Christmas gift and treat bag tutorial!

Hi ya everone! Today I'm going to show you how to make a quick and easy box that you can turn into a fun gift or treat bag using the Stampin Up Top note die to decorate the front and back.

I made a bunch of these last year for a craft fair and thought I would make some more this year with a tutorial to go along with it. You just need one sheet of 81/2 X 11 cardstock and a Scorepal or Martha Stewart Scoreboard and some adhesive of your choice (I use doublesided Scotch tape for these).

To start you will need to cut your cardstock down to a 6" x 9" piece. Click on the pictures if you want to see them bigger!

Then you will score in from each outer edge 1 1/2 inches. ( I drew the black lines for you to see). This will be at 1 1/2" and 4 1/2 " if you are using the MS Scoreboard.

Rotate your paper a 1/4 turn and then you will score in from each edge 3 3/4 inches. (Follow the black lines on my paper).

Now you are going to cut your paper along the 4 short lines that I have highlighted pink on the paper. This way your box will be ready to fold up. (Click on the pic for a bigger view)

Now it's time to get out the adhesive and start taping the sides as your box comes together. I start taping down the small square tabs on the  inside of the box as it folds up.

Before I pull the other side up I like to add my ribbon handle here up at the top of the first side that is already standing up. This way it is hidden between the 2 sides and no one see's how you attached it. I just use double sided Scotch tape to get the ribbon to stick. If you are going to add a handle you want to do this now, otherwise you have to tape the ribbon to the inside of the box....and that doesn't look as nice.

I used this ribbon last year and I still have a bunch left over for this years boxes. I found it at Home Depot and it's simply just ribbon already tied to be used for ornament hangers. They are the perfect length to use for a handle on the little boxes.  I just cut one right in the middle and then taped each side onto my box- it's a super quick and easy handle and I don't have to take the time to tie each piece of ribbon.

Bring your other side of the box up and tape it down having the outer flap cover up the inner flap. And that is basically it!  It's pretty quick and easy once you make a few.....they go really quick.

I just use some pretty doublesided patterned paper to dress up the box or you can stamp something on the Top Note die- whatever you feel like doing.  I also cover the sides of the box with the same patterned paper . You can even just use a rectangular piece of paper to dress it up on the front and back- you don't need to use the Top Note die if you don't have one!

Of course this can be adapted for any other holiday or occassion just by changing your paper!

I hope these directions were easy enough to follow......if not someone please shout out and I will update this with more pictures or directions!

Thanks for stopping bye and hope you all have a Frightfully fun Halloween!

Anne