A GIFT BAG FOR ANY OCCASION

A  gift bag is always a quick solution for a gift to someone.  If you don't have a box you create your own bag.  I like this idea as you can choose the paper to suit the person you are giving it to.  On this bag I took a smaller bag that I had handy and took it apart to use as a pattern.  I placed it on the selected paper and went to cut it when I realized the paper wasn't quite large enough.  Easy solution, I just folded over the side panels to half their size and put it back on the "crossword paper design" I had chosen.  I cut out the rectangle a bit taller than the actual bag.  I also left the overlap on the side seam to have enough to glue the edge.  After the piece was cut out I folded my paper the same as the bag.  I then glued the overlap to the side edge.  I then folded the bottom portion to form the bottom of the bag.  I cut a scalloped oval with the spellbinder(using a light shade of black) and put it aside.  I took one of my girldfiend stamps (ladies sharing coffee and cake) and stamped it onto Whisper white card stock from Stampin Up.  I made the table cloth have a checkered look like the crossword paper and then colored everything with wooden crayon pencils. I used mineral oil to smooth out the pencil marks .  I next cut out the ladies and glued Stampin Up deminsions  on the back and stuck it in the center of the black oval.  I glued the oval to the bag I had made.  I next typed out a greeting and printed it and added it over the oval.  I used medium gray tissue paper to fill the bag.  You may view the photos above.