Backpacks!

I make a few of these at the end of every school year.  I can't help myself, they are just so cute!  They are the perfect size for a gift card or some little candies. The template is one of probably hundreds at a site called "splitcoaststampers" (a favorite site of mine).   This is a free site for sharing ideas and there are lots of samples using Stampin' Up! products in the gallery.  You can even join the "fan club" for a fee that helps support the site and lets you see another special gallery for fan club members.  

Print out the template and cut out all your pieces.  FYI, the two holes on the bottom right are part of the template, the third one that is by itself in the bottom center is actually just a paper circle that fell out of the hole punch and got in the picture, don't actually punch there :)

Not on the template, but something I always do is add some score lines along the center of the box sides.  This will make a nicer crease when you close the box.  Hopefully you can see them here.  I go almost all the way down but not quite.

One place where I do add more hole punches is at the top of the base layer.  When you attach your top flap to the base, add more holes so that they go through both layers.














This is a super easy box to put together.  I think the toughest part, and it's not tough :), is the ribbon.  Follow these steps and it will be a breeze.
Start with a good point on your ribbon so that it is easier to get through the holes.  Flip your box over so that you are at the inside.  I leave the ribbon on the spool so I don't waste any and because I always forget to measure how much I need :) 
pick a bottom corner to start and go from the inside to the outside.

Pull what you think will be enough ribbon through the hole, you can make adjustments later.  Now go though the lower hole at the top.  This makes one of the back shoulder straps so it should hang a little loose to look like it could go over a shoulder (my daughter uses one of these for her dolls actually.















Next go through the hole above it.

















And now you make the top loop.  This is the part where you would hang the backpack up in the locker. 

And now go thought the hole under that one.

Almost finished!















Here is where you make your adjustments.  Tie a knot in the end of your ribbon and then go back and even out your shoulder straps and top loop, get excess ribbon back to the spool side, and cut it off and tie another knot at that end.

Here is how it should look.  Now you should adhere the sides together with sticky strip.

Here is how to fold the bottom.  This flap goes down first.

Fold the points under the first flap.

Then fold down your last flap and tuck it in under the others like this.

Pinch your sides.

Add the front pocket.

I use Velcro to close the flaps.  I've used little magnets but they seem to be unreliable and I found this Velcro tape at the grocery store and it works perfectly. 

I cut two little squares, leaving the top and bottom attached.
















Attach a square to the flap with both parts still attached and press closed.  Repeat on the small flap.

A gift card and a nice note fit perfectly in the main part of the backpack.

A Ghirardelli chocolate square fits nicely in the front pocket!


















Wow, that was a lot of photos, if you are still with me, thanks for visiting! I hope you have a great day!
New catalog starts tomorrow!!