Gift Bag Topper Tutorial

Since everyone I give gifts to knows I'm a papercrafter, I feel pressure to have the cutest gift bag or the cutest card to give. Anyone else feel like this? LOL

Here's a fun little project that will wow the recipient and use up some of your paper stash. This gift bag topper tutorial will show you how to dress up a plain gift bag. 

Supplies needed:

• 8" x 10 1/2" gift bag
• 1 - 9" x 12" sheet cardstock 
• 1- 12" x 12" sheet cardstock
• 1- 3 1/2" x 7 1/2" sheet cardstock
• Various scraps for paper blooms
• Ribbon or crepe paper 

To begin, start with a piece of 9" x 12" cardstock. For my bag topper I used the Doodlebug Design Dot & Stripe Paper Pack. I love these Doodlebug Design paper packs because they coordinate so nicely and have subtle patterns that add interest, but don't overwhelm your project! 

Score your paper 2" in from each side. This creates a center rectangle that will be the top of the topper and 2" flaps all around that will become the sides.

With your paper lying with the longest edge on top and bottom, snip the flaps from the edge to the center rectangle according to the picture. 

Next we need to create the hole for the handles. With your paper still lying with the longest edge on top and bottom, measure in 3 5/8" of an inch from each short side and score or mark that point along the scored edge. You will now cut a rectangle that runs from that 3 5/8" score line, along the long scored edge to the next 3 5/8" score line, then in 1/2" and back to the original 3 5/8" score line. Repeat on the opposite side. 

Next add your layer pieces. The 3 1/2 x 7 1/2" sheet of cardstock will be the bottom layering piece (teal on my example). You will then cut your 12 x 12 sheet of cardstock into the following pieces (pink in my example):

• 1 - 3 1/4" x 7 1/4"
• 2- 1 3/4" x 4 1/2"
• 2 - 1 3/4" x 7 1/2"

Adhere your layers onto the bag topper.

Now it's time to make those paper blooms. There are lots of templates and tutorials online, but I used these templates from Paper & Peony. She's got PDF templates to trace and cut out, or free SVG files to download. I'm not a paper flower expert, but it was fun to play around with them. I had the best success with cutting the template pieces out at varying sizes and then curling the edges and layering them up. 

To curl the edges you can use a bone folder or the end of a pencil or paintbrush. Holding the paintbrush end against the petal with your thumb and applying pressure as you drag it along the petal, will give them a natural cup shape. You can also roll the edges around a smaller paintbrush for a more defined curl. 

Adhere your blooms to the top of your topper. Finish it off by glueing crepe paper, ribbon, lace or whatever you have on the inside edge of the topper to create a trim.

The bag topper slides on top of your gift bag and you are ready to gift it to someone special. 

-Michelle