Card Tote and Cards Template and Tutorial

Hi Friends! I finally got a few gift set projects done! These card tote projects fit three to five cards depending on the size you decid to cut the templates (posted below). You can resize them to create different size totes. Two of the boxes measure 4 x 5" and the smaller box measures 3.5 x 3.25" but I created 3 x 3" cards for all 3 boxes.

These are my "purpose driven projects". What is that you ask? Well, have you ever wanted to create projects with a purpose in mind, whether it's to sell them and make money, to give them to friends and family, or to donate them to a worthy cause? Well, a few weeks ago, I had called my church and asked them if they were willing to accept my crafty project as donations. They didn't call back for a while because they probably weren't sure what to do with them. LOL! They finally called back last week letting me know that they could find use for them and will gladly accept them. I suggested maybe giving them as a "just because" gift to someone during bible study or to someone who needs a lift and to the kids that attend the services. It really doesn't matter what they are going to do with them . . .I was just happy that they are willing to accept my donation.

The lovely part of it all is that it's an on-going donation. . .so when I make enough of them, I have permission to drop them of at any time! Yipee! It feels wonderful to be creating with a purpose. For sometime now, I've been losing interest in my crafting because other than giving my projects to friends and family or to my crafting friends, well. . .I wanted to do something more with them. Now that I know my craft projects will go to a good cause, I am so excited to be crafting and creating all kinds of projects; therefore, it's not purely altruistic. I benefit from it too. . .:)


I have good news. . .I figured out how to create outline templates for those who don't have a SCAL2 program for the their Cricut. For the longest time, I could not figure out how to create the score lines on a template. Today, I had a blessing by God. . .I learned how to do it and it was so amazingly easy! I knew it had to be a blessing. I think God knew I wanted to share my templates so I think God made it easy for me to learn it.

I think blessings come in many forms. . .but you have to recognize them as such. Sometimes we go through life not realizing that God blesses us with many loving gestures. We sometimes say we're lucky. . .but when you see it in a different light, you'll come to realize that they are God's blessings and you'll see how blessed you are.


Here are the 3x3" cards I created for my card totes. It's very simple designs because I want to be able to make a lot of them so I'm trying to not make them so elaborate. I'd like to drop off a bunch of gift sets and projects to my church at the end of the week so I really need to hustle! LOL!

Anyway. . .basically, I cut the box using the template below. I uploaded the template on to my Sure Cuts A Lot 2 program and cut the tote shape with my Cricut Expression. You're probably wondering why I don't create SVG files and instead create jpeg files. .. well, Blogger won't allow me to upload SVG files. I did try to create it as a SVG file and uploaded it to a site that allows SVG file uploads but when I tested it out, it didn't download as an SVG file so I wasn't able to upload the file to my SCAL2 program. I need to play around with it a bit. I'll let you know when I figure it out. In the meantime, you will need to convert the jpeg file into an SVG file yourself if you don't have the SCAL2 program.

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Card Tote Tutorial

To create a 3.25 x 3.5" tote, you will need to adjust the "width" to 5.5" and be sure to "keep the proportion". Save the file to your computer by clicking on the photo and right click your mouse and "save image". When uploading on to your SCAL2 program, click on the "auto trace" feature.

Sure Cuts A Lot 2 Template

For those who don't have SCAL2 program and want to hand cut the template, click on the photo and follow the steps as I described with SCAL2 template above. When adjusting the size when printing, you will need to "resize" the image on your photo editor to create different sized totes. Be sure to always "keep the proportion" when resizing. Right now, I believe it will print to create a 4x5" tote.

Hand Cut Template

If you do use the templates, can you just credit my blog. I'm sharing the files in good faith. Let me know if try out my templates, if it sucks or it worked well for you. Any constructive criticism is helpful if there's something that need to be adjusted.

Cut the template either with your Cricut machine or hand cutting the template. Score the cut shape as shown in the photo or use the hand cut template as a scoring guide. Fold at the score line as shown in the photo

Apply double stick tape to the edge of one of the flaps on both the left and right side.

Adhere the flaps together as shown in the photo

To create the handle, cut a strip of card stock or designer paper with the length being 12". The width will be dependent on the size of your box. When cutting the handle, cut it about 1/4" less than the depth of the box. (Measure the side of the box to determine the depth). Attach the handle on the inside of the box using double stick tape or glue.

Create cards (size depends on the size of your box).

That's it! Very simple!!

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend!!

Card/Project Details:

Papers: DCWV designer paper, SU Cool Caribbean
Accessories: Brads, Cricut Expression, Prima Flowers, Word Window Punch, Scribbles Iridescent Paint