paper crafted | Nets Blog About JnetsLine

Yes I am still plugging along with my #100dayproject and I have done a few bigger projects that I still need to write up to share with you all (or should I say “y’all” since I do live in Texas now?). I got discouraged because my head was bad for so long (my doctor gave a 12 day series of steroids and that finally ended that bad cycle – thank goodness). Then I was discouraged because I was so far behind, THEN I had computer problems. Ugh! Let’s face it – I was just a mess! Lol

So I reminded myself that I knew right from the beginning that I would not be able to complete 100 days of projects in a row. I said I would do 100 days no matter how long it took so I will just plug along and do what I can, when I can.

Ok – confession time: I LOVE watching crafters on YouTube and can waste many hours in front of the television getting all excited to create. Well, a few weeks ago while dog sitting at a non crafty home, I found a new paper crafter that I am obsessed with – The Posh Paper Lady! I spent over two entire days watching her videos – yes I said TWO ENTIRE DAYS. She makes beautiful, elegant, and as she says “next level” projects. And they are definitely next level in quality and beauty but not hard to recreate. Her tutorials are fabulous and not too long. She had me so excited those first few days and I was going crazy because as I said I was at a non crafty home so I couldn’t create anything!! I was so itching to do some of her projects and I had nothing to create them with. I can’t say enough good things about her and her videos so go check her out for yourselves at the link above.

I have been working on my version of her small handbag which measures 5″ x 6″ x 2″. I just made a few minor changes – like the handles (which I took from one of her other projects). I will explain the basics of what I did but please check out her video for a great detailed tutorial here. I changed the handles as I did not have any chain with me to complete the handles as Sherry did. Sherry’s focus for this bag was branding and I am working on a logo that I can add to my bags – like you see on designer purses. Sherry also shared a great tip for selling – offer the bag free with a large or bulk purchase. This bag holds A2 cards perfectly – I think I will offer the bag free with purchase of 10 cards – or maybe a bakers dozen – I’m not sure yet, I need to talk to my business advisors (aka my mother and sister).

I reworked her pattern a little bit so that I could get the entire bag out of only two 12″x12″ sheets of double sided paper with minimal leftover – this is all I had left:

You really want quality paper or card stock – I had a lot of trouble with the lavender polka dot bag – a lot of cracking and peeling – so much that I won’t be able to sell it. Your name is only as good as your product so it’s not worth selling (or trying to sell) an inferior product. The bag with the blue trim had a directional design on the A side and the B side was non-directional and I made my pattern work fine. The difference from Sherry’s is the the liner on the bottom of my bag is not the B side, her inside is completely the B side. I’m ok with it being different on the bottom. Sherry also put an extra layer of chipboard in the base – I didn’t as I am only putting cards in my bags and I think the single layer is sufficient for my needs.

One great tip I learned from Sherry was to burnish your glue – after glueing pieces together, flatten your bone folder and burnish well. I didn’t think it was a big deal when watching her do it but once I did it myself, I am totally sold! It spreads the glue really well and squishes out any excess so you get a really smooth classy finish with no bubbles or wrinkles and a really good adherence. I promise it is a worthwhile step. Supplies and directions are below.

I hope you like my project today – let me know what you think – I would love to hear from y’all. I would really love to see the results if you make a bag or two for yourself. Please share my post with your crafty friends if this is a project they might enjoy. And if you haven’t already done so, click the follow button so you don’t miss a thing. Thanks for stopping by and spending a few moments with me today, I really appreciate it.

Til next time, happy crafting!

Jeanette

SUPPLIES AND INSTRUCTIONS:

Supplies I used:

Two sheets of double sided paper (I used Stampin Up DSP)

8 brads – 4 to attach the handles and 4 for feet (Sherry mostly uses flatback pearls or actual purse feet)

Chipboard – you can get enough pieces to make 2 bags out of one 12″x12″ piece

Glue and strong double sided tape if desired. Sherry used both – I did it all with tacky glue. I have some Reptile glue on order (it’s Sherry’s favorite) and I can’t wait to try it.

Embellishments as desired. I will add my embellishments when I get home. I’ll post an update when they are all decorated.

Tools I used: paper trimmer, scoreboard, Crop-a-dile, bone folder – and a ruler & pencil for marking.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Ok, let’s get started. You need chipboard cut to: one piece at 2″x6″ and two pieces at 5″x6″. So make a cut at 6″, then each 6″x12″ piece will be cut at 5″ and 10″ giving you the 3 pieces needed leaving the other 6″x12″ piece to make another bag.

Both sheets of paper are cut the same. Cut each at 7 1/2″ and 10 1/2″ giving you 12″ strips measuring 7 1/2″, 3″ and 1 1/2″. If your paper is directional you need to put your paper in your trimmer right side up with pattern upright as you are looking at it.

