Make a simple briefcase from duct tape and poster board.
Detectives need to have a place to hold their information, important items and clues. When you hold a detective party, your would-be detectives will need briefcases to hold, even hide, clues or information they've gathered. You can make simple, but effective briefcases for guests at your party using a few, inexpensive supplies. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Choose the covers. While a briefcase has many parts, what you normally see are the front and back that open and close and allow you to place things inside. A briefcase is really a type of suitcase, streamlined for business use. To create a briefcase for your party, consider how you plan to use it. If you want to put clues or papers into the briefcase, you can make one using two pieces of poster board. Use the size that works best for what you plan to put inside. Use brown or black poster board to make the briefcase look more natural or spice it up with color for a quirkier approach.
2. Create hinges. A briefcase opens with hinges so you need to find a way to anchor the two pieces of poster board together while still being able to open and close them. Layer the two pieces of poster board, color side out. Cut a strip of duct tape. Use it to tape together the two rectangular poster boards on one of the longer sides. This becomes the bottom, hinged side of the briefcase. (The opposite long side will be where the handle goes.) Open up the poster board and add a strip inside to support the outside strip. You now have a case that opens and closes. At this point, if you have plain poster board, cover it with construction or personalize it with the name of the detective who'll be using it.
3. Add envelopes to the inside of the briefcase. Choose the size and number of envelops to add to the briefcase, depending upon what and how many items or clues you wish to insert into the briefcase. Glue them to the inside of the open case. You may use one large envelop to match the size of the case, or use small envelopes, each containing an important item or clue.
4. Add handles for easy carrying. A briefcase needs handles, especially if those involved in solving the mystery need to hang onto the briefcase as they work on the case during the detective party. On the opposite side from the hinges on both pieces of poster board, mark the center. Three inches from the edge and three inches left and right from the center, mark on both pieces. Punch small holes. Cut two lengths of cord a foot long. Knot one end. From what is the inside of the briefcase and on each side, feed the cords through one hole and down through the other to create handles. Knot. Make the knots large enough not to slip back through the holes.
5. Make it close. Every briefcase case needs a latch to hold it closed. Create a latch for your detective party briefcase with interlocking fabric fasteners. Place an inch square self-sticking tab on the outside center on both sides of the briefcase. Cut a 4- to 6-inch strip of the fastener that interlocks with the tabs. Back with gold ribbon. This is especially important if the fasteners have a self-stick backing. Attach strip to the tabs. You can now open and close the briefcase by pulling the strip open from the tabs on either side.
Tags: poster board, pieces poster, pieces poster board, inside briefcase, open close, both pieces, detective party
