Make A Jumping Box: How To Cut Cardboard With Cricut

Instructions

STEP 1: GET MY FREE CARDBOARD JUMPING BOX DESIGNS

First, download my Cut Cardboard With Cricut designs from my free library – look for Design #581. Alternatively, you can use the Save This Project form near the top of this post and the design link will be emailed to you.

TIP: If you’re not sure how to upload, go to jennifermaker.com/svgs to learn how to unzip and upload SVG files.

In the download folder, there are two designs: a jumping box with a Happy Birthday sentiment and one with a Celebrate sentiment. In this tutorial, I will show you how to make the Happy Birthday design.

STEP 2: PREPARE YOUR CARDBOARD JUMPING BOX DESIGN

CRICUT DESIGN SPACE

1. Open Cricut Design Space and click “New Project.”

2. Click “Upload” and then “Upload Image.”

3. Click “Browse.”

4. Select the SVG file you want to make.

5. On the Prepare to Upload screen, it will say “Cut image” with the design preview.

6. Click “Upload.”

7. Find your design in Recent Uploads and add it to the Canvas.

8. Ungroup the design.

9. In the Layers Panel, find the first group of two layers for the box's base: the bottom is a large brown shape, the top is just lines. Select the layer with just lines. It will be colored red.

10. Use the Operation menu to change the layer to “Score.”

11. Click the layer group to select both the brown Cut layer and the Score layer, then click “Attach.”

TIP: The attached layers will jump to the top of the Layers Panel. If you want to see the layers underneath, just click the attached group and select “Arrange” and “Send to Back.”

12. Repeat Steps 9-11 to convert and attach the score lines for the second group of two layers for the box’s lid.

13. If you’d like to use different colors for any of your pieces, select the piece you want to change, then use the Color Box at the top to pick a new color.

NOTE: The brown layer is intended to be cut on cardboard. The rest of the layers can be cut on any color 65 lb. cardstock.

14. Your jumping box is ready to cut!

15. Make sure the correct machine is selected in the top right.

16. Click “Make.”

17. If prompted, click "On Mat," choose your mat size, and click “Confirm.”

18. On the Prepare Screen, you will have 8 mats if you’re using the same colors as me.

19. If needed, change the Material Size to match each paper you’re using.

20. Select the brown mat to cut the cardboard first, then click “Continue.”

CUTTING

1. On the Make Screen, click “Browse All Materials.”

2. Set the brown mat to “Chipboard (1.5 mm)” with “Default” Pressure.

NOTE: If you’re using an Explore Series machine, or if you don’t have a Knife Blade for your Maker, I’ve found that the Deep Point Blade works well using the “Corrugated Cardboard” setting with “Default” Pressure.

3. Change the score tool if you want.

4. Move the white star wheels on your machine all the way to the right.

5. Use scissors to cut your cardboard to approximately 11” wide and 12” tall.

NOTE: If you’re using the cardboard sheets from my materials list, make sure you don’t cut off more than an inch, as that could cause part of the design to get cut off. If your cardboard is a little wider than 11", that's OK -- we just want to make sure it doesn't interfere with the star wheels on the right.

6. Place it on a purple StrongGrip machine mat, aligning it with the top left.

7. Use a brayer to adhere it well.

8. Test your cardboard’s thickness to make sure your machine will cut it by sliding the machine mat with the cardboard attached under the bar on your Cricut. If it won’t fit under the bar, it’s too thick.

NOTE: The cardboard you use should be about 2mm or less in thickness. If your cardboard is thicker, use the PDF template to cut it by hand with a craft knife.

9. Secure all four edges of the cardboard with painter's tape. Place the tape no more than about ¼” over the cardboard’s edges to make it easier to remove later.

10. Cut or tear away any excess tape that extends past the left side of the mat so it doesn’t interfere with the rollers or machine guides during cutting.

11. Load the Knife Blade in Clamp B and the Scoring Stylus in Clamp A.

NOTE: If you’re using a Scoring Wheel instead, load it into the appropriate clamp when prompted.

