Blythe’s Favor Bag-in-a-Box Project

I love finding fabulous favor packaging (and, apparently, alliteration…). This cute little bag is a quick and simple project for presenting small gifties to your family and friends. While Blythe’s version is Christmasy, it can easily be adapted to any theme or color-combo. For more ideas, check out StampinWithBlythe’s blog.

Here’s what you’ll need for this clever gift bag:

STAMP SET:  one with a small snowflake, such as Snow Burst, Snow Swirled, Merry & Bright or Punch Pals

CARDSTOCK:  Holiday Treasures DSP, Ruby Red CS (or DSP and coordinating color of your choice)

INK:  Baja Blue

ACCESSORIES: Bone Folder, Sticky Strip, Round Tab, Scallop Edge, 1/2″ and 1/8″ or 1/4″ Circle Punches, Mini Glue Dots, Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon, Build-a-Brads, Little Felt Flurries, Tombow Multi Purpose Adhesive, Personal Paper Cutter with cutting and scoring blades.

Cut a piece of Ruby Red cardstock 4-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ and score it 1″ from each edge.

Turn CS on the diagonal, and score from each point to the intersection of the 1″ score lines.

Crease your box on the 1″ score lines and bring the corner scores in like this:

Use sticky strip to glue your box corners together.  After the ‘points’ are secured/glued, put a little piece alongside one of the points and secure it to the side of the box, making the inside all flat.

Cut Designer Series Paper to 5-1/2″ x 11″

Add stick strip to one long side and one end of the background paper.

Peel off the bottom piece of sticky strip and lay your box along the bottom of the background paper, so it is even along the bottom.  I start my background paper about half way on the side of the box so the seam will be at the back of the bag at the end.

Continue to wrap the box up with the paper, keeping the bottom edges the same.
Pull off the side sticky strip and glue this after wrapping all the rest of the paper around the box.

Here’s how it looks when your DSP is wrapped around the little box:

Now you need a strip of cardstock 11″ x 1″ and your scallop edge punch.  Starting in the center of the strip, make your first punch.  Then line up the punch, using the guide along the edges of the punch, and continue punching to the left and right, creating a scalloped strip.

Attach Sticky Strip along the long straight length of the scallop punched strip. Wrap the scalloped strip around the bottom of the bag.  I start it at the back of the bag so the seam is at the back.

Gather up your Sticky Tape, Round Tab and 1/4″ or 1/8″ circle punches, a ruler, and Bone Folder and contrasting cardstock, Ruby Red in our case.  Punch out 2 Round Tabs, place a rule along the center and score for your fold, using the Bone Folder.  Fold in half and punch through both layers (for the ribbon you will insert later).  Apply Sticky Tape to the outer most tab areas.  Position and adhere tabs to each side of your bag, one on the seam side, the other on the opposite side.

The Snow Flurries/Build-a-Brad embellishments are next.  I selected 2 of the smallest snowflakes from the Little Felt Flurries assortment. Since the hole in the center of one of the Flurries was largers than an average brad, I decided to use the Build-a-Brad on both Flurrie snowflakes.

Stamp a small snowflake, using Baja Breeze Classic Ink, on a scrap of Whisper White cardstock.  Punch it out with the 1/2″ circle punch.  Set aside.  Using the Build-a-Brad assortment of your choice, Antique Brass or Pewter, apply a small bit of Tombow adhesive to the ‘inside/top’ of your brad and set your stamped/punched snowflake onto the glue.  After it’s secure, top the snowflake with the acrylic bubble, trying to avoid getting your fingers on the sticky side.  If there is no hole on your chosen snowflake, make a very small snip with your Paper Snips; then slide your brad ‘legs’ through and carefully bend the legs into position.  Attach 4-6 Mini Glue Dots to the legs of the brad and attach to the bag, having one hand (or whatever will fit–like a bone folder) inside the bag to apply pressure to the glue dots.

String a piece, about 15″ long, of Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon, through the holes in the tabs and tie, securing the opening.  And voila, you are done.  Here’s the finished bag!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little tutorial.  This is the first Bag in a Box I’ve made and it wasn’t nearly as intimidating as I’d built it up to be.  It’s really quite easy!