Tuesday Tutorial: Get Well/Stay Well Pouch

 
Happy Tuesday, crafty friends! I've got another little gift project to share with you today -- the Get Well/Stay Well Pouch. Each pouch contains a packet of tissues, a lip balm, and a hand sanitizer. These are fun and inexpensive to make, and are great for cheering up friends who are under the weather. They also make terrific stocking stuffers, or friend-to-friend gifts. I know you're extra busy this time of year, so let's get started! :-)

A. Materials List

Here's what you need to make this project:

(1) 12x12 piece of cardstock
(1) Self-adhesive velcro strip (both sides of it)
Scoring tool
Scissors
Strong double-sided tape, such as Wondertape
Designer papers, digis, and embellishments of your choice for decorating
(1) Travel-size packet of tissues
(1) Pocket-size (1 oz.) bottle of hand sanitizer
(1) Tube of lip balm

A little money-saving tip here: I was able to find six-packs of tissue, three-packs of lip balm, and individual hand sanitizers at my local dollar store. Doing it this way, the gift items for one pouch cost only $1.50 (plus sales tax)!

B. Scoring Side A of the Cardstock

1. Place the cardstock so that the surface that will compose the inside of the pouch facing up.

2. Measuring from right to left, score along one side of the cardstock ("Side A"), from top to bottom, at these locations:

• 3.25 inches
• 4 inches
• 8 inches
• 8.75 inches

C. Scoring Side B of the Cardstock

1. Rotate the cardstock 45 degrees (one quarter turn) to the left (counter-clockwise).

2. Measuring from right to left, score along the new side of the cardstock ("Side B"), from top to bottom, at these locations:

• 2.25 inches
• 3 inches
• 7 1/8 inches
• 7 7/8 inches

When you have finished scoring both sides of the cardstock, your cardstock should look like this:

D. Cutting the Cardstock

1. Starting at the bottom edge of "Side B" of the cardstock, cut up along the vertical (up/down) score mark at  2.25 inches until it intersects the second horizontal (left/right) score line from the bottom edge.

2. Again starting at the bottom edge of "Side B" of the cardstock, cut up along the vertical (up/down) score mark at 3 inches until it intersects the second horizontal (left/right) line from the bottom edge.

3. Starting at the top edge of "Side B" of the cardstock, cut down along the vertical (up/down) score mark at 2.25 inches until it intersects the second horizontal (left/right) score line from the top edge.

4. Again, starting at the top edge of "Side B" of the cardstock, cut down along the vertical (up/down) score mark at 3 inches until it intersects the second horizontal (left/right) line from the top edge.

5. Starting from the left edge of "Side B" of the cardstock, cut in along the second horizontal score line from the bottom edge, until it intersects the vertical (up/down) score line at 3 inches. This will completely cut away a rectangle of cardstock as shown in the photo below.

6. Starting from the left edge of "Side B" of the cardstock, cut in along the second horizontal (left/right) score line from the top edge, until it intersects the vertical (up/down) score line at 3 inches. Again, this will completely cut away a rectangle of cardstock as shown in the photo above.

7. Starting from the left edge of "Side B" of the cardstock, cut in along the first horizontal (left/right) score line from the top edge, until it intersects the vertical (up/down) score line at 2.25 inches. This will completely cut away one more small rectangle of cardstock.

8. Starting from the left edge of "Side B" of the cardstock, cut in along the first horizontal (left/right) score line from the bottom edge, until it intersects the vertical (up/down) score line at 2.25 inches. This will completely cut away one last small rectangle of cardstock.

When you've finished cutting, your cardstock piece should look like this:

E. Assembling the Pouch

1. Rotate the cardstock 45 degrees (one quarter turn) to the left (counter-clockwise). It should now resemble a large T, like this:

2. Crease the remaining cardstock along all score lines, keeping in mind that the surface facing up will compose the inside of the pouch.

3. Locate the two small squares at the bottom of the cross-piece of the "T", and fold each square inward along its score line toward the post of the "T".

 

4. Once you have folded the little squares inward, apply a piece of strong double-sided tape to the face-up surface of each square.

5. Fold the cross section of the "T" up along the score line that runs along the top of the taped squares, bringing it towards you, so that it is standing straight up.

6. Remove the adhesive backing from the taped squares, and then fold the sides of the "T" cross down along the left and right edges of the "T" post. Align the inner rectangle sections with the sides of the taped squares.

7.  Press the taped squares up against the rectangular sections to adhere them in place, so that the box section of the pouch begins to take shape.

8. Fold one of the loose side flaps of the box in across the post.

9. Adhere double-sided tape to the back of this flap, and remove the adhesive backing.

10. Fold the other loose side flap of the box in across the post and behind the other flap.

11. Press to seal the two flaps together to form the back of the box.

12. Adhere double-sided tape to the entire back of the box, and remove the backing on the adhesive.

13. Fold the box section down towards you along the post of the "T", so that the box opening is facing you.

14. Press down to seal the box in place flat against the "T" post.

15. Rotate the box so that the cover flap is at the top and the open box is at the bottom.

16. Decorate the completed pouch with paper, digis, and embellishments as desired.

Here's how I decorated mine (the pouches are closed in this view). For the Christmas-y one on the left, I used the  "Baby It's Cold Outside Color" digi set by Austin Owens. For the "feel better" one on the right, I used the "Get Well Critters" digi set by Laurie Wilson.

17. After decorating the inside of the pouch (if you choose to do so), adhere one side of a segment of velcro to the lower front of the box on the inside of the pouch. Adhere the coordinating segment of velcro to the inside of the covering flap, so that when the pouch is closed, these two pieces stick together and hold the pouch closed.

18. Fill the pouch with your get well/stay well goodies.

19. Fold the top flap over and press on the velcro to seal it closed.

There you have it -- a little gifty to show somebody you care, to help them get well or just stay well! :-)

If you have any questions about this tutorial, please feel free to post them in the Comment field, and I will answer ASAP. If you would like a direct reply, please be sure to include your email address in your post.