Thanks to Scotch(R) Double Sided Tape for sponsoring my writing about crafts. Add your comment below to be entered for a chance to win free sample rolls to help with your upcoming holiday needs.
I love arts and crafts as a hobby, but unfortunately I haven't had much time to do it since I had four children, all born within a year, including triplets plus one more.
Recycled Shopping Bag - Before
Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com
In fact, I haven't spent more than 15 minutes here and there to unleash my artistic side since I started mommy blogging full-time, while also homeschooling my four teens (including three 13 year-olds). I guess you could say that I'm just slightly busy all the time. Really -- what mom with kids isn't?
Now, I must confess. Last week I played hooky from blogging for several hours to have some fun and make something beautiful out of an assortment of odds and ends I happen to have on hand at home. At first, I actually felt guilty for taking time away from MommyBlogExpert to work on this DIY craft project, but shortly after beginning to create what I'd thought of in my mind over the several weeks prior, I'd completely forgotten about my blog!
Recycled Shopping Bag - After It's Been Accessorized
Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com
Since I enjoy sharing creative ideas with this blog's readers, I had to pass this on to you. Here are the easy directions so that you too can steal away for a few hours to make a beautiful eco-friendly fashion statement kind of bag either for yourself or for someone else as a gift bag or as a gift in itself. My teen girls went wild over this bag, so now I'm working on another one because like most siblings, they're not very good at sharing and each must have their own.
Eco Designer Original
Embellished Bag
All The Odds & Ends Used to Make This Gorgeous Bag
Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert
Materials Needed:- Shopping Bag from your favorite store
- Assorted, already read fashion magazines
- A store catalog or two that you received in the mail
- Odds & ends such as broken costume jewelry & baubles
- Your choice of recycled ribbons, lace edgings, and/or trims
Tools Needed:
- Scotch Double Sided Tape
- Glue Dots
- Scissors
Easy Directions:
1. First choose a color scheme, either several complementary colors or monochromatic ones (different shades of one color); neutral colors, black and white will look good with either
2. Choose a shopping bag from your favorite story, any size you want but in good condition
3. Gather a few old fashion magazines and store catalogs and from these use scissors to cut out an assortment of fashion accessories, brand labels, cosmetics, models, or whatever you like that looks pretty and fits the color scheme you selected in step #1
4. Next, go into your jewelry box or junk drawer and look for light weight pretty items such broken pieces of costume jewelry in your colors as well as in gold and/or silver that you've been saving for years for no reason
Detail showing magazine/catalog cutouts, ribbon & jewels on bag
Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com
5. Lastly -- again, keeping your main color scheme in mind -- check your daughter's hair ribbon box, Grandma's old button tin, and look inside your closet (and your kids') for clothes that are no longer worn that might have some fun lace, edging, or some other accents that you can steal from it to use for this craft
6. Lay everything out on your the front of your bag without attaching anything so you can move things around till you're happy with the arrangement
7. Then, use Scotch Double Sided Tape to attach larger pieces such as wide ribbons and bigger cutout pictures to the bag and Glue Dots to attach smaller pieces and tiny rhinestones and faux jewels
8. That's it. Your bag is done, ready for you to add to your own accessories collection or to use as a one-of-a-kind gift or gift bag for a fashionable family member or friend
So, go ahead and take a break from whatever you have to do and get crafty. If anyone asks, say that MommyBlogExpert encouraged you to take a little time off to create something eco-friendly, inexpensive, and fun.
I hope you enjoy making this fun project as much as enjoyed developing the idea. I look forward to hearing how your own bags turns out. In fact, I'd love to add your projects to this post, so if you have a JPG to send, leave me a comment with your Twitter or email info so I can contact you.
Eco Designer Original Embellished Bag
Finished Project
3M's Scotch Tape
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