Next you need to glue the 7 1/2″ strips together end to end, I overlap about 1/2″. This long strip will be the front, bottom and back of your bag. My tip: if your paper is directional, glue the bottoms together so your pattern is going out to the right and left from center. The join will be the center bottom so you won’t see that the directions don’t match but when you fold them up, both the front and back of your bag will be upright (the back won’t be upside down). Now cut 4 1/2″ off of each end. (In my picture above, I had already cut off these pieces). These end pieces will be your front and back liners and need to be cut down to 5 7/8″ x 4 1/2″. The pieces cut off will be excess and not used in this project.

Now we work on the 3″ strips. This seems really involved but it’s not, I promise. Ultimately you will glue them together and cut a 15 1/2″ piece – this will be your side gussets and your bottom liner. Since you can’t fit a piece that long in your scoreboard, it’s easier to do your long scores first – on the 3″ side score at 1/2″ and 2 1/2″. Now you can glue the strips together end to end – you will be focusing on the B side now so if that is directional, glue the bottoms together as above. If the join on the inside bottom of your bag bothers you, then you need to follow Sherry’s tutorial. This piece needs to be cut to 15 1/2″ with the join in the middle. I can’t give you an exact cut line as it depends on how much you have overlapped at your join. The pieces cut off the ends will be excess and not used in this project. The join does not need to be exact center. Now you need to score the ends. Along the 14 1/2″ side score at 3/4″ and 4 3/4″, turn the strip around and score the other end the same way. Now you need to score down the center of the gussets so the bag will fold in on the sides. On the 3″ side you need to score at 1 1/2″ from the end of your strip down to your 4 3/4″ score line. I added additional triangular scores so the side will fold in like a lunch sack. This is not necessary but I like the look better. On the center gusset score you just made, measure down 3 1/4″, then connect that mark to your 4 3/4″ score where it meets the side scores and score that angle, then connect center mark to the other side score. Now repeat on the other end. You can see these angle scores in the 2nd and 3rd pictures below. you need to clip notches at the 4 3/4″ score giving you 3 tabs on each side. See below. Fold over the 3/4″ end pieces to the A side, glue and burnish. Put this aside.

Now the 1 1/2″ strips need to be cut to four 6″ strips: two for the handles and two for the trim across the top front and back of your bag. Two of the strips need to be scored at 3/4″ lengthwise – these are the trim strips. The other two need to be scored lengthwise at 1/2″ and 1″ – these are the handles. Fold and burnish the scores on your handles, add glue to the outer edges and fold into thirds, burnish well to spread all glue and get all edges adhered. While the glue is still wet, shape your handles by running them along the edge of your desk or pulling them between thumb and bone folder to get them to bend a little. Set these aside.

Now we work on the 7 1/2″ strip. If you have made mini albums, this will be familiar to you – it’s just like the spine and covers of a mini album. Glue the 2″ strip of chipboard to the B side of your paper along the join, then adhere the other pieces to either side of this leaving a gap of about 1/8″. Burnish the paper well to the chipboard. To help try to prevent cracking, I run the tip of my bone folder around the chipboard, in effect scoring the paper. Then gently start bending the paper up and over the chipboard. Miter your corners. Glue and adhere the top and bottom edges, burnishing well. Repeat for the ends.

Time to add the brads to the bottom. Measure and mark holes 3/8″ in from end and 5/8″ from center. Or, if you are as good as Sherry, just eyeball them. I am not good at that & need to measure. Punch or poke your holes. Add a dot of glue to holes and add the brads, opening on the inside. **Please be careful with your brads. I cut myself on one and bled on one of the bags making it unsellable ☹️.

Now we need to attach the 3″ strip, covering the brads. Add glue to the B side center 6″ (between score lines) and attach to the 2″ piece of chipboard. Be sure to center it on all sides – fold over the gusset and align the fold to the edge of chipboard. When the glue is set, add glue to the three tabs on one side of the gusset/liner. Folding up the front of the bag, attach the bottom tab first, then the sides. Lay the bag over so you can burnish glue well. Repeat for the other side.

Next, add glue to the A side of the liner pieces and slide them in along the front and back of the bag. Lay bag over so you can burnish well.

Now we will add the trim to the top edge of the bag. Slightly notch the inside edge of trim so it won’t interfere with gusset.

Mark the trim where to attach handles before attaching it – it’s much easier while flat on the table. I measured 3/8″ down and 1″ out from center so handles are 2″ apart. My tip is to only adhere the outside of the trim pieces at this time so you can add the handles with the brads and cover the back of the brads with the inner trim piece. Punch or poke holes in bag and end of handles about 3/8″ in and centered. Add a dot of glue to handle holes and insert brad, attaching to bag. Curve handle around and attach the other end to same side of bag. Repeat for the other side. Glue down the inner trim pieces, burnishing well. Embellish as desired. And that’s it! Please let me know if you have any questions and please share pictures of your bag – I truly would love to see them.

You can see where I notched the inner trim piece too much on the above bag ☹️. It’s ok because this the the one I bled on so it can’t be sold. Just a note to give a small notch and test fit – you can always take off more but you can’t put any back.