Last Minute Easter Treat Bags

I noticed that someone had pinned these simple Easter candy treat bags I made last year on Pinterest.  Since Easter is just around the corner, I thought it might be nice to share them again. 

Here are all of the bits and pieces you will need.  Any candy will do but these little foil covered chicks from our local candy shop looked very cute!  Click HERE to go to the original post with step by step photos and directions.

Someone asked me if the new universal format digital kits from Creative Memories can be used with the Silhouette Studio software.  These kits are in png and jpeg formats so you can simply open the file where they are located and drag the item you want over to the Silhouette Studio mat.  Then you add a cut line by tracing the outer edge of the image.  You can cut out images from any of the other Creative Memories digital content sets by first saving the element to a new file and tracing.  I'll try to post a step by step explanation soon.

You can set up the items to print on regular 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock in your home printer and then cut out the elements with the Silhouette Cameo or SD.

 I did a few quick samples.  The chick, "Happy Easter" words and the egg paper are from the new Bunny Hop Universal Format Kit. 

The floral design is one I created using a digital element from another collection.  I just love the blue and violet colors.  I think this will make a pretty card with a few more details added.

I got involved in a project on Monday that took forever - and it still isn't finished.  I think I am making it more complicated than it needs to be.  If I get it all worked out, I'll share it.

Have you finished decorating for Easter?

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SImple Easter Treat Bags

Here is a quick and easy way to present Easter treats.  These are inexpensive to put together but look more special than just placing the candy in an Easter basket.

Here are all the pieces you need for these treat bags.  I get the 3 x 4 inch zip top bags at Michael's.  If you can't find this size just adjust the size of your pieces to fit the bags you are using.  I cut the backing piece at 2 3/4 x 3 3/4 inches to allow room for the candy to fit in comfortably.  The topper can be cut at about 3 1/4 inches x 4 inches and folded in half.  You can make this narrower or wider and adjust the height according to the punch you are using.  I used the Martha Stewart Double Loops border punch from the Punch Around the Page set.

I found these cute foil wrapped chocolate chicks at our local Concord candy store, Priscilla's, on Walden Street.  They have lots of delicious treats and I often find cute things for gifts there.  These three bags were part of the "extra" surprises that went in the Blogoversary celebration boxes.  I wanted to wait until the three winners would have received their boxes to post these photos.

After your topper is punched you may need to trim the punched area to neaten it.  If you prefer a perfect edge, you can design the topper with one of the many borders from a Cricut cartridge of your choice.

Here are some similar bags I designed for Valentine's Day - you can read all of the details about how to design these toppers at THIS POST.

Once you have assembled the bags, you should punch two holes to thread the ribbon from the front to the back.  The ribbon is about a foot long.  It helps to use a binder clip to holder the pieces together once they are punched.  For more detailed directions on assembling the bags, please see THIS POST.

Next, insert the ribbon ends in the opposite hole and bring the ribbons around to the front.

 

You could just pull the ribbons tight and trim the ends, or continue on to tie a bow as I did for these treats.

The cardstocks I used for these bags were from a DCWV Spring Glitter Stack from a couple of years ago - you may also have some of this hanging around if you are a paper collector like me!

I'll be heading back to Massachusetts just a few days before Easter so there will be a flurry of decorating when I get home!

link to Discussion Day 1 - Why do you craft?

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Cookie Packaging Details

I got sidetracked yesterday by my excitement about being in the top ten for a chance to be on the Cosmo Cricket Design Team.  If you would like to vote you can click HERE to go to the post on the Cosmo Cricket blog - the poll is in the right column. 

I do remember that I promised more details about making up the cookie packages - so here they are (with lots of photos as usual)!

 

I bought the treat bags at Michael's in the candy and cake supplies section.  This type of bag is readily available in many craft stores.  You do want to be sure that it is meant for food since the cookies will be in contact with the bag.  When you are doing wrapped candy in a bag (like the bags HERE) you can use other types of bags as well.

The bags I bought measured 4 x 6 inches, so I cut some pieces of cardstock to 3 3/4 x 3 3/4 inches to serve as the backers in the bags.  I embossed them with a variety of designs. For the pink I used the "Love Language" and the "Polka Dots" Cuttlebug folders...

...and for the red I used the floral folder from the "Once Upon a Princess" Companion set and the "Conversations" folder.

The slightly narrower pieces of cardstock allow for a good fit once the cookies are added.

There are many ways to decorate the toppers.  The first step is to determine the proper size.  These needed to be four inches wide to fit the bags.  By experimenting with scrap paper, I decided that they should be cut at about 3 inches to fold at 1 1/2 inches high.

You can simply cut pieces of decorative paper to 3 x 4 inches, fold them in half lengthwise and use that as the topper.   The topper on the left in this photo is an example of this.  Two holes are punched and a ribbon is tied in a bow at the front.  It couldn't get much simpler!

You  can also use the Cricut to cut a decorative border.  Here are two samples from the Martha Stewart All Occasions Cake Art cartridge.  The size of the design will vary depending on the feature set you choose.  I preferred the scale of the lower border.

As luck would have it, this design was just a bit over eight inches long and the pattern divided neatly with nine scallops in each section.

The section of the plastic bag above the backer will fold neatly into thirds to fit the topper.  You can use glue dots to hold the bag down on either side.

A strip of adhesive from a tape gun works well also.

 

You should end up with a neatly sealed bag, ready for a paper topper to be added.

