P.O.D. Thankfulness Trees (and some news!)

It's so wonderful that the American Thanksgiving is so much later in the year (than our Canadian one), so I can stretch out being Thankful! :o)

This project is a Thanksgiving Thank You tote decorated all in Purple Onion Design stamps. (Another thing I have to be grateful for. Thanks to Michele, I get to play along with her & her amazing Design Team for the Holidays!)

It's a large tote:
4.5 inches high
8 inches wide
2 inches deep
(front to back)



It has side loop-ies:



and it has a pocket inside:

1... some stamp faves: Purple Onion Designs
2... making a Large quilted forest tote bag
3... making the 4.5 x 8 inch tote bag-(12x12 paper)

-1-

from Purple Onion Design
(used on this tote bag)

Tree trunk from Celebitties doodles:


Autumn definition from the 4 Seasons Definition set:


"Season" from the 4 seasons words:

-2-

...make a quilted (beaded) forest :o)



I can't get enough of punching this little tree in shapes (it's so sweet with scallop circles/squares...cut free-hand into rectangles/triangles.) I've gone over the top with beading on this, but you can make a lovely little tree--or a whole forest--in minutes. :o)

• Stamps from POD: Celebitties, 4 Seasons Definition set, 4 seasons words
  
• Paper Temptress Cream Velvet Touch cardstock (main image & pocket)
  
• Patterned Paper is all Cosmo Cricket catalogue-summer 2009
• Black Archival ink & Clear embossing powder (+heat gun)
  
• Dark Bark Copic marker E49
• Pencil & eraser
  
• 1 1/4" circle punch (Paper Shapers)
• Word Window punch (Paper Shapers)
• Vellum cardstock
  
• Paper piercer & needle
  
• Brown thread, cream embroidery thread
• Double sided tape, Tombow monomulti,
• Dew Drops & Crystal Lacquer
• Scallop template (available free here, if you need one)
• GCD Studios Paris Nights collection ( cardstock for box & handle)
  

Please click the photo for the JPG:

click here if you prefer PDF



Step 1) Stamp tree trunk tops on any paper you like. This is that tree from Celebitties doodles & The paper is scavenged from the Cosmo Cricket catalogue-summer 2009.) I embossed the trees in black pigment ink & clear embossing powder, then coloured them in with a Dark Bark Copic marker E49.



Step 2) Punch out the tree tree tops. (You can use any punch shape or size, of course. I like the way the a 1 and 1-4 inch circle punch fits the tree.)



Step 3) Stamp some trunks on neutral paper & cut them out (You can stamp with or without the wee teeny leaves at the bottom--love those) I used the punch remainder to draw a circle at the bottom of each tree & cut them out.) A sturdy paper is nice.



Step 4) Create a quilted scallop piece by punching squares, gluing them on side by each, tracing a scallop onto them & cutting



Step 5) Pierce & stitch the scallop edge, if you like.



Step 6) Make custom baubles by gluing dewdrops to paper & cutting them out. (Crystal Lacquer works well for this.)



Step 7) Stamp & emboss the Autumn definition onto paper. I embossed with white pigment ink & clear embossing powder on Paper Temptress Cream Velvet Touch cardstock. I love the texture of it-(like a cross between fabric & paper.)



Step 8) Glue the tree tops onto the trunks & line them up along the embossed background paper.



Step 9) Pierce around the outside of the trees (if you'd like to stitch or bead them.)



Step 10) Stitch & bead the trees. Takes a bit of time, but I'm unnaturally obsessed with the feel of seed beads all sewn in a row. hehehe ;o)



Step 11) Finishing touches:

A) Emboss the word Season onto the quilted scallop piece.
B) Emboss of Thankfulness on vellum (from the printer)-punch it & stitch on.
C) Adhere the baubles (on punched paper dots)

-3-

...make an open-topped gift bag:
(using 12x12 paper)

The finished box measures:
4.5 inches high
8 inches wide
2" deep (front to back)

to make the main box:

Step 1) Start with a piece of 12x12 cardstock
Step 2) Score at 2 spots: the 2 inch and 10 inch marks
Step 3) Turn & score at 3 spots: the 4.5 inch, 6.5 inch, and 11 inch marks.
Step 4) Trim of the smallest bit to the right of that last (11 inch) score mark.
Step 5) Cut 4 slits (2 in each side) to create the flaps & assemble.

to make the pocket:
(5" wide & 3" high)

Step 1) Cut a piece of cardstock to measure 7" x 4"
Step 2) With the piece on the horizontal (so it looks short) score at these marks: .5" and 1" then 6" and 6.5"
Step 3) Turn the cardstock on the vertical (so it looks tall) and score at .5 and 1"
Step 4) Snip two slits at the bottom to get tabs for folding & trim the top
Step 5) Adhere it to the inside of the tote

to make the side loops:

Step 1) Cut two pieces of paper to measure 1 inch by 3 inches (this is more Cosmo Cricket Catalogue)
Step 2) Pierce them & stitch 'em, if you like
Step 3) Adhere to the sides under your main image (shown above)
Step 4) Loop them around the back & stick them on with some really sticky tape.

To get a curvy handle...I just traced a dinner plate 2 times & cut it out. (If you'd like the template, please just let me know & I'll add one.)

Same goes for if you'd like a visual of the box building. (The size is so handy that I think I have to make more of these for Christmas gifts,--sooooh I'll likely make a PDF of how-to...) :o)

and that's it...

I'm so thankful that You popped by!
Hope you have the loveliest of days,