Brown Paper Bag Gift

This one is so altered, you won't believe it came from one of those heavy grocery sacks. Click on the above photo for a larger view.

First make your pattern by folding a piece of heavy brown paper in half. Thin brown paper just won't work for this project, so if you don't have heavy paper bags, try something like the heavier paper of a flour bag or some other grocery item. You can even use a cereal box for the material, and it works just fine.

Open up your pattern and trace it again to make the back of the project. Glue around three sides, leaving the top open.

Cut a double thickness for the handle, and glue it in, anchoring the project with clothes pegs all around, til dry. White school glue will do. At this point, you can leave it "rustic" and decorate it with something more country-primitive. Rubber stamp a big image on the front or draw your own, adding someone's name, if you like.


This one is painted with craft paint from JoAnns or WalMart. Sometimes you can get it for as low as 50 cents. Tuck in some tissue gift wrap, or some fabric, and add your give-a-way. Add fabric trims or use your imagination with sequins and glitter.


You could make some writing paper by folding a piece of typing paper four ways, cutting, and decorating with rubber stamps.Add one of those glitter gel pens, and spray in some scent.Or, make it a bath gift with a bar of hand made soap or some colored soap from the dollar store, some lotion, a comb, a hair clip, or whatever you like. You can leave this project plain and simple, like this, or add a strip of glitter paper and some pleted crepe paper, as I have done.

I will add an inspirational talk in this section later. For an artist, you could put paints and brushes in it; a seamstress could have threads and seam tape, buttons and zippers, or just pieces of attractive fabric ironed and folded to look attractive.