Shapes that "lock" into place are the key to three dimensional origami models like the star box. These folds create a four sided box with triangle flaps that fold over and lock the shape into place. Most of the fun of this model is after all of the folding, when you pop the shape into place, and you can spin it across the table. If you make several of these models out of slightly different sizes of paper, you can put them all together into a spectacular flower box.
If you look closely at the complete picture, you can see that the locking fold happens at the corners of the model, and the four top flaps fold over the complete the lock. Each flap is part of two locks, and need to have a good strong crease to keep the model together. Forming the inside of the box is especially fun, and almost always the resulting model has a point on the bottom, meaning that you can spin the final model, which looks cool.
 Begin your star box with a bird base (two diagonal valley, two mountain, collapsed into a square), and place the closed point on the bottom.
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 To begin the first of four locks, valley fold one of the the flaps in half, so that the far side lines up with the middle of the model.
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 Make a good crease here.
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 Valley fold a small triangle in the bottom of the flap, so that the bottom edge lines up with the last crease you made.
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 Crease the fold well, and unfold.
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 Open up the locking flap by sticking your finger between the layers of the flap. The paper should give at the creases you just made.
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 Leave half the flap where it is, and flatten out the fold. I personally think that this is one of the prettiest folds in all of origami.
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 Flatten your lock, and crease well.
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 To complete the lock, mountain fold it in half, folding the paper between the lock and the layer below.
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 The mountain fold is easy if you pinch the lock in half, and fold the flap behind the lock.
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 Your first lock is complete, flatten and crease well.
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 Valley fold the opposite side in half, lining the far side up with the middle of the model. Crease well. This begins your second lock. Follow the same steps as before, and open up the fold.
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 Once again, my favorite fold. Flatten and crease well.
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 Valley fold this lock, and crease well.
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 Mountain fold the second flap over to complete the second lock. Turn your model over.
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 Follow the same steps as before to create two more locks on this side of the model.
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 Mountain fold the locks, making sure to put the flap between the layers below it, not over the other locks.
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 Valley fold the triangle on the top of the model down.
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 Crease well and turn the model over.
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 Valley fold this triangle down also.
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 Flatten and crease well, finishing off two of the locking flaps.
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 There are two more flaps to fold down, but the are hidden right now. Pinch the top two locks together, leaving the bottom two on the table.
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 Pick the model up by the middle, and flatten it between your fingers.
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 Rotate your hand so that your thumb is on top, and the model is flat again. Place it on the table.
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 Valley fold the triangle down, and crease well. Turn the model over.
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 Valley fold the final flap, and crease well.
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 All of the folding is completely finished. You know that you are almost done when your model is very small and looks like you hardly did any work at all.
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 Pop the model into shape by putting some fingers down the top of the model. Work your fingers into the corners, once they pop out the box will take shape.
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 Work the model to get the bottom flat and the edges straight. You can crease the bottom edges to give it more stability.
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 The completed starbox, which is useful for storing beads and seeds and scraps of paper.
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Recently I was at a Jamba Juice, and while they were making my juice, I used one the menus to create a star box. Oddly enough, the menus there were perfectly square, which made me so happy. I finished the box and dropped it next to the tip jar, in hopes that other customers with more pocket change than me would notice the box, and the the tip jar.
The next day, the staff had saved the starbox and we using it for wrappers and other small garbage. Obviously they liked it enough to keep it, which makes me happy. I really enjoy leaving little paper treats, especially when I don't have enough money to leave a tip.
Flying Crane
Chinese Paper Flower
