DRESS UP YOUR CARDS WITH AN ENVELOPE SATCHEL!

I had a thought the other day to make a fancy little SATCHEL ENVELOPE BAG for a special card.  Why give it in a boring white envelope!  So here it is.

Here it is with the card.  I actually made the card a few weeks ago.

This is so easy to make.  The longest part is the decorating.  I will show you how.

CREATE YOUR OWN ENVELOPE SATCHEL

NB: Check the pattern on the piece of Designer Series Paper you use.  When you fold it half the pattern at the back will be upside down.  You want an all-over pattern.

1. Cut your piece of 12″x12″ Designer Series Paper in half vertically. I used the Share What You Love Specialty DSP.

2. Score it on the short side at 1.2cm (1/2″).  Turn your piece 180″ score it at 1.2cm (1/2″).  You should have 2 score lines running down each long side.

3. Turn your piece 90′  Score it at half way – 15.2cm (6″).  Fold on the scored lines.

4. Cut up on each of the score lines in the lower half of the section and the cut these off.  Check the photo below.

5. Add adhesive to the outside of the long tabs. Fold up the bottom piece and carefully adhere the two sides together lining them up on the edges.

There is your satchel already.

To decorate:

Cut a strip of co-ordinating card about 2 cm wide (3/4″).  This is the length of a full sheet of card.  Score one end at 1.2cm (1/2″).  Add adhesive to the back of this short end.  Fold around the back of the satchel at the top.  Add adhesive to the rest of the strip on the back of it and adhere this along the top edge going right across the front around to the back on the other side. Trim off any over-hang if need be.

For the handles cut a strip the length of a sheet of card and at approximately 1.2cm (1/2″) wide.  Cut the strip in half.  Firstly, to help the strip curve gently run it back and forth along the edge of the desk top or similar.  Add adhesive to the ends of each strip on the back of it.  Place one end in position on the front of the bag. Gently curve the strip and adhere the other end on to the front.  Repeat with the other strip for the back.

To finish, cut 2 ovals from the Stitched Shapes Framelits.  Cut them both in half.  Adhere these over the ends of the strip on the front and the back.  Add pearls to finish if you like.

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I made a more masculine version.  Not sure of this one but what do you think?

This one is made from the Nature’s Poem DSP.  I added the strip across the top edge.  Instead of adding handles I added a ‘V’ Shape strip and added some gems to the front.  Is it “manly” enough? Maybe I should make it  more of a tie shape.

EDITED TO ADD: I have been pondering on this last project for the past few days.  I wasn’t particularly happy with it.  So today I changed things up a bit and thought I would show you. I am still not sure about it but I think it is a bit better. It’s not any worse anyway. 🙂

OK, I hope you like these dressed up satchels for your cards.  Do you think you would make them?  You could easily add a Gift Card in it and even maybe a small bar of chocolate.

Have a great day.  See you again soon,

Jenny

 

 

MID-SIZE GIFT TOTE FOR SECRET SANTA!

I can share this project now.  I made this Gift Tote last week with a small gift in it for our team Secret Santa.  I thought you might like to see it and if you are still in need for some Christmas packaging it might be just the size you need.  I have the tutorial below.

It was just the right size for my gift of 2 small tubes of lotion and some chocolates.

The chocolates were wrapped Hershey Nuggets. We can’t get these here in Australia but I grabbed some when I went to Hawaii recently.  Score!! I put them in a cello bag with a little topper.

I wanted to make up a little Tote but I didn’t have any Christmas paper left.  This sheet of the Gold from the Eastern Palace Specialty Designer Series Paper is kinda Christmas-sy. 🙂 Teamed with some Fresh Fig card trim and the ribbon it makes it a little classy don’t you think?

Here is a close up of the tag on the bag.

The sentiment is from the Brightly Lit set layered on a Gold Foil oval and then layered on a Fresh Fig oval cut from the Stitched Shapes Framelits.  The Gold ribbon is looped around the handle and adhered between the Fresh Fig and the Gold layer.  The label on the chocolates which you don’t see too well is also from the Brightly Lit set and cut with a circle from the Layering Circles Framelits and one from the Stitched Shapes Framelits again in Fresh Fig.

