December Countdown Mini Sacks Tutorial

Create a small lunch sack-style container with 

three different tab-into-slot fold-down flap profiles, 

then add decorative panels and numbers for 

a fun can't-wait-'til-Christmas activity. 

Place religious advent messages, winter time activities, 

service ideas, or small treats or toys inside each sack. 

Pin 1 thru 12  for the "Twelve Days of Christmas count down

(or 1 thru 24 for the full December countdown) 

to a ribbon clothesline strung on a wall. 

Accent front panels and flaps provide scope for 

your favorite Christmas prints. 

The paper inspirations for the set pictures here were created

using DCWV Christmas card stock stacks,

"Hand-Painted Christmas" and 

"Merry Memories".

1. Identify and cut the shapes for the quantity of sacks
for your selected length of activity period. For each sack, 
cut one "front" that includes the flap tab slot, plus one "back", 
with matching flap accent, plus a pair of top and base panels.
NOTE: if you are using the panel sheet from 
DCWV "Hand Painted Christmas" stack, use rotary cutting equipment 
or scissors to cut them apart on their division lines.

2. Prepare the "front" sack panel by bending on the perforations as shown.
(side perforations are "mountain" "valley" "mountain; bottom is bent back;
triangle side bottom tab is bent back; diagonal lines are "valley").
3. Prepare the front panel in identical fashion, 
plus fold the flap as "mountain" fold.

NOTE: if you are preparing multiples (12 or 24, etc.),
construction efficiency will be increased with
an "assembly line" approach where all of one operation
is completed at one time. For example, shown here, all the
front panels were prepared, and then all the back panels.

4. Line up and join the front and back at one side seam.
Take care to match top edges, and bottom of lower tab
with bottom panel perforation line, opposite.

5. Bend to form the sack panels into a tube,

align, and complete the second side seam.

NOTE that the symmetrical shape of the sack will allow for 

pressing the sack flat on table top surface where direct fingertip

pressure can be applied along the side seam.

6. Bend the bottom side triangle tabs toward the center, then bend

front bottom flange inward, back bottom flange inward as

the top layer. Glue together all layers that touch.

Square up, then apply pressure to achieve maximum attachment.

NOTE that it may be helpful to place sack bottom flat on table top,

then reach hand inside and press against bottom tabs.

7. To facilitate flat storage, press the sack to flatten.

Place front side down, then begin at opening end to press sides

and side "gusset" folds flat . . . 

. . . working downward toward the bottom and up under the
gusset folding . . . 

. . . and finally folding the bottom toward the back and pressing all

layers as flat as possible.

8. Position and attach flap. NOTE that flap design edges of front

and accent shape should line up exactly,

with a slight offset below the top perforation line.

9. Layer front accent panel and base accent.
Position and attach to sack front, centered side to side,
and slot to bottom.

10. Test the sack's close-ability by curling the top flap
to insert tab into slot.

11. Position (centered) each number onto the round "badge" shape

and glue in place. Arrange sacks in preferred order, then attach appropriate

badge to the flap. Insert the tab into slot to help identify the spacing.

12. Finish your sacks set according to the way you have decided to display

or make them work. The suggested method is to clothesline clip each

to an appropriately-sizes length of ribbon which is attached temporarily

to a prominent wall.

Enjoy your completed project.

12 Days of Christmas Canisters Project

What surprise will we find today? This question will build the excitement as you count down to Christmas with decorated canisters. Hide a small gift, treat or activity inside to help your family through the waiting.

Save your empties through the months then decorate with Silhouette paper cutouts. For this project, protein powder cannisters were used (approx. 5 1/2" tall x 4" diameter). 

This shot shows how the decorations are arranged on the cannister.

Here you see the ingredients for this project. A complete list is given at the end of the post.

Silhouette cutouts include the 12 Days of Christmas ornaments from Snapdragon Snippets (see size and other details in the larger project post on this blog), and a scallop border. Cut other paper strips and squares with rotary tools.

