Tutorial for Christmas Sweetie Bags Without The Aid of Fancy Tools and Stuff! Most Wanted Christmas DIY Challenge

I've entered this is the Most Wanted Christmas DIY Challenge http://www.vouchercodes.co.uk/

I’ve had quite a few questions about making sweetie bags recentley (Hark at me, I sound like an Agony Aunt!) I appreciate that not everyone has Big Shots/Cuttlebugs etc. or sets of Nestabilities, so I have put together a very simple tutorial, without using any fancy equipment to show that such stuff is not always necessary.

I think its best to start with the cello bags - get the size you want and make your toppers to fit them (much easier that making a topper and then searching for a bag to fit it).

To fit my chosen bag size (HobbyCraft’s own make 76mm x 191mm) and  I have cut a rectangle a little wider than the bags. ….. my apologies, I still measure in inches!!

Find the centre of the rectangle and mark each end lightly with pencil.

Keep the ruler in position and score from one end to the other with the end of a pair of scissors

When scored, fold the topper in half

If you want a fancy shape, hold the topper together and cut both edges off the corners of one side.

Take one of the cut off corners and put it on the opposite side of the topper and use as a template to make sure both sides are exactly the same

The topper should now look like this ....

Now for the circle embellishment - find two circles one smaller than the other .... I have used the metal top of this small jam pot for the outer circle and the top of the glass jar as the inner circle. Cut out the circles in two different colours.  I’ve been a bit fancy and cut a bit of sky out to fit as well.

Put some little lines using a fine black pen round the edge of both circles. Then add whatever embellishment you fancy. I have used snowman stickers from Accessorize (£1.75 per pack) on mine.

Now to put it all together …… put some lines round the topper to match the decorated circle

Cut down the cello bag to a length you are happy with.

Open up the topper and put double sided tape on each side

Tape tape off one side, and lay the cello bag on top

Bring the other side of the topper down, press down and seal...... nearly finished .....

Stick the decorated circle in position, write a greeting and add a few small stickers/stars etc. and fiddle and twiddle till you are happy

That's all there is to it! Phew !!!! And yes …… my desk could do with a good clean!