12. Press the flashing “Load/Unload” button to load the prepared mat into your Cricut.

13. Press the flashing “Go” button to begin cutting.

14. The cutting process will take 4-5 passes. Stay with your Cricut and watch the cut.

NOTE: If you're using a Deep Point Blade, it still takes 4-5 passes to cut all the way through the cardboard. To cut another pass in the same spot, just press the "Go" button again instead of unloading your mat.

15. After 4 passes, press the “Pause” button to check if it has cut all the way through. If not, press the “Go” button to keep going.

16. When it has finished cutting, press the “Load/Unload” button to unload the mat, remove the painter’s tape, flip your mat over, and pull the mat away from the cardboard.

17. To cut the rest of your 65 lb. cardstock pieces, use the “Medium Cardstock - 80 lb (216 gsm)” setting with “More” Pressure in Design Space.

18. Place your cardstock face up on a StandardGrip machine mat and use a brayer to make sure it’s fully adhered.

19. Remove the Knife Blade from the clamp, and move the four star wheels back into place.

20. Check that your Fine-Point Blade is clean, and insert it into the clamp.

21. Press the flashing “Load/Unload” button to load the prepared mat into your Cricut.

22. Press the flashing “Go” button to begin cutting.

TIP: Before unloading the mat, gently lift a corner of the paper to make sure the cuts went all the way through. If not, press the “Go” button again to make a second cut pass in the same spot.

23. When it has finished cutting, unload the mat, flip it over onto your work surface, and roll it back to release the paper.

TIP: Be careful when removing intricate pieces. Use a spatula to carefully remove any intricate parts and a weeding tool to pop out any small pieces. If you have trouble with any of your cuts, check out my Cricut Tips & Tricks for Cleaner Cuts.

24. Follow steps 17-23 to cut and remove your remaining cardstock pieces.

TIP: Save the confetti cutout pieces from the colored panels instead of throwing them away. You can use them as confetti inside your assembled box later!

25. Place your pieces face up on your work surface. Here are what my cut pieces look like.

STEP 3: ASSEMBLE YOUR CARDBOARD JUMPING BOX

Cut the Elastic Slits and Attach the First Set of Accent Panels

1. Remove any excess painter’s tape from your box base and use a craft knife and self-healing cutting mat to cut away any stuck pieces of cardboard.

2. Fold the cardboard flaps back and forth at their creases several times so they move easily.

3. Place the cardboard score-side-up on a self-healing mat.

4. Use a craft knife to carefully cut through the ¼” score lines in each flap to create eight slits.

5. Pick up the cardboard and poke your weeding tool through one end of one of the slits.

CAUTION: Keep your fingers out of the way in the back.

6. Then use the weeding tool to poke through the other end of the slit.

7. Drag the weeding tool between the holes to complete the slit.

8. Repeat steps 5-7 on the other seven slits.

9. Place the cardboard on your work surface.

10. Find four of the different-colored confetti panels.

11. Lay one on top of each flap in whatever order you like. Then mark what color is on each panel with a pen or pencil (you won’t see these marks after the box is assembled).

12. Cut a piece of colored masking tape or washi tape the length of one side of a box flap in a color that matches one of the panels.

13. Apply the tape to the edge of that flap, wrapping it around to the other side and pressing down to adhere it evenly on both sides of the flap.

NOTE: If there’s any excess tape, just cut it off with scissors.

14. Repeat steps 12-13 with the other two sides of the flap, covering all three edges with washi tape.

15. Cut another piece of washi tape in the same color, and adhere it over the crease.

16. Firmly press the tape into the crease with your fingertip.

17. Repeat steps 15-16 for the crease on the back.

18. Test the flap by bending it back and forth. It should move freely.

19. Repeat steps 12-18 to add masking tape or washi tape to the edges and both creases of the other three box flaps, matching the tape color to the confetti panels.

20. Add craft glue to one of the flaps, over the brown cardboard and the washi tape, avoiding the slits.

21. Grab four of the white square panels and four of the colored confetti panels. Place a white square on the glue-covered flap and press down to adhere it.

NOTE: The white and confetti panels are not perfectly square, so align them to the flaps to make sure they’re oriented correctly.

22. Fold the flap up and adjust the placement of the white panel, if needed, so it doesn’t interfere with the crease and the flap can move easily.

