Presto Bento Box-O!

This project really is a game changer. There are tons of upcycling and re-engineering tutorials on the web, but this finished project looks stylish, and modern, and doesn't resemble it's parent product at all. Plus - it's useful (the uses are endless), easy to make, and it gets people talking and thinking about re-engineering and the products they purchase.

Before we start: I use the word "bento" because the finished product is simple, elegant and it's a container, but we need to talk about food safety before we begin. If the container you're converting, stored food in it (like a milk, juice, or water jug), then after you transform it, you can store food in it because it is food grade plastic. If the container you're transforming, stored non-food items (like laundry detergent or paper), it's best to keep the final uses to store non-food items like pencil crayons, or craft items. I've transformed Sunny D juice jugs into sandwich lunch bentos for example.

Supplies you'll need for this project:

• Empty plastic squarish-shaped jugs, for this tutorial, I'm photographing the transformation of laundry detergent containers into gift boxes.
• Painter's or masking tape
• Ruler
• Pen (I'm using a felt marker for visibility during photographing)
• Craft scissors
• Craft punch (I use a Crop-a-dial)
• Snap setter or snap pliers (I use a Kam Snap Table Press)
• Snap sets (I use Kam Snaps)

Prepare your container:

• ​Put the lid in the recycle bin.
• Use scissors to cut the outer plastic label off, or if the outer labels are glued on, soak them in hot water, and rub off the labels. You can use fingernail polish remover to remove any glue residue.
• Clean and dry the container well.
• Cut the top portion off as high as possible. The cuts don't need to be smooth and even, we'll even them out later.

• Apply masking tape down the length of all four corners.
• Using a ruler, measure from the bottom of the box, and mark with a dot the same distance on all corners. I've decided that I want my box to be three inches deep, so I've marker the three inch mark on every corner.
• Using scissors, cut each corner, starting at the top, and cutting down to the mark you made.
• Using a ruler, make marks on each side of the cuts you just made (your marks should be at the top of your box as shown), I've made my marks .25" on each side of my cuts, this distance determines how tapered your box flaps will be. 

• Taper your box flaps by cutting down from the marks you just made, to the mark where your flaps start. Repeat for all corners. See photos above, clicking on each photo will enlarge it.
• Remove the waste plastic from between the cuts as shown.
• Using your craft punch, make a .125" hole at the mark that denotes where the flap starts at each corner. This hole makes the flaps bend evenly and easily, and also prevents the flaps from interfering with each other, producing a nice square box.

• Remove the masking tape from the corners.
• Determine the size of your flaps by bending one flap in, you'll want the flaps to overlap enough so that the size of the overlap can fit a snap (about .75" depending on the size of your snaps).
• Apply painters tape along the top edge of all flaps.
• Measuring from the bottom of your container, draw your cut lines by measuring, and marking dots that are the same distance up from the bottom, then connecting the marks as shown.​

• Cut the tops of your flaps by following the lines you just drew, and at the same time, shape the corners by rounding them as shown. This step gets rid of the sharp corners. I'm right handed, so I find that cutting curves that curve left is easier. I'll often cut all the left curving curves with the flaps facing out, then I'll turn the container and start at each flap so the inside is facing me and cut the remaining curves.
• Remove all the masking tape.
• Fold in all for flaps to test out the box.
• This is a good time to inspect any of the cuts you made for sharp edges or barbs that could snag on clothing.

• Decide which flaps will be your outer two flaps, and put masking tape on both.
• On the outermost flap, mark a dot where you want to put your snap.
• Use the craft punch and punch the spot you just marked.
• Fold the outermost flap over the flap just underneath it, and using a pen, make a mark through the hole onto the flap underneath. This step makes sure that both parts of the snaps will line up nicely. You're essentially using the hole on the top flap as a template to mark where you'll be putting your next hole.
• Punch the hole on the second flap using the mark you just made.

• Remove the masking tape.
• Using a snap setter and a 2 part set of snaps, apply one half of each part into both holes as shown. 
• Take care to make sure that the outermost flap has the smooth cap on the outside of the flap, and that the other flap has the smooth cap on the inside of the flap.  Everybody does this step incorrectly at least once in their life, resulting in one snap facing the wrong direction, I know I have done it on more than one occaision!

• Test the closure.
• I like to use these bento boxes as gift boxes for handmade knitted facecloths. I'll also put together knitting kits for my friends that include yarn, needles, and a pattern. 
• The opacity of the box shows a hint of what's inside without revealing the details. It's so pretty and delicate looking.

This method of creating boxes can be used on rectangular shaped cartons also.
The above photos show how the flaps can be different lengths and even have more than one snap.
I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial. There are so many possibilities and combinations of flap shapes and closure methods, that I can't wait to see what variations of this project you'll make! 

Happy Crafting!
​Kelly