Hello crafty peeps!! I hope that you are all keeping yourselves safe and are staying home since we are still dealing with this pandemic going on in our world right now! Of course I'm sure many of you are keeping busy creating during this time and it's also hard to get together with crafty friends for crops and other craft events. But swapping is still a good way to share your creations , I mean everyone loves to receive Happy Mail, I know I do. I love receiving beautiful creations, even if it's a cute handmade card. Anyhow I have made these altered glassine bags in the past and I was already out of those I had made so I decided to make some as this month's project!
These are super easy to create and are quick to make also! Here is my way of creating them.
I gathered up my supplies, I had small and larger glassine bags, I decided that I would try to decoupage on some kraft color vintage print bags. I had purchased most of the napkins over at Tuesday Morning not too long ago before the closures. I had the ones with the birds in my stash for a little while. Supply list down below and of course your bottle of Helmar Acid Free Glue.
Supplies
- Variety of Napkins (floral, butterflies, whatever design you have)
- Glassine bags, paper bags, you can make your own Glassine bags out of parchment paper
- Small Paint brush
- Water
- Small disposable container for glue
- Scotch tape
I began by adding some of the Helmar Acid Free Glue in a small container, you might notice that I used the lid of a water bottle. I had it in front of me and was too lazy to go grab one from the kitchen. You will need something bigger of course that way you won't be having to add glue every little while. Also a small container for your water.
I opened up my napkin, to separate the layer of napkin to get to the printed one I cut a small piece of scotch tape and just gently touch it to the corner of the napkin and it will separate the layers of napkins.
I then dipped my small paint brush in the water , make sure its not soaked too much. Then go along the area that I am gonna want to use on my bags , just like shown on the last two pics ^^^^. Once I have done this with the napkins I'm gonna use, I get my paint brush and add some of the Helmar Acid Glue to the area of the bags I will be putting my napkin on. I then add a little water with my brush so its not so thick and spreads out more easily. I then put my napkin piece(s) on there then repeat the glue and a tiny bit of water, not too much or your napkin will tear. Its really up to you if you want to use water, on this part. I do just to make the glue spread better.
Once your done adding your napkins to the bags you completed, you can set them aside to dry, they actually dry pretty fast. You can leave them like this or you can add more items to your bags such as laces, design paper, sentiments, etc. You can also fold the top of the bags down and punch a small hole and put some twine , ribbon, seam binding, lace, to make a closure. There are plenty of ways to finish decorating these or you can leave them simple just like these!!
I hope that you like these and try to create them for yourself! They are fun to make and are wonderful to use to package up laces, embellishments, paper, among other crafty items. Also as a reminder , if you don't have any glassine bags, there is some tutorials on YouTube to make your own bags from wax paper, kraft wax paper, deli paper sheets, & Reynolds Brand wax paper sandwich bags. You can make your own vintage kraft bags using plain paper bags , example below, then use whatever stamps you have in your stash and create your own vintage inks. Just a few ideas incase you don't have glassine or paper bags, You know us crafters, we get pretty creative with items found in our cupboards.
Again, I hope you all are keeping safe, staying home and keep your hands sanitized while crafting especially if it's for a swap. I'll see you all next month!
~Hugs~
