Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Was!

I mentioned that the kitchen was over-run with juice cartons – around about 300, donated by folk from the church for this year’s Holiday Club Crafts. On the final day, I try to find a craft that makes very little mess, and therefore the clearing up process is fast.

This year I have TWO activities for the children – both involving juice cartons. Here is the first one. Began by trimming top and bottom of your clean, dry carton. Flatten it along two edges, and fold it into thirds. Crease as firmly as you can

Now open up the carton again, and decide on your ‘best’ panel. With this Soya Milk box, I chose the side which has no printing at all on it.

Now flatten your carton, by creasing the side panels inwards thus

Crease as firmly as you can. Open up the carton and cut down the side seams for one third of the length

Trim away the two side flaps, by cutting along those creases, and taper in the edges of the front and back flaps.

Now flatten the carton again. The ‘best’ panel should be underneath, as you fold up the bottom third.

You are going to tuck the ‘inner’ flap down inside the section which you fold up.

Crease as firmly as you can, punch a hole in the remaining flap and thread an elastic band through, looping it in place.

Fill your purse with money, shut the flap and secure with band

Front and back views

Here’s a selection of samples to show the children

I am going to print off sticky labels with our club logo, so the children can stick their names inside the ones they make in August.  These purses are remarkably durable, and very satisfying to make.

This isn’t an original idea, I learned how to do this here back in March. You can find many variations on the net [including fancy Velcro fastenings, buttons, and using the screw caps] I was a little concerned about the YouTube clip which began “Get a carton from your neighbour’s bin…”

We will be using clean and dry cartons donated by friends. But I have already sorted them out carefully because the ones lined with silver foil are needed for the other craft.