23. Repeat steps 20-22 on the other three flaps.

24. Put a thin line of glue around the back edge of one colored confetti panel, then a few lines or dots in between the cutouts.

25. Place it glue side down on the flap with the matching colored tape, then immediately fold the flap up to make sure the bottom edge doesn’t interfere with the crease. Adjust the placement if needed before the glue dries.

26. Smooth the cardstock down with your fingers.

27. Repeat steps 24-26 on the other three panels.

28. Find one of the solid colored squares without any confetti cutouts (mine is yellow) and apply glue to one side.

29. Press it down into place in the very center of your cardboard.

30. Before the glue dries, lift up the four flaps into a box shape to make sure the center square is perfectly centered and doesn’t interfere with the flaps moving.

31. Turn the box over on the self-healing mat so the colorful panels are facing down.

32. Using a craft knife, carefully follow the cut of one slit so it goes through the two new layers of cardstock on the other side.

33. Flip it over and you should see a cut or score of the slit on the cardstock.

34. Use the craft knife to carefully cut along this line so the slit goes all the way through both layers of cardstock.

35. Repeat steps 32-34 for the other seven slits.

Attach the Elastic Bands

1. Cut four pieces of elastic, each about 8” long.

2. Use your tweezers to push one end of an elastic piece through one of the slits, then use your fingers to pull it through so about 1” shows on the other side.

3. Use your tweezers to push a second piece of elastic through the slit next to it on the same panel.

4. Plug in and heat up your hot glue gun. Put on hot glue finger caps.

5. Apply a line of hot glue onto the cardboard under where the end of an elastic piece lies.

6. Press the elastic down onto the glue to adhere it to the cardboard.

7. Repeat steps 5-6 to glue the other elastic end in place.

8. Pull the other end of one elastic through the slit on the opposite flap across from it.

9. Use your tweezers to push it through the slit, then pull it through the other side with your fingers.

10. Repeat steps 8-9 with the other elastic piece, creating two parallel lines of elastic across the box base.

11. With both flaps pointing straight up and parallel to each other, pull the elastic pieces through the slits from the back to make them taut.

TIP: Pull the elastic so it’s tight but not so much that the box flaps fold inward. Keep the flaps perpendicular to your work surface and the elastic taut.

12. Put your hot glue finger caps on and glue the first inch of each elastic end down, one at a time. Try not to move the flaps. After the glue is dry, cut off the excess elastic.

13. Repeat steps 2-12 with the other two elastics connecting the other two flaps.

IMPORTANT: After the second two elastic pieces are glued to one panel, weave their loose ends through the first two pieces like you’re weaving a basket (one will go over then under the first pieces, and the other will go under then over).

Assemble the Lid

1. On the cardstock lid piece, fold along the score lines and crease them with the scraper.

2. Fold the sides into place.

3. Apply craft glue to the outside of a flap.

4. Using your fingers, pinch the flap and the side of the lid together to adhere them.

5. Repeat steps 3-4 with the other flaps and sides.

6. Once the lid is completely dry, put it on the box and test the jumping box function. If it doesn’t jump open, make adjustments to the elastic tension as needed.

NOTE: Don’t worry if it doesn’t land face up, we’ll fix that later.

7. Take the cardstock square with the small slot in the middle and apply craft glue to one side, avoiding the slot.

8. Adhere the piece to the top of the lid. Make sure the slots are aligned and press down on both sides so it’s adhered well.

9. Apply craft glue to the back of the square piece with balloon cutouts, avoiding the cutouts.

10. Adhere it to the top of the lid, on top of the layer you just attached.

TIP: Be sure to glue down any smaller bits, like the cardstock between the balloons and around the ribbons.

11. Use your fingers to press the layers together on both sides to adhere them well.

Attach the Second Set of Accent Panels

1. Fold the box so the plain cardboard is on the outside.

2. Apply a generous amount of craft glue to one side of the box, including on top of the elastic, then adhere one of the remaining white panel squares to it.

NOTE: Make sure not to position the white square too close to the crease, so the flap can still freely bend both ways.

