First of all, let me apologize for such a long lag between videos. Rich caught a cold, then gave it to me, and his turned into tonsilitis…tomorrow we’ll be going to our doctor to see if mine is just a simple cold, or if it’s morphed into pneumonia…Started wheezing last night, even after taking every medicine we could think of to avoid it. Since covid pneumonia in 2020, I’ve had a really hard time fighting off lung infections.

With all of that being said, I hope you enjoy this video and have a wonderful Thanksgiving,

As always, I’ve typed the instructions and products used below.

This is such a simple, elegant, great Christmas gift bag, that takes virtually no time to make and only one piece of 12 x 12″ paper and a scrap that’s 7 x 3″, ribbon and some type of embellishment. I used Graphic 45 Winter Wonderland (retired paper) pattern name of this piece is Woodland Whimsy #4501604. Check ebay for single pages if you really like this paper. I REALLY RECOMMEND YOU USE A LIGHTER WEIGHT PAPER FOR THIS BAG, AS YOU’LL BE DOING SOME HAND FOLDING AND THICKER PAPER LIKE THIS, MIGHT BE REALLY FRUSTRATING FOR YOU TO WORK WITH. DON’T USE PAPERS THAT ARE LIKE A THIN CARDBOARD, AS THEY WILL CRACK ON THE EDGES.

Start by turning your 12 x 12″ paper (if it has a pattern) so the pattern’s top faces the top of your scoreboard. On this side, score at 2 1/2″ and 9 1/2″ then turn one turn and score at 5 and 7″.

You’ll need a plain colored (or pattern complementary) paper that is 7 x 3″ and score on the 3″ length at 1″. I rounded the two corners furthest away from the score line. I used my Kadomaru Pro from Amazon…love this tool. Fold and burnish all of your scores.

Where your two score lines meet at 5 and 7″, you’ll want to push in on that point (where the papers meet) and fold the papers down so the top paper and the bottom paper make a straight line, then press on the triangle of paper on the inside of the bag. Do the same to all four of these points, then glue from the angle you just folded, to the bottom of the paper, making sure you don’t glue past the score lines that are at 2 1/2 and 9 1/2″. Fold in the two sides of the bag and rub so the glue evenly adheres. Holding the bag in front of you with the front pattern facing the right direction, squeeze and press your fingers into the sides to get them to start to bend in the center. If you look at the top edge of your bag and you have a little of the back of the paper showing, trim that off so you have a nice edge for your lid.

This is the point where you should add embellishments to your “lid.” I, for some reason, chose to wait until it was attached to the bag, but it would have been a lot easier if I had done it at this point.

Take your 7 x 3″ piece of paper and punch a hole on the score line at 1 1/2″ and at 5 1/2″. I use a Crop a Dile Big Bite and really like this tool. I took a 14″ length of red ribbon and pushed it through the holes I cut, and laid the ends onto the 1″ section, making sure the ribbon lays flat and doesn’t have a curl in it when you hold up the bag. Add score tape or wet glue, or both, to the 1″ area to the score line, but not over it. Adhere the 1″ section to the back of the bag making sure the score line is slightly above the top of the bag and making sure it’s centered on both edges.

Add a Velcro piece to your underside of the lid about 1/2″ from the bottom of the cardstock, centered in the middle of the bag. I recommend using a lightweight Velcro (Dollar Tree circles work great for this) as I always have problems with the heavyweight Velcro, ripping my papers. Rub firmly to attach.. I had some matching cardboard embellishments from the same Graphic 45 collection, so took two matching brads and put them through the holes on either end, and cut off the lengths of brad legs that stick out past the edgeswith Tonic scissors, then put a large Glue Dot over it to ensure it doesn’t move. I added four more of the Glue Dots and attached it to the front center of the lid and our bag is done.

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