Gift bag that is! Are you like M.E. and never plan ahead? Sometimes we just get busy (right?) and need that last minute gift and gift-wrap. That's M.E.! So, I took an oldie and turned it into a goodie. The old Bag-A-Lope as we used to call it. These gift bags were made from 9 x 12 envelopes. I have a huge box of these envelopes (150 to be exact) that I bought a few years ago from Mr. Waltons warehouse store. I just looked up the cost online and now they come in boxes of 100 for around $20 so that is .20 a piece. Add a 2¢ piece of tissue and gee whiz it's a bag for under .25¢ can't buy that! Even with all the extra embellishing which puts it WAY above store bought in cuteness it's still less than $1.00!!
Here is my assortment of bags. From Thanksgiving through Christmas to Thank you! All of them made the same except the Snowflake fold-over bag. So you want to know how? Of course you do!
Cut the envelope top off to make it a 9 x 9 square. Score each side and the bottom 1.5" in from each side and bottom with the simply scoring tool. Fold both ways on the scores before trying to assemble into a bag to make it a little easier. If wheeling the bag do that now before you put it all together. If you are just embellishing you can wait until it's "a bag".
You will stick your hand it and make "gussets" on each bottom edge. Use sticky strip to fold these onto the bottom of the bag for strength in the bottom. Voila it's done.
Tips on some of the bags above:
Thanksgiving bag-brayer first with the primary colors from the Spice Cake Designers Series Paper. More Mustard, Pool Party and Old Olive. Then Wheeled with Early Espresso. Reinforce the top if adding handles of torn fabric in this instance but ribbon would be just as great!
Snowflake Bag- Do not cut off as much from the top of the envelope if you want to do a fold down bag. Leave it around 10.5-11" long
Basic Wheeled bag-When wheeling your tissue only wheel around the perimeter of the tissue. No need to wheel the whole paper because all you see is the tips anyway! You can fold the paper before wheeling because the paper is scrunched and you can't see any spaces or gaps. When wheeling always wheel on the diagonal because then if you aren't perfectly straight the eye can not pick it up like it does if you try to wheel horizontally or vertically. Or use your wheel guide if you "must" wheel straight.
Want to make the card the embellishment? Adhere a clear envelope to the front of your plain bag and slip in the card and voila it's done! Bottom right example that is trimmed with a little ruffled ribbon.
Create your bag to suit you and your needed occassion and size!
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