Thursday, December 04, 2014

paper bag gift bags


Truth be told, when it comes to wrapping gifts I am lazy and I am cheap! While I love creating unique handmade wrapping, I'd rather just throw my gifts into a bag and call it good but gift bags are not that cheap. So during the holidays I always end up using all of my favorite creative techniques to make my own gift bags out of paper bags! 

Doodling and drawing is a great way to instantly transform just about anything! 

I use my favorite pens and watercolors and treat a paper bag just like a sketchbook page. Yes, it it more time consuming than going out and buying wrapping but it transforms a gift into something really special!

I'm a "use whatever I have on hand" kind of gal and you will often catch me using nail polish in my mixed media projects!


Stamping is just about the easiest way to create surfaces with pattern! I used my rubber stamps to create some pretty gift bags.

I love using all kinds of simple printmaking techniques (I even teach a class on my favorites)! It is a really creative way to quickly transform any surface into something colorful! 

I used one of my favorite techniques- plastic bag printmaking (you can read all about it HERE) to create a messy and colorful surface.

With a toddler around I find myself creating things that are whimsical and fun. These house gift bags are a cute way to wrap a gift!

When I am making wrapping paper and gift bags, Lucy loves to get in on the action and getting painting messy with watercolors (for any age) is a really simple way to make a colorful gift bag.


Note: I rarely if ever use traditional holiday colors when I am creating wrapping paper and bags- instead I select colors the same way I do when I am working on art...with my heart :)



10 comments:

CREATIVE KHADIJA said...

So pretty!

Unknown said...

They are very beautiful! It's amazing how you can make even a paper bag in art!

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Elisabetta Brustio said...

Io adoro i sacchetti perchè sono negata a confezionare pacchetti! I tuoi sono bellissimi (anche quelli di Lucy!!!) Le cose fatte con il cuore, alla fine, sono TUTTE belle!

I love paper bags because they are denied to wrap packages! Your gift bags are beautiful (even those of Lucy !!!) Things done with the heart, at the end, are ALL beautiful!

Unknown said...

Love these!

Stephanie said...

Great ideas, especially the printmaking with plastic bags!

Amanda T. said...

I love it!!!! Although they are all great, I just adore the little house bags. Ingenious!!!!

I used your doodle flower stamps on a plain brown paper tote bag last year, and my mother thought I had bought the bag with the design. She couldn't believe I had decorated the bag. :)

peggy gatto said...

thank you, love the whimsy one!

Jo Murray said...

Wonderful!...and SO much more appealing than bought wrapping.

Patricia said...

Very interesting ideas. Thanks

Mary W said...

LOVE the messy look but it takes a lot of restraint to know when to stop - Lucy and you did wonderful work on these - so inviting! The house bags would also be good house warming gift bags. I can't wait to try this and think one hot summer day this July would be a great time to make a batch, fold up to store, and have ready for next Christmas. (If I can show restraint and not use them up before.)

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