Gift bag tutorial

Hello everyone how are you today? We've been busy after a fab holiday on the Isle of Wight. I can't believe how quickly the school hols have flown by and soon my big/little girl will be starting senior school. As you may have read in my last post I made some cute gift bags with notelets for her to take into school for some of the staff and since posting I've been asked for a tutorial so here it is.

Draw and cut out two same size circles on a piece of 12 x 12 designer series paper. I used a compass for mine, but you could use a side plate or bowl to draw around. My circle radius was approx 3inches or 8 cm whichever is easiest.

Take care with the design of your paper that when you put the circles back to back that the patterns are the right way up. This is particularly important if you have a pattern with something like trees on it as they could end up upside down. You need care with the inside of the bag pattern also.

Put the circles together with insides facing. Draw a line across the bottom of the circle about 2.5cm or 1inch up to make the flat base of your bag.

Cut along the line you have drawn through both circles so that they are the same.

I used 3"x3" envelopes to make sure that I punched my handle above the top of the envelopes. Remember that the envies are slightly bigger than 3x3 to take the card and so it's best to use an envelope to mark the top.

I then used a gusseted paper bag from my stash that holds the cards and envelops. Using the spot you mark as the top of the envelopes judge how much you need to cut off your bag to make it fit and also allow for your handle to be punched.

I used my oval punch to make handles. As shown below.

Add sticky strip to both sides of the paper bag to adhere it to the trimmed circle sides.

Add any decoration to the outside of your circles before sticking them to the paper bag.

Stick the bag to the circles one side at a time. Line the bag up with the base and in the middle.

You can then make some notelets to go in the bag or add a few treats. Nothing too heavy as these are delicate bags when made with designer series paper. You could of course make it with cardstock too and exchange the paper bag for envelopes adapted with score lines to make a bag similar to bag-a-lopes, but that's another story!!!!

Have fun with these and I'll be back soon with details of the flower decoration instructions.

Hugs Zx