Get Creative with DIY gift bags

 Hi Everyone, Sometimes you just don't have a nice gift bag to use when wrapping a present, or maybe you just want to give a gift with a specially handmade bag, but regardless of your reasons, knowing how to make a professional looking gift bag is a great skill to have. I’ve mentioned before that I either decorate plain white or craft gift bags, or I make them myself, and today I have a DIY Christmas gift bag to share

To start use a Ranger applicator and sponge to apply Dylusions After Midnight paint to 2 x A4 size 160 gsm white cardstock.

Apply a little paint to the sponge and use a circular motion so that the application is pretty smooth [the same motion Dyan Reaverly and Tim Holtz use].

Lay a small amount of Dylusions White Linen to the craft mat and add a little water until it’s quite a runny consistency.  Pick up some paint on a thin paint brush and tap the paint brush to “flick” the paint onto the surface.

Scoring:
Score the one long side at ½” and the other long side at 2” [this side will be the gusset] . Repeat this for both sheets. Score the short side at 1 ¼ “[this is going to be the bottom of the gift bag] and the other short side at 1” [this is going to be the top of the gift bag]. Repeat this for both sheets. Fold the score lines and use a bone folder to make sure they are crisp.

 Apply double sided tape on both the ½” strips. Make sure the score lines at the top and bottom of both pieces of cardstock are aligned. Remove the double sided tape from one piece of cardstock and carefully lay the 2” strip from the other piece of cardstock over it making sure you keep it straight.

The base of the bag:

Use a pencil to mark about ¼” on each side of the score lines over both pieces of cardstock. Use scissors to cut a line from the ¼” mark to the score line. See pic below.



To create the Gelli print, place a little paint onto a craft mat, brayer over the paint [you need a very light layer] and brayer very lightly onto the Gelli plate and pull a print.  [Do not cover the whole Gelli plate with paint] Repeat the process a number of times. This technique requires that you build many layers with co-ordinating colours until you are happy with the outcome.

Draw or trace some houses onto the Gelli print using a thin black pen and cut them out quite close to the edge. Use a glue stick to stick them down to the bottom of the bag [just above the score line]. Use a silver Posca pen and draw some lines and stars from the score line at the top of the bag above the houses.

 Assembling:

Apply double sided tape or a strong glue to the outside of gusset flaps and fold them in. Remove the top layer of the double sided tape, lay the back bag flap over. Stand the bag on its base and tap down inside the bag with a ruler to make sure the gusset flaps and back flap are adhered. Apply double sided tape or a strong glue to the inside front flap, and stick it over the other flaps. Stand the bag on its base and tap down inside the bag with a ruler to make sure the front flap is adhered. Fold the top flap inside. On the top of the bag punch holes on the front and back and thread through ribbons string and tie a knot to secure.

For this gift bag follow the above instructions except use Distress Ink Spray, Dylusions or Brushos to create the background and the Stencil-Art Snowflake stencil and Dina Wakely silver paint.

Supplies:

160 gsm cardstock
Dylusions After Midnight and White Linen paint
Ranger round applicator and sponge
Brayer
Gelli plate
Scoreboard [optional]
Bonefolder and ruler
Scissors
Thin paint brush
Black pen and Silver pens
Double sided tape or strong adhesive
Stencil-Art Snowflakes Stencil
Scraps ribbon and a small hole punch
Dina Wakely Silver paint