 

You can fold the topper over the bag to position it for punching the holes.

By keeping the two pieces together you know the fit will be perfect.  This topper is ready for some ribbon to be added.  You can use a clamp to hold the pieces together while you add the ribbon.

This is a handy way to conserve your ribbon.  To tie a bow at the top you would need about 12 inches of ribbon.  You can create a slightly different look and use 1/3 the amount of ribbon.  I cut a piece of ribbon to four inches (about the width of the topper).

First, insert the ends of the ribbon into the two punched holes  starting at the front.

Then, push one end back to the front through the opposite hole.

Repeat this with the other end of the ribbon and pull them up tightly through the front.

When the ribbon is tightened you can remove the clamp.  You have a perky looking "bow" and can make many more bags with the same ribbon.

This is all you will see on the back side.

You can also use a piece of cardstock you have punched with a decorative border.  This is the Martha Stewart Doily Lace Edge punch.

A simple pearl brad finishes off the topper.  It looks elegant and can be saved by the recipients to use on one of their own projects.

Almost anything can make a topper.  This decorative white cut was one of my trials cuts for the wrapped candy bag toppers (HERE).

I cut a 3 x 4 inch piece of pink cardstock, folded it in half lengthwise and then held everything together with a clamp while I punched a hole at the top.

This large gem brad from Creative Charms makes the treat even more special

These are just a few of the possibilities.  You can have a lot of fun creating different toppers for unique treats and favors.  They do look almost "too pretty to eat!"

I am in Pennsylvania again for a super quick visit with my Dad.  Yesterday was very hectic as we packed up the car and I drove our son to New Jersey for his last semester of college.  I have been driving up and down this route from Massachusetts to New Jersey for so many years - it will be strange to have him graduate this spring (but also very exciting!).  I'll still come this way to visit my sister and my Dad.  

We saw the most amazing sunset just as we got near the Tappan Zee bridge but my laptop has decided to stop reading memory cards and I don't have any other way to get the photos in the computer until I get home again.  I plan to go home Monday since there is yet another storm predicted for Tuesday.  I hope things clear up for my flight to LA on Thursday!

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Something a Little Different...a game!

Happy Friday!  Today is the last day of my week of Guest Designing over at the Everyday Cricut blog.  It has been a lot of fun and I want to thank Joy and Melanie again for asking me to be their Guest Designer this week.

If you have just arrived here from the Everyday Cricut blog welcome!  If you are visiting my blog for the first time, I hope you will find lots of interesting and helpful information.  At the top of the right column you can click to subscribe by email or follow this blog if you want to keep up with my projects and tutorials. It has been a very busy week and I have many more Valentine's projects that I am working on - I hope you will continue to visit my blog to see them in the coming weeks.

Today on the Everyday Cricut blog I have posted my Tic Tac Toe game project.  This was easy and fun to do - the key ingredient is the "make it yours" Vintage Frames from Creative Charms. 
You can read all about the game and how I made it HERE.

I was asked to show how to make the second style of candy holders I posted a few days ago on the Everyday Cricut blog.  I have made a lot of different candy holders for table favors or little gifts.  This is one of the easiest styles to make.  You can see step by step on a slightly different set of favors HERE and I thought I'd also show you one more time, using this as the example.

This is the heart I chose.  There is a blackout version which I could use for the base and to layer below this heart.

Here is the screen shot of my design.  I simply welded the heart shapes to a rectangle to create a shaped base.  You could just cut a rectangle and glue on the toppers if you didn't have access to Design Studio.

The welded cut is centered and scored to create a one inch base.  Score at 5 1/2 and 6 1/2 and be sure that your cut is centered so it will line up.

I cut the hearts for layering with Design Studio.  This allowed me to "nestle" them together as you can see above.  I may use this offcut for something!

The heart layers are cut from that red fuzzy contact paper again.  They came out beautifully with multi cut 2 times and blade depth 4 pressure 4.

I embossed the white heart backgrounds with the "Love Language" Cuttlebug folder - I love the tiny hearts!  Here you can see what a difference it makes!

This candy holder also works with a small treat bag (3 x 4), and I needed to trim it a bit from the top to make it fit comfortably.

You can check the fit before assembling.  I didn't fill the bag with candy (cruise diet, remember!) but I prepared it to take some candy if I decide to give this token to someone.

 

I cut two hearts layers but you really only need one for the front of the candy holder.   I can save this one to use on a card.

I added the layers to the base of the holder and made sure that the tops and the plastic bag were aligned.

Then I used the Cropadile to punch through all of the layers at once.

I made sure the hole would be in the fuzzy red area.

There is room on the heart to add individual names if you want to use these for place cards.  I used a Gradient Gem Brad from Creative Charms to hold the bag and the cover together.  Don't forget to visit the Creative Charms Blog and sign up as a follower - they are having a great giveaway this week.  You need to leave a comment on the post linked HERE.  Tell them Diane sent you!

 This is how it looks on the back - the brad is not very noticeable on the bold patterned paper.  If you were giving this to a crafting friend, the brad could be saved by your friend to use on another project.

You can adapt this basic design for any season or occasion - these are fun to make and also quick and easy!

I tried to answer most of the questions that have come my way about this week's projects on the post today on Everyday Cricut HERE.  I have had a crazy schedule but I will get the videos and tutorials that were requested finished and posted as soon as possible.

Be sure to check in later today or tomorrow to find out about a couple of fun things - if you liked this week's projects you won't want to miss one of them!

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