Origami boxes are elegant and easy to get the hang of.
Make shallow, covered gift boxes out of squared-off stiff
magazine covers (or any other stiff paper you like)...
Fold all four corners to the center point of the
square. Now fold two opposing sides to the center
line and open them back up; then fold the other two opposing
sides to the center and open them back up... When you push
the sides together, you just fold in the corners on opposite
sides to make an open box - now just glue the corner folds
down, and it stands alone. Next make a lid for each box,
using a square that’s 1/4" inch larger than the one
you used for the bottom. (For a guide: an 81/2" square
of paper folds up into a 3"-square box.)
Want a neater box?... Once you’ve folded the corners,
then the sides: Open the now-6" square out flat in
front of you. On opposing sides (let’s say, the ones to
your right and left), cut through the 2 layers of paper 1
1/2" along the lines that are just to the inside of the
little corner boxes created by the folds - stopping at the
intersection of the long inside folds that delineate the
other edge of the little corner boxes (see? - are you
practicing on a piece of scratch paper?).
Now completely open up those now-shortened sides - and
fold up the still-long sides, folding the corners in... Then
fold those opened-out side pieces over the corner
bits that are now bent in to help bolster the
"short" sides. ...No glue needed on the sides at
all! (though you might want to lightly glue down the
triangular flaps that stabilize the inside bottom of the
box).
