Create the Perfect Gift Box for the Graduate in Your Life

If you know a student who is about to graduate from high school, or even college, and you want to give them the traditional gift of money but would still like your present to stand out as unique or special, here is the perfect way to accomplish the task: create a graduation cap gift box. This craft is as cute as can be for either a boy or a girl, and it is sure to let the recipient know how proud of him or her that you are.

You will need the following supplies:

A small round cardboard box with a lid, that is not quite three inches in diameter.

A flat piece of cardboard, four inches in size.

Acrylic paint. This will be used to create the colors of your box. You can use the school colors, color scheme of the open house given for the graduate, student's favorite colors, etc.

Paintbrushes (round or flat, depending what you will be making)

Craft glue

A tassel for the top. You can use the school colors, traditional black, or any other color you would like. If the graduate is in the honors program or a sorority, you can use the color of tassel he or she will have on his graduation cap, if you so choose.

A brad to insert in the top of the square cardboard piece to hold the tassel in place.

Step One: Paint the top of your cardboard square, the outside of the round cardboard box, and the lid of the round cardboard box, in the colors of your choice. Allow to dry completely.

Step Two: Paint the bottom side of your cardboard square and allow to dry completely.

Step Three: Paint a second coat on any of the above, if needed. Allow to dry completely.

Step Four: Glue your painted cardboard square to the top of your painted cardboard box lid. Allow to dry completely.

Step Five: Carefully punch the brad through the top center of your cardboard square and the top center of your cardboard box lid. Open the brad on the bottom, inside of the lid to secure in place. If you want to be sure not to rip the cardboard in an unappealing manner, you can create a hole with a sharp object prior to putting the brad in place.

Step Six: Use your paint brushes to create stripes, polka dots, school mascots or insignias, the graduate's name, etc. on the outside of the cardboard box. Repeat the pattern all around, if you choose. You can decorate the box any way you see fit. Some ideas are to put the year on the cardboard square, or the last two numbers of the year on the cardboard square, repeat a design on the round part of the box, such as large and small polka dots, vertical striping, graduation silhouettes, dollar signs, graduation hats, textbooks, etc. Allow to dry completely.

Step Seven: Add a personal message to the inside of the box or the bottom side of the box lid. You can paint it (maybe using calligraphy letters), hand write it, or glue a typed message on a piece of pretty or coordinating paper (perhaps even cutting the paper into the shape of a graduation cap).

The money gift goes inside of the lid. You can put cash or write a check. One word of advice is to alert an adult in the home that this is a gift box. Students receive many gifts for graduation and the student may simply think you have created a nice graduation cap out of cardboard for his or her gift (and hence overlook the money inside).

Your gift is now complete and sure to be a hit. People just love these little boxes.