Fun Tutorial American Girl Purse or Mini Backpack You Choose

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hey all! Happy Thursday! Today is not going to be the normal post day. I will be posting a fun tutorial for you that I made for La-La Land Crafts.

My daughter was the inspiration for this fun little tutorial. She really loves making things for her American Girl Dolls. I thought I would pitch in and make her a little picnic type purse for her doll Kit. Here is a photo of Kit sporting her new picnic purse.



Here is another of just the sweet little purse using the ever fun Happy Days Rubber Stamp from La-La Land Crafts. I also used the new Mushroom and Grass Border Die Cut and the Stump and Twig Die Cuts.



But enough of my rambling... on to the tutorial shall we?

First, you will need to download this pdf that I made for a scoring instruction template. It will make things so much easier for you. Click HERE to download.

Supplies needed:

• La-La Land Crafts – Happy Day Rubber Stamps


• La-La Land Crafts – Mushroom and Grass Border Die Cut


• La-La Land Crafts – Stump with Twig Die Cut


• Printable score instruction sheet


• Card stock (your choice color) sizes: (1) 11 x 8 ½ (base), (1) 3 ¾ x 5 ¾ (pocket base), (1) 3 ½ x 2 ¾ (pocket flap), (1) 4 x 3 ½ (base flap), (1) 5 ½ x 4 ¼ (for stamped images)


• Patterned Paper (your choice) sizes: (2) 2 x 2 ½ (pocket flap covers), (2) 2 ½ x 3 ¼ (base flap covers), (1) 2 ½ x 2 ½ (pocket base cover), (1) 3 ¼ x 5 ¾ (base cover)


• Small hole punch or Crop-a-dial


• Something to score your paper with (score pal or similar)


• Scissors


• Ribbon


• Paper Cutter


• Strong double side tape (like score tape)


• Acid free adhesive tape (no liquid glue)

Copic Markers used:

• Marci
  
  
  
  • Skin: E000, 00, 11, 21, R20, 22
  
  
  • Hair: E51, 53, 55
  
  
  • Dress: Y19, 21, 23, R22
  
  
  • Shoes: Y19, 21, 23, C1
  
  
  • Bow on basket: R22, 00, 01, 02
  
  
  • Basket: E33, 31, 30
  
  
  
  


• Bear w/Flower:
  
  
  
  • Fur: E50, 30, 31, 33, 34, R01, 02
  
  
  • Flower: R00, 01, 02, Y19, YG23, 25
  
  
  
  


• Bear Sitting:
  
  
  
  • Fur: E50, 30, 31, 33, 34, R01, 02
  
  
  
  


• Grass: YG20, 21, 23, 25, G24, 28


• Stump: E23, 25, 27, G24, 28, YG23

	Step 1: Score and cut your cardstock sheets according to the printable score instruction sheets.  Step 2: Fold all the score lines
	Step 3: Place score tape or a similar double-sided tape in strength on the ¼” edge of the pocket base as seen in the photo.
	Step 4: Cut the pocket flap in a curve, as shown in the photo. An easy way to achieve this if you are worried it will be off is to cut a circle with a die cut machine that is larger than the flap itself. Then place the circle on top of the flap creating the curved edge you desire.
	Step 5: Place score tape or similar in strength tape on the underside of the pocket flap that will be connected to the pocket base as shown in photo. Photo 1 is the top of side of the flap. Photo 2 is the underside of the flap.
	Step 6: Adhere the pocket flap to the back half of the pocket base as shown in the photo
	Step 7: Place score tape or a similar double-sided tape in strength on the back of the pocket base as shown in the photo.
	Step 8: Time to take off the score tape you placed on the ¼” sides of the pocket base and close it all up as shown in the photo.
	Step 9: Place the patterned paper you want on the outside and the inside of the pocket flap under the pocket flap (this would be the 2 x 2 ½” pieces) and trace the curve so you can have the same curve for the patterned paper as well. Do this on both halves.
	Step 10: If you do not have magnets for this part, you can use Velcro or something similar to keep it closed and may skip steps 11 – 15 and just place your patterned pieces on the pocket flaps with adhesive tape.
	Step 11: Place the + and the – ends of the magnets on your pocket base and pocket flap as seen in the photo so you can gauge about where you would like them to be.
	Step 12: Be sure your magnet is secure with adhesive on your pocket flap. Step 13: Place score tape or similar strength double sided tape on the patterned paper you want on the inside of your flap.
	Step 14: Remove the paper from the double sided tape and place the patterned paper over the magnet that is on the inside of the pocket flap as shown in the photo.
	Step 15: Be sure the other magnet is secure with adhesive on the pocket base.  Step 16: Place score tape or similar strength double sided tape on the patterned paper you want on the pocket base.
	Step 17: Remove the paper from the double-sided tape and place on your pocket base.
	Step 18: Place score tape or similar strength double sided tape on the patterned paper you want on the outside of your pocket flap.  Step 19: Remove the paper from the double-sided tape and adhere the patterned paper to the top side of your flap as shown in the photo. You can now set your pocket aside.
	Step 20: Cut the base flap in a curve, as shown in the photo. Easy way to achieve this if you are worried it will be off is to cut a circle with a die cut machine that is larger than the flap itself. Then place the circle on top of the flap creating the curved edge you desire.
	Step 21: Place the patterned paper you want on the outside and the inside of the base flap under the base flap (this would be the 2 ½” x 3 ¼” pieces) and trace the curve so you can have the same curve for the patterned paper as well. Do this on both halves.
	Step 22: Adhere the base flap to the back half of the base as shown in the photo
	Step 23: For the next two photos you will want to look to see how and where the double-sided tape is placed, to be sure it is placed on the correct sides of the base. Where you placed the base flap onto the back of the base is the top photo. The second photo is the opposite side. You will want to place the double-sided tape on the bottom, but also on the edge that is scored leaving it only ½” wide. You can see this in the first photo.
	Step 24: Remove the paper from the double-sided tape and put the bottom together. You can see how this is done in the next 3 photos. The last bit you want to close is the ½” side.
	Step 25: Now for magnets again. Again, if you do not have magnets that you are using you can skip directly to step 26. If you are using magnets just repeat steps 11-15 The following 5 photos are related to placement of the magnets for the base.
	Step 26: Remove the paper from the double-sided tape from the back side of the pocket and adhere it to the front of your purse/mini backpack as shown in the photo.
	Step 27: Using a crop-a-dial or like hole punch place a hole on the ¼” lip of the base flap as seen in the photo. I placed mine about ½” into the middle. You may put yours where you feel they look best to you.
	Step 28: From the top side of your purse/mini backpack push the ribbon of your choice through and tie a knot on the inside of the purse as shown in the photo. Do this with both ends of the ribbon.

Step 29: The last thing to do is to decorate. I used the La-La Land Crafts Happy Days Rubber Stamp Set Mushroom and Grass Border Die Cut The Stump and Twigs Die Cut If you would like to use the same colors as I did, they are all listed in the supplies above.

I hope you enjoyed my post today. If you would like to just download a pdf of the tutorial for later click HERE.

Don’t forget to go and see the rest of the team's creations over at the La-La Land Crafts Blog. Don't forget you can also find great inspiration over at the La-La Land Crafts Facebook Group and on Instagram as well.

Until next time friends!!!



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