Need a fun way to give gift cards? Make a gift bag tree.

I used the new Mini Gift Bag die set by Karen Burniston to make 12 bags using patterned papers from a 12 Days of Christmas collection. You could use a jewelry tree or any other style of tree that would hold a number of bags. I made my own tree from foam core board and clear glitter. I plan to add gift cards, candy, crafting supplies and jewelry to my mini gift bags.

Bags: Cut out the bag pieces using the two bag dies for each bag. (If you use pattern paper with a design that has a top and bottom make sure the flat top of the die with the holes is at the top of your paper’s design top too.) Train the folds of the pieces. (I start with the tabs and fold that goes across near the bottom of the bag and then do the diagonal folds on the side that make the bag bottom fold up.) Fold the large back piece as directed on packaging and then add glue to the long side tabs. Glue front onto tabs. Fold in the tabs on bag bottom and glue shut. (You could use narrow double-sided tape instead of glue.) Let glue dry before adding ribbon or cording for handles. (I threaded the cording through the holes and tied knots to hold the cording inside the bag.) Using the Mini Alphabet and Numbers set, I glued gold numbers onto the front and backs of the bags.

Tree: Trace two of the trees from the downloadable pattern below onto foam core. (Pattern was cut from an 8.5×11-inch sheet of paper.) On one tree I made the slit go from the middle up and the other tree the slit go from the middle down. Using a craft knife cut out the trees. Fit the two trees together and adjust the fit by trimming off bits of the slits as needed. Use white paint (I used gesso) to cover any pen or pencil marks. Place the tree on a large sheet of paper to catch extra glitter. Cover a section of the tree with glue and sprinkle clear glitter over the tree to cover. Use the large sheet of paper to put extra glitter back into its container. Repeat gluing and glittering a new section until tree is covered with glitter.

Thank you for reading this blog post. I hope this inspires you and makes you smile. Please like and leave comments 😊

Materials Used:

Dies

• Karen Burniston in cahoots with Riley and Company – Mini Gift Bag – 1255
• Karen Burniston in cahoots with Riley and Company – Mini Alphabet and Numbers – 1197

Papers

• Crafter’s Companion – 6×6 Double-Sided Paper Pad – 12 Days of Christmas
• Matte Gold Cardstock
• White Foam Core Board

Ink

• Stampin’ Up – Classic Stampin’ Pad – Early Espresso
• Memento – Fade-Resistant Dye ink – Tuxedo Black
• Ranger – Tim Holtz – Distress Ink- Walnut Stain
• Dark Green Fine Tipped Marker
• Farber-Castell – Pitt Artist Pen- Bullet Nib – White-101 Marker – Snow
• Sharpie – Permanent Marker – Ultra Fine Tip – Black
• Pigma – Mircon 01 Fine Tip Pen – Black
• Recollections Opaque Marker – Snow
• Sakura – Gelly Roll Pen – Medium – White
• Nuvo – Aqua Shimmer – Glitter Gloss

Adhesives

• Neutral PH Adhesive by LINECO
• Fine-Tip Glue Bottle
• White Gesso

Tools

• Die Cutting Machine
• We R Memories – QuickStick
• Scissors
• Craft Knife

Miscellaneous

• Cording – Thin Gold and Thick Gold/Green/Red
• Ranger – Tim Holtz Distress – Rock Candy Clear Glitter