Wedding Confetti Pockets

Pretty pearlescent pockets adorned with vellum flowers.

These wedding confetti pockets can be made up quickly in quantity. There are two different styles, each is accordion-pleated. They are fun to fold and embellish with Tonic Studios Petal Pairs flowers.

Choose pearlescent paper for the pockets, vellum for the flowers. Score the pocket fold lines using an embossing tool held against a metal ruler. Chalk the flower petal edges to give them definition. The Tonic Studios Petal Pairs are made in the usual way - interlock the layers. The leaves are cut from a Petal Pairs shape and scored down the centre with an embossing tool to create a vein effect. Pinch the leaf fold for dimension.
Glue the leaf onto the flower using tacky glue - you glue it onto the bottom flower petal layer, so no need to worry about vellum show-through. The Card Candi flower centre is fixed in place with a sticky foam pad, and the flowers are attached to the pockets with foam pads, too. Finish with a taffeta bow.

Here are the patterns - Loopy Basket or Grab Bag design:

The leaf-pair is snipped off a Petal Pair punch shape.

The accordion-pleated constuction.

You can, of course, scale down the pockets and use them as card focals or scrapbook page memory pockets. The pockets make great party favours, too.


Stuff I used: Tonic Studios Petal Pairs Box Set 3, Petal Pairs Petites 1. Papers: Supreme Pearlescent paper, Inspire Me vellum, Craftwork Cards Card Candi.

Jewel Boxes

The jumbo/box-top faceted gems are made from mirror card.

Here's a bit of bling to launch the new-look Papercraft Post (thanks to Kirsty Wiseman for the fantastic blog makeover www.kirstywiseman.com).
Bling is a little off-piste for me. I don't go in for glitz. But I do go in for geometrical challenges when it comes to paper engineering. Most of the mirror card I used for the faux gems is matte, not shiny -  the subtle sheen is classy, not flashy! (That goes for the frosted gold cardstock used for the boxes, too.)

These flip-top gift boxes are fun to make - just be precise in your scoring and folding. If you want to make it super-easy on yourself, you can photocopy the pattern onto the back of the card. If you set the copier onto draft quality, the outlines are faint (they'll be hidden on the inside, anyway...).

More how-to tips: score the fold lines on the right side of the card using
an embossing tool held against a small metal ruler. Test the card to make sure it folds smoothly without going all jaggedy. Perfectionists: run a brush marker in a matching colour along the visible cut edges of your card. (I used Tim Holtz Distress Markers .) Use tacky glue or double-sided tape to secure the tabs.

Here are the patterns:

To make the square gem, score the fold lines, glue the angled tabs, then fold under the edge tabs and stick them to the gem base. The hexagonal gem is made a bit differently. Score the fold lines, glue the
end tab to make a ring, then drop the tabbed hexagon into the centre.
You can then fix the edge tabs onto the base.

 

Mini treasure chests for gift-giving or party favours.

Cookie Monster? Audrey II?

Papers: Canford Card in Frosted Gold, Kanban Quad Metallics Card
(four shades to a sheet, folds smoothly). 

Granny Purse Gift Tags

Gift tags, mini-notepads - or needlecases. It's up to you!

Granny-style change purses are just so cute - and here they are in paper. They are generously-sized for gift tags (about 6 x 7 cm/ 2-1/2 x 2-3/4in) - so you can fit on a proper inscription instead of just a "to and from". Or, you can cut two or three sheets of liner paper to make sweet mini-notepads. Here's an idea for sewing enthusiasts: cut the liner out of non-woven interfacing to make a compact needlecase - a needle keeper for while you are at work on your current project.

I choose retro prints for the purse bodies. Prep: the frames are cut from double-sided pearlescent paper. Just cut out the purse bodies, liners, and bag frames. It is a good idea to trim a little off the top of the liner, especially if you are making a notepad - so it doesn't show above the frame. (You could photocopy the liner pattern at 99%.) Punch or piece the three bottom holes on the purse body and the liner. (The liner is cut from plain cream paper.) If you want to go the whole hog with the shabby chic look, dab the edges of the purse body paper with Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Tea Dye - my all-time favourite - used.)

Assembly: glue the bag frames onto the purse body with tacky glue. The trickiest bit: take care to face the bag frames so that the clasps on the front and back go in opposite directions.(You want an operational clasp.) Fold bags and liners in half. Place the liner inside the bag. Sew through the holes from inside, across bag base fold, and out through middle holes (craft thread used). The thread ends should straddle the centre cord. Knot cord and tie a bow. Thread beads onto bow tails.

Here's the pattern - three purse styles to choose from:

 You can, of course, big-up the pattern to make full-size cards.

Stuff I used: October Afternoon paper; double-sided gold pearlescent paper, 125gsm. Beads, craft thread.