To make this I was inspired by a tutorial I had saved quite a few years ago before the days of Pinterest.  I converted it to metric and modified the instructions.

Do you want to know how to make your own Tote? I have the tutorial below for you in step-by-step instructions in both metric and in imperial.

If you like a more visual tutorial just hang tight and I will get that out to you shortly.

MID-SIZE GIFT TOTE

1. Cut Designer Series (patterned) paper to 21cm x 28cm (8 ½” x 11”).

2. On the short side score at 3.5cm (1 3/8”) on one side. Turn your paper 180 degrees and score at 3.5cm ( 1 3/8”) on the other side.

3. On the long side score the paper at 11.5cm (4.1/2”) on one end. Turn your paper 180 degrees and score at 11.5cm (4 ½”) on the other end.

4. Cut in on the middle tabs on the long side on both sides. Fold on all the scored lines.

5. Cut 2 strips of Co-ordinating card measuring 21cm x 3.5cm. (8 ½” x 1 3/8”). Score at 3.5cm (1 3/8”) in on each end on each piece. Adhere these strips along the top and bottom edge of the Designer Series Paper.  (ie the short side).

6. Add adhesive to the outside of the small centre tab on the side. Fold up one long side tab over this tab to adhere. Repeat the same on the other side.

7. Run Adhesive on the inside edge of the other long tab and fold over to adhere on to the other side tab. This forms a bag shape.

8. Punch 2 holes along the top evenly spaced. If it helps mark with pencil the points you want to punch to help you line it up.

9. Run your length of ribbon through the holes on one side and tie on the inside to secure. Repeat with ribbon on the other side.

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If you make one do share your version with me.  I would love to see it.

Have a great day,

Jenny

SKINNY MINI TREAT BAG HOLDERS!

A few weeks ago I shared the Easter Baskets I made for the upcoming Easter markets.  I made a few cute treat holders for the markets too.  I have been wanting to show you the project for a couple of weeks but with Easter and Sale-A-Bration there were so many other projects to show you. 🙂

These are really quick to make and you can use them for any small treats.  Here I have some little sherbet straws for the kiddies but you could add a chocolate treat or coffee sachet.  I have used some retired Designer Series Paper.

Aren’t they fun and colourful?? I have simply decorated them with some ribbon (retired) and cut the “enjoy” (which is in the Mini Treat Bag Thinlits set), from black card to add to the front.  Really they probably took all of one hour to make.  I didn’t have a lot of time but wanted something cute but inexpensive to add to my stall.

Do you want to know how to make them?

SKINNY MINI TREAT BAGS

1. Cut a piece of Designer Series Paper (DSP) a little larger than the large section of your ‘Mini Treat Bag Thinlits’= 10.5cm x 15cm (4″ x 6″).  Cut the piece out on your Big Shot.

2. Score the large section in half vertically so at approximately 4.6cm (1 7/8″).  The photo below shows the DSP piece with the right side facing up. Cut off the left hand side on the bottom tab section.

Place your piece on your Paper Trimmer with the narrow side tab at the top.  Line up your zig zag edge at 2cm (3/4″) and score a line from the top edge and just to the score line in the middle.

Cut off the small tab on the top left with your scissors. (Which I hadn’t done yet in the photo). I like to taper the end of the long side tab to give a neater finish when you fold.

3. Fold on all the score lines and open out again. At the top cut down on the middle score line to where it meets the 2cm (3/4″) score line running across.

4. Fold again on the score lines so the folded flap piece is at the front and the taller section is at the back. Place adhesive on the right side (the outside) of the long tab and fold to adhere to the back of the bag with the tab section on the inside.  (It doesn’t matter too much if it is adhered to the outside. Just for a neater finish I like it on the inside).

Place adhesive at the back of the small bottom tab and fold over to the back to adhere down. (I wasn’t worried that this was on the outside at the back). Place adhesive under the front flap to adhere down.

Decorate as you like and fill it with treats you would like to give.

I hope this is easy to follow for you. Please let me know if you any questions.

Enjoy 🙂