Once again this morning my crafting went off on a tangent and my planned project didn’t materialise. Instead I started experimenting with a way to close a mini backpack treat/gift pouch. I started off using a Mini Glue Dot but to be honest the backpack design didn’t excite me. All it took was an extra die-cut piece and suddenly everything made sense.

THE BASIC BACKPACK

I began with the idea of making a simple backpack using the All Dressed Up Dies. So from Calypso Coral Card I cut two pieces using the largest die in the set. Then I wondered how to add interest to the plain card pieces.

In the end I decided to stamp an all-over design using the All Wired Up background stamp. I find these very large stamps a little hard to manage on an acrylic block so I always use my Stamparatus for them. I inked up the stamp using Terracotta Tile ink and then stamped onto the two die-cut pieces.

With that done I folded the die-cut pieces along the scored lines imprinted by the die and sharpened the creases with a Bone Folder. Then with Tear & Tape Adhesive I fixed the two pieces together to create a basic bag shape.

To turn the bag into a backpack I needed two long handles. For that there’s a die in the set that cuts a long piece complete with faux stitching to match the bag. I cut two of these pieces from Calypso Coral Card.

Finally I sponged a little Terracotta Tile ink around the edges and creased areas of all the die-cut pieces.

MAGIC CLOSURE

It was at this point that I started to think about how to close the top of the backpack. Looking at the All Dressed Up Dies I saw the die designed to cut out the perfume bottle image from the Dressed To Impress Stamp Set. I thought that might work, so I cut the piece from Calypso Coral Card. Then I took the die-cut piece to my Simply Scored tool and scored two lines across the ‘bottle’, 3/4″ and 5/8″ from the bottom edge.

After folding along the scored lines and sharpening the creases with a Bone Folder I attached the bottom of the ‘bottle’ to the back of the bag so the creased area fitted between the front and back sections.

Next I added a curve to the two long die-cut pieces by pulling them between my thumb and the Bone Folder. Then I attached one end of the strips to the back of the bag at the bottom of the ‘bottle’. The other ends were fixed close to the bottom corners on the back of the bag. Suddenly my bag became a backpack.

Looking at the front of my backpack I realised that although the top of the ‘bottle’ created a flap to close it, it needed adhesive to keep it closed. Doable, but not ideal. Then I saw the ‘pocket’ die. I wonder….

I die-cut the ‘pocket’ from some Calypso Coral Card and then sponged the edges with Terracotta Tile ink. Then I glued this piece to the flap I’d created using the top of the ‘bottle’. It worked! Because this second piece was wider than the curved section at the top of the backpack, it held in place.

So with that I added a metal Star Designer Element to the flap and my project was complete.

You know it’s funny but I have no idea how other people have been closing the bags they’ve been making with these dies. I just know that I love my solution, even if it’s not the way the dies were designed to be used. That’s what crafting is all about.

To see the tote bag that can also be made using these dies check out my blog post Life is short, buy the shoes.

PRODUCT LIST

CO-ORDINATING STAMPS – As well as making an awesome little backpack or tote, the All Dressed Up Dies coordinate with the Dressed to Impress Stamp Set. Both the dies and stamp set are in the Stampin’ Up! 2020/2021 Annual Catalogue however they are no longer available as a discounted bundle.