box card itself, were made from upcycled Christmas cards. I used my Cricut Explore to cut the box card out, together with a simple tree template, then cut the remaining pieces out by hand.

The four decorative panels came from the front of a large Christmas card. There were lots of embellishments stuck to it with foam pads, so I tried to save as much of the lovely little tree pattern as I could.

The larger trees started life as a picture of a red squirrel! Hard to believe, I know, but here is the card as I was cutting them out using the tree template.

The reddish-brown colours are so rich and earthy, and the little sprinkling of snow makes them perfect for this winter card.

With the scraps of card that I had leftover, I cut some little tree shapes out using a craft punch, then glued them around the base of the box card.

I glued a white panel to the back of the box card, and left it blank, so that it could be used for a handwritten message.

Here is a view of the back, where you can see some of the handwriting from the original Christmas card. I chose to leave it like this to show that it is upcycled and totally unique!

I took the gold ‘best wishes’ lettering from another Christmas card, which I first had to soak in warm water to remove it. Then I punched a scalloped oval out of another card, inked around the edges with vintage brown ink and glued the gold lettering on.

I am really pleased with how this box card has turned out; 100% upcycled and 100% unique! Will you try something like this?

Happy crafting!
Suzanne