Showing posts with label Re-purpose gift bag. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Re-purpose gift bag. Show all posts

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Upcycled Halloween Gift Bags

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I needed something for the Altered Halloween Canvases I made and I love gift bags. But I’m trying to reduce, reuse, and recycle so I wanted to use things I already had on hand. Enter some small, fairly plain, grocery bags!
I went to my scrap bin and pulled out some coordinating scraps and made the panel for the front of the bag. Then I went to my Graphics Fairy file because there is always something good there! I had downloaded this owl and decided it was perfect. I added a hat and text using my PrintShop Deluxe program, and printed on kraft cardstock. Trimmed, mounted on a black panel, then on an orange one.
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Finished off with a jute bow ( just cut several lengths of jute twine and made a bow; hot glued on to the bag) a layered flower from more scraps, and self adhesive rhinestones.
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Easy peasy!
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A Little Knick Knack

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Introducing A Recurring Feature: "So You Don't Think You Can Craft"

I got this idea while watching a promo for the show "So You Think You Can Dance". If you're not familiar with it, it's the American Idol of dance competitions. This series is designed for those who don't think they are crafty or creative. Rather than put it on a set schedule, it will run whenever but will always be titled "So You Don't Think You Can Craft".

While I try to include instructions for the projects I make and feature, many of them require things that are in existing crafters toolboxes or with which they are familiar. SYDTYCC projects will use materials EVERYONE has on hand whether they think they do or not :)  So on to today's project:

Re-Purposed Gift Bag
Who doesn't need a gift bag? They're easy ways to give gifts but they can also be expensive. We get small handled  "gift bags" all over the place from Starbucks, to Department Stores, to the really nice ones my Salvation Army thrift store gives out. So I've transformed one into a bag for a present for one of my son's teachers. It's a double win because it also re-uses something I already have and if she doesn't think it's hideous, she could use it again. 

Materials Needed:
  • Small handled gift bag / shopping bag
  • Paper: Can be an old book, newspaper, copy paper, scrapbook paper, wrapping paper,another bag or you could use fabric
  • Glue stick or other adhesive
Look at your bag's design and decide what you want to leave exposed vs what you might want to cover. Mine had a big graphic on one side and smaller text on the other:
I decided on paper flowers to decorate and these are EASY to make. They really are. 
Take your paper of choice and cut some circles. I just did mine freehand and "squiggled" the scissors in a circle. If you're uncertain about this, you can easily find different sized circular objects around the house to trace. 
Cut enough so you have 2 pieces per layer. I think adding layers makes them more sturdy so I cut three sizes of circles, 2 layers of each size.
Crumble your circles with your hands. Smoosh them ( good way to get rid of any frustration!) 

Flatten your crumbled "petals" and then glue one layer on top of the other starting with the biggest, ending with the smallest. I glued a button to the center of each of mine.


 Adhere ( I used double sided tape) to your bag:
On the side with the bigger graphic, I just tore a page big enough to cover it and then made another flower to put on top and  then another  strip the width of the bag with a flower at the top. 

That's it. You can do it!

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