Paper Sensei: Cricut Solutions Cartridge Storage Box Project!

I've been trying to figure out how to store these stupid cartridges for the longest time. I finally found the binder that Cricut sells to store them at JoAnn, but like a ninny, I didn't buy it. Ever since, I haven't seen it in the store. I just went online about an hour ago to buy one at JoAnn.com, but they were out of stock.

So, necessity being the mother of whining and crying and... Oh, yeah... INVENTION, I came up with a box all by myself. It doesn't store 8 like the Cricut one (mine will do 3 because, well, I have THREE solutions cartridges), but I like it a lot. And it feels really cool because I made it myself.

(Oh, and for anyone reading this who is saying, "Whaaaaa...??": The Cricut Solutions cartridges come without a handy box that will hold the cartridge itself and the keyboard that comes with it.)

Without a big, long tutorial (sorry... if you need extra help, I could post more instructions later), here are the dimensions I cut to fit the cartridges, the papers, and the keyboards. This box ends up being slightly taller than a normal Cricut box because of that paper that comes with the solutions cartridge so that you can see the shapes more clearly than on the keyboard. I like to look at the paper instead of the keyboard, so I store it with my stuff.

Lid:
10 1/4" x 6 3/4"
Score 1 1/4" in from each edge. This leaves you with a section in the lid that is 7 3/4" x 4 1/4". You should see one square in each corner. Cut a line along one of the lines of each square (it doesn't really matter which), but only on the square--don't cut further than that 1 1/4" line. Fold in and score all lines. You'll end up with your box sides and those extra squares sticking out as little tabs that you glue along the sides to hold the box together. If you look closely at my pictures, you can see these extra squares sticking out on my box and lid.

Box bottom:
10 1/8" x 6 5/8"
Score 1 1/4" in from each edge. This leaves you with a section in the box bottom that is 7 5/8" x 4 1/8". Repeat the scoring and cutting described above and glue the tabs to the sides to make your box bottom. The two pieces should fit together.

To make a line of cardstock like the one pictured below to actually hold your cartridges, cut a long strip of 1/2" cardstock. Score 1/4" from edge, 1/2" from first score, 1 3/4" from second score, 1/2" from third score, 1/4" from fourth score... Repeat this along the strip until you have three 1 3/4" sections and one extra 1/2" and 1/4" score. Cut the strip at the edge of the last 1/4" score.

Using a ruler, mark in the top of your box lid: 2 dots 1/4" apart, then another 1 3/4" from second dot. Continue until you've marked three 1 3/4" sections with 1/4" between each one and another 1/4" on the right of the last one. Glue your cardstock strip according to these measurements, looking at the picture below for reference if you need to. I know it sounds complicated, but once you get your strip scored and ready, you should be able to see how it goes together.

The cartridge at the very tip is actually thicker than 1/2". And it's widest point is slightly wider than 1 3/4". The cartridges actually stay very well in the holder. Slip them in by the tip (the cardstock strip will stretch very slightly to allow for the taller area, and once it gets slipped in, it stays).