I shared a card shaped like a purse that I made for a friend who just turned 17. She wanted a purse for her birthday and I thought it would be fun to make the gift bag to fit the purse perfectly.

I used a paper pad I bought at Michael’s called Silver Foil by Craft Smith. It’s no longer sold by Michaels but I did find it on Ebay link: https://tinyurl.com/8f2jsfnp and here is more silver foil paper I found link: https://tinyurl.com/vpdkbmzk or https://tinyurl.com/zw4xt7xr

You’ll need two sheets of 12 x 12″ cardstock as well as two pieces of 4 x 12″ cardstock that will coordinate with the 12 x 12 pieces. These papers can’t be lightweight, as this bag needs to be sturdy enough to hold the purse. I score on the back of my paper to make sure it folds easily.

4 x 12″ pieces–score on the 4″ length at 1/2″ and 3 1/2″ on the back of the paper, on both. Then, on the 12″ length, score at 3″ on both pieces. You’ll need to cut from the 3″ score, cut out the two side rectangles and cut a small diagonal notch from the sides of the center piece that’s left behind and also cut a small notch out of the 1/2″ and 3 1/2″ scored area on the top and bottom of those areas. Sorry I can’t think of a better way to explain this.. The reason you do this is to ensure that when you put the bag together, the sides and bottom will fit together easily and you won’t see any paper sticking over the top when you adhere them.

Next fold and burnish the scores, making sure the side 1/2″ scores are folded at a 90 degree angle. My bone folder is made by Fiskars and here’s ones I’ve found https://tinyurl.com/7mjrnnuc. Add tear tape to the face (the patterned side of the paper) from the 1/2″ scored areas to the edge of the paper, as well as on the face of the 3″ scored area on the sides (4 x 12″ pieces). Add tear tape and wet glue to the underside of the 3″ score area of them.

Add tear tape to the white side of one of the 12 x 12″ pieces from the 3″ score to the edge of the paper and add wet glue to the same spot, to ensure if you have an issue attaching it, you can pull it back off. Add tear tape to the patterned side of the other 12 x 12″ piece below the 3″ score. Take the 12 x 12″ piece that you’ve put tear tape on the white side and attach one side to it by adding wet glue to one of the 4 x 12″ pieces, 1/2 and 3 1/2″ scores where you put tear tape. Lay one of the 1/2″ scores onto the left or right edge of the 12″ x 12″ piece so the score of the side piece lays flush with the edge of the 12 x 12″ piece, making sure the bottom score on the 12 x 12″ piece is also the bottom edge of the side piece you’re attaching. Leave the 3″ score of the 12 x 12″ piece alone until you’ve adhered both the front and back to the bag. Take the other 4 x 12″ piece and adhere it to the other 12 x 12″ piece the same as you’ve done above. After both sides are attached, fold up inside the bag, the 12 x 12″ 3″ score of the piece that has glue on the white side. If you are like me and want to reinforce your bag, add a piece of cardboard that is 11 x 2″ and lay it under the 12″ folded piece. Then fold in both side flaps so they adhere to the white piece, making sure the 4″ score line on the sides are lined up with the score line of the 12 x 12″ piece. After both side flaps are attached, fold the other 12″ x 12 score up to complete the bag.

Handle: Made by taking two dies from a rectangular set with the larger die 4 5/8″ across on the narrower side and one that was 4 1/8″ across, and adhering them so they line up with the same space between them all the way around. Lay these face down on the mirror side of silver paper and cut them out, You’ll need two sets of these and glue them together silver side facing out (I forgot to do this so my handles don’t look finished, to me.) Then cut them in half to make two sets of handles. I lined mine up so they were about 3 3/4″ from the edges of the bag and about 1″ from the bottom of the handle and adhered them. Using my Crop a Dile, I punched a hole through the handle and the bag then put a rhinestone brad link: https://tinyurl.com/289btx9n through the hole. I wanted to cover the back to make the bag look more finished and sturdy, so added a strip of white cardstock that is 3″ x 11 15/16″ to the top inside of the bag on both sides.

I made a tag from dies/stamps from Fun Stampers Journey Pennant Numbers SS0065 and DI0087 and silver embossing powder over Veramark ink to make the tag match the bag. Used old stickers called Lace Borders link: https://tinyurl.com/2s3pwzk and ran them down both sides of the pennant. Added satin ribbon, knotted it to bag.

Size 9 x 12 x 3″

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