Distress layered paper band edges, if desired. This project uses Distress Ink Vintage Photo and a blending tool with non-absorbent craft mat to draw color onto the paper edges. 

Add metal corners to a paper covered chip board square. Push corners snuggly into place, then crimp the square slightly onto board to secure.

Twelve canisters don't make a perfect pyramid! In the usual arrangement, four rows will use 10 canisters -- just add an extra on each side of the base row to include all 12!










Ingredients:
empty canisters
paper for canister cover, scallop border, 
        contrast band, numbers and squares
paper for gift name strips, cream twill tape, red eyelets
paper for 12 Days ornament cutouts
narrow red ribbon glued to plastic lid
green ribbon behind number squares.
jute string to hold  ornaments
black metal corner embellishments
glue and adhesives

12 Days of Christmas Corkboard Countdown Project Tutorial

Love the traditional Christmas carol? Enjoy this fun project to count off the days right before the big event. (Or the more traditional way, to count off the days after Christmas until Festival of the Kings.)  A list of materials follows the tutorial.

Start with a 24x16 corkboard then build out the edges using chair rail molding from the lumber store. (Edges depth should match up.)  Measure and cut the mitered corners carefully. 

Sand the rough edges, attach  molding sections to frame each other at the corners.

Reinforce corners by cutting and gluing pieces of wood lattice to top and bottom project edge measurements.

Corner detail with molding edge face down,
lattice strips on top flush with edges, clamped to dry.

Use a clamp at each corner until the glue is dry.

Fill seams and corners with drywall plaster, let dry, sand. Paint with a sealer, then color coats. 

Next do the math: divide cork area into 12 equal spaces: 4 squares by 3 rows. Determine exact measurements, then cut paper or fabric squares.

Use spray adhesive to attach them to the cork surface.  (Make sure you mask off and cover your work surface to protect from glue overspray first.)

Glue 1/8" wide red grosgrain ribbon over the seams, cutting ribbon ends exactly at edges.

To hide fabric raw edges, cut 1/8" wooden dowels to fit exactly with 45 degree miters at the ends . 

Paint dowels a contrast color. Glue snuggly along the edges of the cork panel.

 Now comes the fun with Silhouette. Use the Twelve Days designs from Snapdragon Snippetts, each sized between 3.5 - 4.5" in the longest dimensions. For durability, cut a pair of each from cream Bazzill heavy cardstock, join, then distress the cut edges.

Use the offset tool (set at 1/8")  in Silhouette to cut two green liner pieces. Make sure you save the hanger hole punch in the same place as the original resized ornaments. Find the tutorial for the offset process at http://www.silhouetteamerica.com/training/section8_7.aspx.

Here are all of the 12 ornaments.   Find other uses for them: gift tags, Christmas cards, wreath or garland embellishments.

Go to SilhouetteAmerica.com to find and shop for these designs.

Final details include a stencilled number on doubled fabric, stitched and edge-frayed










Finished square with card and twill ribbon strip, all elements  glued in place using Fabric-Tac. Also notice the painted green tack and ribbon, and the small gold escutcheon pin perfectly placed to allow the ornament to hang in the square.

Cut a vinyl phrase. Apply to the frame. 

Final idea: Print and cut a matched card shape and mount on the backside.  Turn each over one by one for the countdown.


For a different and simpler project idea using these ornaments, check out my other "12 Days of Christmas Canisters" Project.


LIST OF MATERIALS USED
Snapdragon Snippetts 12 Days of Christmas ornament designs
recycled cork board
chair rail unfinished wood molding
wood lattice strips
1/8" narrow dowels
squares of Christmas fabrics (cream, red, green)
rough weave brown tea-dyed fabric
cream twill tape
red 1/8" grosgrain ribbon
brown vinyl letter phrase
cream and forest green bazill heavy cardstock
brown and green regular cardstock
distress stamp (vintage photo)
painted thumb tacks, gold escutcheon pins
plaster patch compound
acryllic paint: cream, bright green, dark brown
Fabri-Tac glue, adhesive spray, wood glue