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"I do believe in an everyday sort of magic...the inexplicable connectedness we sometimes experience with places, people, works of art and the like; the eerie appropriateness of moments of synchronicity; the whispered voice, the hidden presence, when we think we're alone." Charles de Lint

Thursday, September 18, 2025

Revisiting Boxes

There are several things on my mind to write about...but as a follow-up to yesterday's post I'm going to revisit just some of my origami box making over the years. 

I learned how to make them from Dave...Paul's dad...who used to make a Christmas box for everyone in the family from an old Christmas card. He would insert his funny money.....like a $2 bill, the U.S. State quarter series, or a Susan B. Anthony dollar. I saved my funny money for years...but then I started using it for treats and giving it away. Just last month I let Aras pick several coins from the jar. 

I tell that story about Dave's boxes in this post where I also shared where I nested a set of 20 boxes for a friend. 

These boxes were made from random papers...but I've made several nesting sets where there was a theme and/or the papers all coordinated. 

These nested Santa boxes were a present for Jane...and the last one contained a tiny santa hat. Jane used to make and collects Santas. (Not a great photo)

This was a fun post  about some nesting boxes I had given to my sister Marilyn who had gifted them back to me years later full of birthday treats.

These boxes were quite sentimental.....I wrote about them here: https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2018/01/simple-little-boxes.html

While Margie was still living in Colorado after Dave had died....I wanted to contribute to Colorado family Christmas one year honoring both Dave and Margie.

Dave taught me how to make the boxes...and I made them out of Margie's coloring pages. There was one for everybody.
You can read about these sweet little nesting Christmas tree box sets my friend Anita made in this post. I helped with the idea...and she just ran with it for a family Christmas.


I could go on and on...but you get the idea. I've folded hundreds and hundreds of boxes over the years.

Any art you have...can be folded into a box. What a beautiful and personal way to give a gift.

There are lots of instructions online...and I'm happy to help with a search if someone is interested. Or I can post the steps that I use. I love revisiting my boxes...and Dave's original funny money Christmas boxes.

6 comments:

  1. MaryAnn, you certainly checked off all the boxes with this post! FABULOUS!

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  2. I have really enjoyed seeing all of these handmade boxes, MaryAnn, and reading the stories that go with them. Someday I'd like to make one, but meanwhile, I love your ideas and photos! Judy

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    1. Thanks Judy! So many uses for these boxes...especially because you can make them to fit.

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  3. Hellooooooooo Mary Ann from Mary across the pond, I have loved reading glimpses into your world - your blog is perfect for inspiration and comfort in this crazy world of ours and I’d love to see your template for making those boxes - so many ideas!

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    1. Hello Mary!!! Thank you for your kind words. Always nice to hear from you. Thank you for continuing to follow along! I will do a post about how I make the boxes in the next few days. And I'll look for some online directions. My only directions are in my head from my father-in-law.

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