Part Two - "Brown Bag Table Setting"

Making the Lunch Bag Easel

Welcome back for the second day of instructions for the“Brown Bag Table Setting”. Today I will present the instructions for making the easel and Design Panels.

You will need 1 Brown Paper Lunch Sack (5” X 10 ¾”) and cardstock cut as described below to make the Easel.

Front and Back Design Panels

Cut two of each piece. You will need one of each for the Front Design Panel and the Back Design Panel.

Brown Background – 4 ¾” X 7 ¼”

Teal Mat – 4 ¼” X 6 ¾”

Polka Dot Panel – 4” X 6 ½”

Pocket Design Panel

Cut one of each piece.

Brown Pocket Background – 2 ¾” X 4 ¾”

Teal Pocket Mat – 2 ¼” X 4 ¼”

Polka Dot Pocket Panel – 2” X 4”

Make two large Design Panels. Glue the Teal Mat to the Brown Background cardstock. Then attach the Polka Dot Panel to the Teal Mat and set aside.

For the Pocket Design Panel attach the smaller panels as described. Attach the Teal Pocket Mat to the Brown Pocket Background cardstock. Then attach the Polka Dot Pocket Panel to the Teal Pocket Mat and set aside.

Photo #1 - Completed Design Panels

Tip: The red polka dot cardstock has a white core that shows along the cut edges. To soften the edges I sponged red ink along the white edges. Chalk may also be used instead of ink. The ink is not on the top of the paper, just on the edges. I use this same technique with chalk for pictures in scrapbooks.

Making the Lunch Bag Easel



The “Front” of the lunch bag is the side with the tabbed opening at the top and the bottom of the bag folded upwards as packaged. Working from the front side of the lunch bag, fold the bottom section of the bag to the back, folding just above the top edge of the bag bottom. See Photo #2. Crease along the fold line. The bottom of the bag forms a pocket on the back side of the lunch bag. See Photo #3.



Photo #2 - Lunch Sack Front & Photo #3 - Folded Lunch Bag

   
Attaching Panels


Photo # 4

 

Working on the back side of the lunch bag, unfold the pocket and attach the back Design Panel to the back of the paper lunch bag, centering the panel within the larger section of the lunch sack above the fold. Attach Sticky Strip adhesive along short edges of the inside pocket section as shown. See Photo #4.

Photo #5 - Flap

Remove the protective coating from the tape and fold the bottom section back up and over the lower portion of the Design Panel to form the pocket (3” X 5”). Once the pocket has been secured a 1 ½” flap will pop up along the bottom edge. See Photo # 5. This flap supports the bag and will allow it to stand up. At this time it may still be a little flimsy and try to fall over. Adding the cardstock Design Panels will help to stabilize it.



Photo #6 - Reference Fold

Fold the bottom edge of the small flap up to the top edge of the pocket, crease and release. This fold will serve as a visual reference point to be used to align the Pocket Design Panel. See Photo 6.














Photo # 7 - Tick Marks



To accurately position and fold the Pocket Design Panel, place the panel in position, print side down and make tick marks at the fold line on the wrong side of the panel. See photo 7.




















Photo #8 - Scoring

 

Score from tick mark to tick mark on the wrong side of the Design Panel. See photo 8.





















Attach Sticky Strip to wrong side of folded Pocket Design Panel. Gently fold polka dot side together. Attach the Pocket Panel to the bottom section of the folded lunch bag, aligning the tick marks to the crease of the pocket section of the sack. I use Sticky Strip or a strong double-sided adhesive tape for this panel. It needs to be strong to support the weight. See Photo #9.

Photo #9 - Attaching Pocket Design Panel & Photo #10 Finished Back of Easel

Attach the finished front Design Panel to the front side of the paper lunch Bag. The easel is now ready to be decorated.

I hope you will join me again to see how to make this adorable Christmas Tree Girl.