simple gifts: milk carton cookie houses

Every year I spend a December day baking an assortment of cookies and bars for gift giving. Packaging them up is always the most challenging part. This year I came up with a solution from my recycling bin. I had wanted to whisper my idea to you all week, but wasn''t sure if I could pull off these cookie house as nicely in reality as they were in my head.
Turns out they're super easy to make! You've got to try these... no excuses not to! Everything you need is right in your house. Milk cartons work so well for cookie transport because they're sturdy and grease proof. I originally was going to make some little baskets by just cutting off the tops and punching holes for handles, but the natural shape of each carton screams house, and then last week I saw these. I had no choice... houses it was. Covering them with brown Kraft paper transforms them into gingerbread houses waiting to be frosted- with white acrylic paint. Great project to set out for children. Cover a bunch of carton houses and set out some paints for them to add windows, doors, etc.

So here's how to make your own. The first one will take a little longer as you figure it out, but the following ones will fly together in no time.

Milk Carton Cookie Houses

Need:
clean & dry milk carton
scissors
pencil
hole punch
glue/paste
brown paper or wrapping paper
white paint
ribbons/twine
label or sticker


Make:
1. Open carton.
2. Cut all four sides down to the folds and remove.
3. Snip directly down all four corners and fold two opposite sides together to form a roof.
4. Place the carton on a flat surface and hold the roof pieces together to form the template for cutting the A-framed sides. Trace the triangle with a pencil and cut.


It should look like this:

Once you've made this shape, you'll see that you can adjust them to any height you desire. If you choose to adorn them in paper proceed to the next step.

5. Place your carton corner on the corner of your paper. Trace the shape of the carton as you carefully roll it over for all four sides. Add an inch in height to all of the flat edges to ensure extra for folding over. See below.


It should look like this:

6. Cut out paper and adhere with glue or paste. I ended up using a combination. Fold over flat top edges and secure with clothespins until dry.

7. When dry, paint and decorate. Whether you make gingerbread houses or keep it a simple carton... you'll need a handle. Punch holes into the A-frame and tie on a ribbon.

8. Fill with cookies! You can make little wax bags to separate the cookies by folding over a length of wax paper and zigzaging the sides shut with peppermint thread (red thread and a white bobbin). Seal each house's roof with a little label or sticker. Have fun!