Love where you live. Sign up for our newsletter

How to: Create Typographic Holiday Gift Toppers with a Shoe Box

by on Dec 5, 2014

Brittni Mehlhoff

Looking for a super easy holiday DIY to tackle over the weekend? Try these typographic gift toppers made from the cardboard scraps of a shoe box.   

If you can cut out cardboard, you can recreate this project. All you need are a few supplies.

Here’s how the finished project turned out…

A small package is tied with thin twine and has a green E on it.Brittni Mehlhoff

Ready to get started? Here’s the tutorial for these glittery holiday gift toppers…

Glue, paint, a pencil and an exacto knife sit on top of a shoebox.Brittni Mehlhoff

Supplies:

  • Recycled (thin) cardboard from a shoe box or cereal box
  • Glue
  • Glitter
  • Hole Punch (optional)
  • Paint Brush (optional)
  • Xacto Knife or Scissors
  • Pencil

"Purple color pencil on the red cover."Brittni Mehlhoff

How To:

1. Cut a large piece of cardboard from a shoe box or cereal box. Then, draw out the first letter of the first name of everyone on your gift list this year. You can do last name’s instead, if you prefer.

Three letters cut out of a shoebox.Brittni Mehlhoff

2. Cut out the letters with an Xacto knife or pair of scissors.

Cardboard alphabets on red color paper applied glue with paint brush.Brittni Mehlhoff

3. Then, coat each letter in a thin layer of glue. Use a paint brush to apply the glue evenly if needed.

Alphabetical cardboard pieces glued and spread with paint brush.Brittni Mehlhoff

4. Next, pour glitter over each letter, individually, until covered. *Make sure to do this over another surface (like an extra piece of cardboard) to keep the glitter mess to a minimum. 

Large cut-out letters m, w, and e rest on a red mat.Brittni Mehlhoff

5. Once dry, repeat steps 3 and 4 on the other side.

Colorful cardboard alphabetical hangings with rope on red paper.Brittni Mehlhoff

6. Wait for the glue to dry again, then shake off remaining glitter. Punch a hole in the top of each letter and add a string. Tie to a gift and you’re done.

This gift toppers also doubles as an ornament once the present is unwrapped.

Gift boxes tied with treads and topped with glitter paper letters.Brittni Mehlhoff

Typographic holiday gift toppers made out of a shoebox and tied together with a thin string.Brittni Mehlhoff

Have any other DIY ideas for how to use old shoe boxes during the holidays? Leave a comment below with your ideas.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *