I confess, I’m not a big shopper. I actually do much of my shopping on-line where I can ponder my purchases with no make-up and a cat on my table. When I do go shopping though, I love when the clerk wraps my purchase in pretty tissue paper and puts it in a little shopping bag. This reminds me of a time when a purchase was something special; both to the shopper and the shop.
As much as I love these little bags, I do struggle with their place in an environmentally conscientious world. I think about the trees or the chemicals that were used to make the bags and I feel a bit guilty about my fondness for them. Each bag I bring home gets added to the collection in my ‘reuse cabinet’. Surrounded by packing pillows and an absurd number of collapsed Amazon boxes, they sit and wait. The blank bags are easy to reuse, provided I remember, but the bags with logos have established permanent residence in this cabinet.
That’s about to change.
A few sheets of scrapbook paper and fun embellishments are all these shopping bags need to rock it as super cute gift bags.
This paper shopping bag almost went in the recycling because it was so wrinkled but then I thought – why not iron it? It worked really well. Just remember, you can only iron PAPER bags not the plasticy coated ones.
Make sure the bags are in good shape and remove any ribbon/cord handles that will be in the way. Then, measure the height and width of the front/back and sides of the bag. Subtract 1/4″ from these measurements and cut your coordinating pieces of scrapbook paper accordingly. Run double-sided sticky tape (my favorite is Scor-Tape) right along the edges of the paper. Add a few more pieces to the middle for good measure.
Fold the side pieces in half before sticking them down. This helps the bag retain it’s ability to fold.
If there were holes for cord handles on the bag, you will need to make new holes through the scrapbook paper. I used my Crop-a-dile to do this.
Finally, add a few little embellishments or fun tags for the perfect finishing touch.
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Vikki | 26th Jan 18
What a great idea to re-use and recycle these bags. Anyone would love to receive one. I also have way-too-many shipping boxes stacked up. Surely there is a way to re-use them…..? Sometimes now, with everything being shipped, I think we will drown in hardly-used cardboard!
JoElle | 2nd Feb 18
Thank you Vikki…and I agree about the cardboard. The convenience of on-line shopping is so nice but I hate when they use ridiculously large boxes for small items. I always recycle the cardboard in hopes of it being turned into something useful but I completely agree with your statement.
Maria Conti | 25th Jan 18
I love the chance to recycle and to end up with something so pretty and personalize,❤️
JoElle | 2nd Feb 18
Thank you Maria!
Tania | 25th Jan 18
Great idea! I also have a whole cupboard full of bags like this!
Tania
JoElle | 2nd Feb 18
Thanks Tania. I find it’s a great way to use up scrapbook paper from my scrap bin.
Elizabeth | 25th Jan 18
Love it!
JoElle | 25th Jan 18
Thank You!!!! I craft project your hubby can get behind!