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Hi! I'm fairly new to stamping & have just attempted a bag topper for my daughter's preschool Valentine exchange next week. Browsing through the gallery for inspiration, I noticed a lot of examples where I don't see staples. Is there another way to attach to the bag that I'm not aware of?
I had this very same question! I got advise from Sharon (notimetostamp) on her blog. Here is what I did:
-I folded down the bag to the level I wanted it
-I placed my pre-cut and pre-scored paper over the top with a small part down the back, big part down the front
-I stampled it
-I glued the top layer over the staples and decorated it
That way you can only see the staples from the back. Hope this helps. Here is a link to my V-day treat bags:
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I was wondering as well. Oh my gosh those bags are adorable! Thanks Michelle, I love them too! And I have those stamps! I just may have to make something for my kiddos playgroup for V-day with this idea!
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Another technique you can use is to sandwich the cello bag between the front and back of the topper, then punch two holes side by side about an inch from the top of the whole bag. Thread ribbon or cord through and tie a bow or knot on the front. This works especially well for packages that you want them to be able to open without tearing it apart, or to be able to reclose. :-)
The reply from maccreative, works very well. I've done it that way several times. I use brads to make the holes look more finished and thread the ribbon through them. Just make both the front and back flaps the same size. You also would decorate the back flap as well, obviously.
Another way is to use decorative staples instead of those ugly gray ones used for everyday things. Use the Fastenator (?). You can get many different colors or sayings on the staples.
This might seem like a no duh, but I always staple from the back of the topper. So the icky part of the staple is on the front. Then I cover that up with the top layer on the front. That way, even on the back, you have a nice finished staple, not those catchy things (technical term) sticking out.
I use glue dots. Yeah, it takes 4 per topper, but it does look more clean than staples. Plus, it only takes a minute to fold over, put a glue dot on, and go.
You can also color your plain staples with Staz-On ink pads. If you only have one layer for your bag topper and don't want to use the ribbon method. I did this for my valentine's bags and the staples look great! Also, you don't have to buy a bunch in different colors. Just buy a generic box, and glide a stack of staples across the Staz-on pads. I do the tops and the sides. HTH!
Thanks for all the great input ladies! I used the "cover the staples with a top layer" method this time. But I'm taking notes on all your suggestions as I definitely plan on making more bags in the future.
This thread was just what I was looking for! I like the idea of hiding the staples behind a top layer of card stock (and putting the catchy-things to the front ;) ), but I also really like the idea of just stapling the bag and using double stick tape for the topper! I think I'll give it a try!
Bag topper question
