Good Things Come in Small Packages - DIY

Wrap your small holiday gifts in little works of art!  

In this DIY, guest blogger, Sarah (aka Juicy*S) will show you how to make a gift bag 

that is so cute it might be considered a gift on its own!

You will need:

12 x 12 scrapbook paper in a heavy card stock weight

hole punch

scissors

twine or hemp cord

colorful yarns, ribbons, string

colorful and/or natural feathers

Start by marking the center of one edge of the scrapbook paper.  

Just fold the paper in half and pinch a little crease there. 

You will use this little crease as a guide for the next step:

Next, fold the paper in thirds bringing each side over about 3 inches;

the little crease you made should be centered for each of the two folds;

then unfold and you see the two creases left by these folds:

Now fold the bottom up to about two inches below the top edge,

then unfold it;

Turn the paper upside down and repeat this fold for the other side:

So you end up with this:

This is the tricky part:  

In order to shape the bag, you need a diagonal fold in each of the big corner rectangles.

This fold will start in the corner of the two folds that form the inside corner of the rectangles;

you make this fold by bringing these two folds together:

You can use your pinky to get that diagonal fold started in the corner;

You can see below how those two folds of the corner rectangle come together;

and you use your other hand to fold that diagonal:

Do this four times, once for each corner,

and you end up with this:

This next part is a little tricky too ;)

but just think of making a bag, like a paper grocery bag folds up;

you bring the sides in (where you first made the 1/3 folds);

and you push the diagonal folds toward the center:

Punch a hole through all the layers of paper at the top of the bag:

Make a tie that will go through the hole and close the bag;

lay a piece of hemp or other cord on your work surface;

cut various yarns, ribbons and/or threads in varying lengths up to 8";

then place the yarns on top of the cord;

tie a knot in the cord, securing all the yarns in one bunch:

Place a couple little feathers on top of the knotted cord;

tie a knot around the bottom of the feathers:

Here's where you need to put your gift inside!

Otherwise you will tie up an empty bag,

and have to untie it to put the gift in!

It sounds silly, but it has happened!

Thread the hemp cord through the hole at the top of the bag,

and tie a knot, closing the bag and attaching all that loveliness!

Happy wrapping!