Desktop Box with Notecards
By LeNae Gerig

A simple and personal gift—this note box with note cards will inspire anyone to write. Add the recipient’s name to the box for an even greater personal touch.

Supplies

• 2 1/8 yards of 3/8" wide pink/green striped satin ribbon
• 1 yard of 1/8" wide white stitches on green ribbon
• Paper Pizazz® papers: 2 sheets of 12"x12" green sponged paper (by the sheet ); light green alphabet tiles (by the sheet )
• white cardstock
• 9" x 6 1/2" x 2 1/4" white cigar box
• pink decorating chalk
• glue stick

Instructions:

1. For the box: Tear an 8 1/2" x 6" rectangle from the corner of a green sponged sheet. From the remaining paper, tear two 2"x 12" strips and one 2"x 8" strip. Center one 12" strip along the front, wrapping the ends to each side and glue in place. Continue with the other strips around the box. Glue the rectangle centered on the lid.
2. Tear a 4 3/4" x 2" strip of white cardstock and chalk the edges pink. Glue the alphabet tiles to spell “NOTES” onto the cardstock, alternating angles. Glue the cardstock centered on the lid.
3. Cut a 31/2" length of striped ribbon, knot it in the center, trim each end at an angle, then glue it centered on the top of the chalked cardstock. Cut two 20" lengths of striped ribbon. Fold and glue 1/2" of one ribbon end to the inside front of the box, 1 1/2" from the left edge. Wrap and glue the ribbon along the front, across the bottom, up the back, onto the lid, folding the other end to the lid inside. Repeat for the right side of the box. Cut the remaining striped ribbon in half. With each length, make a shoestring bow. Glue the bows as shown.
4. For the note cards: Cut three 4"x 12" strips from the remaining green sponged paper. Fold each strip in half to form a 6" x 4" card. Cut the green ribbon into three 6" lengths and three 9" lengths. Glue one 3" length onto each card front, 3/4" below the top edge. With the 9" lengths, make a shoestring bow with 1/2" loops and 3/4" tails. Trim each tail at an angle. Glue one bow to the left end of each ribbon border on the card front. Insert the note cards into the box.

Project reprinted from 102 Reasons For Ribbon by LeNae Gerig. In this book, LeNae shares ways to embellish simple home furnishings with ribbons—from trimming a pillow case to embellishing floral arrangements and making great gifts like this Desktop Box.