3. Use your fingers to press down all over the square to really adhere it well to the cardboard and elastics.

4. Repeat steps 2-3 for the other three white squares.

5. Follow the same directions to add the colored confetti squares to each of their corresponding panels (the panel color should match the tape color on the box flap).

6. Apply craft glue to one side of the other solid square, and attach it to the middle that still has cardboard exposed.

TIP: Fold up the box sides before it dries to make sure it's perfectly centered and doesn't interfere with the flaps moving.

Assemble the "Happy Birthday" Sentiment

1. Apply craft glue to the back of one orange “birthday” piece, avoiding the cutouts in the letters. (The letters will be backward on the back side.)

2. Attach it on top of a “birthday” section on the yellow layer.

3. Repeat steps 1-2 with the other orange “birthday” piece, layering it on top of the other yellow “birthday” section.

4. Fold and crease along the dashed lines on the assembled “birthday” piece, so the word reads correctly from the outside.

5. Get the twelve balloon pieces and place them in the correct spots on the white “happy” piece.

TIP: Refer to your Cricut Design Space screen for help with placement.

6. Apply craft glue to the back of each balloon piece and press them into place.

TIP: Tweezers can help with placing small pieces.

7. Apply craft glue to the back of one of the blue “happy” pieces, avoiding the cutouts, then adhere it to a white “happy” section.

8. Repeat step 7 with the other blue “happy” piece, layering it on top of the other white “happy” section.

9. Fold and crease along the dashed lines on the assembled “happy” piece, so the word reads correctly from the outside.

10. Apply craft glue along the bottom of the assembled “happy” piece.

11. Insert it into the middle of the assembled “birthday” piece.

12. Press down to adhere the glue.

TIP: Unfold the “happy” and “birthday” pieces so you can really press them together, then fold them back into place.

13. Place your assembled box on your work surface with the center panel face up and elastic face down inside.

14. Apply glue to the bottom of the assembled “happy birthday” sentiment.

15. Press it down diagonally onto the middle square of the box. Make sure it’s centered and the edges of the balloons and confetti pieces don’t get bent when the box sides are folded up.

VARIATION: “Celebrate!” Sentiment

1. Lay the white base piece down on your work surface.

2. Apply craft glue to the back of one blue piece, avoiding the cutouts and the backs of the star areas.

3. Align the blue piece over the white base piece, then press down to adhere.

4. Without picking up the white base piece, repeat steps 1-3, attaching the other blue piece to the white piece.

5. Apply glue to the back of a star piece and adhere it to one of the blank blue or white star areas.

NOTE: There are eight smaller stars and eight larger stars.

6. Repeat step 5 for the remaining stars.

TIP: Use tweezers for easier placement.

7. Once the glue is dry, fold along the dashed lines, using your scraper for sharp creases.

8. Apply glue to the bottom of the assembled sentiment piece.

9. Place the sentiment piece diagonally across the top of the box, then press down to adhere while the glue dries.

Add the Finishing Touches

1. Cut a piece of elastic about 5” long.

2. Fold the elastic over into a loop, matching up the ends.

3. Insert the ends through the slot on the top of the lid piece.

4. Pull the elastic ends through about 1”.

5. Put on your hot glue finger caps.

6. Use hot glue to secure the ends of the elastic into place on the underside of the lid, opposite from one another.

7. Grab eight washers.

NOTE: If you don't want the washers to be visible, you add them under the cardstock.

8. With the box on your work surface with the sentiment face out, and your finger caps still on, apply hot glue to a washer and attach it to the inside bottom corner of a panel.

TIP: If there’s a flatter side of the washer, apply the glue to that side for a smoother attachment.

9. Hot glue one more washer on the other bottom corner of the same box panel.

10. Repeat steps 8-9 to add two washers to each of the other three box panels.

11. Once they’re dry, turn the box right side out, pulling the elastic tight, and add the lid to keep it shut.

STEP 4: SHOW IT OFF!

Here is what my finished cardboard jumping box looks like!

Now you can surprise a friend or family member with a fun personalized box you made. To open it, just pull the lid straight upward quickly using the elastic loop. You can even add confetti inside before closing the box.

To store your box, put it in a larger box or container with the sentiment showing and the lid off so the elastic doesn’t get too stretched out.