Tutorial: Thankful Forest Friends matchbook

It’s said that there are only two certainties in life; death and taxes. But I would add a third … and that is what bears get up to in the woods. 

Perhaps it’s because my husband spends most of his time working with seven-year-olds, or maybe it’s just because I’m deeply immature, but I never tire of a poo joke. Subtlety’s not usually one of my virtues but I thought I’d play down my schoolboy humour in this project, keeping the joke purely in my head. I was making more than a dozen of these, so surely at least one person would “get it”?

And yes, a customer approached me at my Christmas workshop and said “this IS supposed to be bear poo, right?” Call ’em what you like, chocolate raisins are still one of my favourite foods of all time. 

For some inexplicable reason, considering how short of time I am at the moment, I decided to do a tutorial for this project. So here it is…

(I’ve used inches, purely on a whim, not sure why)

You will need:

Stamps

Thankful Forest Friends

Tin of Cards stamp set

Ink pads

Early Espresso

Old Olive

Tools

Fringe scissors

1 3/4” circle punch

Supplies

Tip Top Taupe cardstock measuring 2 3/4” x 7”

Farmers Market Designer Series Paper, wood pattern, measuring 2 5/8” x 2 5/8”

Old Olive cardstock: 2 3/4” x 1 1/4”

Old Olive cardstock: 2 3/4” x 1”

Very Vanilla cardstock for stamping

Small cello bag or similar to contain treats

Linen Thread

Instructions

1. Begin by scoring the Tip Top Taupe cardstock at 2 3/4” and 3” from one end

2. Measuring from the other end, score at 3/4” and 1” 

3. Put a few chocolate raisins in a bag, removing the very large ones because they’re poisonous to anyone except Stampin’ Up!® demonstrators. Don’t overfill or the bags won’t fit in the matchbooks. Also you may run out before finishing and the plan is to have lots leftover for research purposes

4. Take your square of DSP and attach to the square panel of Taupe cardstock 

5. Punch a circle from scrap paper and attach to the centre of the DSP. This will act as a guide so you can punch accurately

6. When you’ve punched it out, stamp the foliage just above the circle, with the crease at the top

7. Take your Old Olive pieces and cut a wavy line to about 1” and 3/4” as shown. Fringe with the scissors

8. Using tape to secure at the bottom edge only, attach the larger fringed piece to the Taupe cardstock, followed by the smaller piece on top. This will leave a little pocket into which you can slide the front of the matchbook

9. Fold along all score lines in the same direction, then apply tape on the inside as shown. Now you can use this to secure your treats

10. Stamp and cut out your bear. You don’t need to fussy cut around the toes as they won’t be seen
Apply tape to the bottom of the bear only - it needs to be free at the top or the matchbook won’t open

11. Slide the bear (carefully, this is REALLY tricky) between the two layers of fringed cardstock. Do the same with a greeting, if desired

12. Finally, carefully close the matchbook (I found this easier by putting it on its side so I could look down on the layers and see where to slide it in) and tie with linen thread for extra security.

Thankful Forest Friends Clear-Mount Stamp Set [139723]	Tin Of Cards Photopolymer Stamp Set [138946]	Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad [126974]	Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad [126953]
Fringe Scissors [133325]	1-3/4" Circle Punch [119850]	Tip Top Taupe A4 Cardstock [138343]	Farmers Market Designer Series Paper [138448]
Old Olive A4 Card Stock [106576]	Very Vanilla A4 Card Stock [106550]	Linen Thread [104199]

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