This is for all of you who love to recycle--giftwrapping all done with those pretty gift bags we've received a gift in and couldn't bear to throw away. Give them a new look and feel like you created something unique in the bargain.
Materials:
plain or printed gift bags
plain or printed card stock
ruler
bone folder or stylus
scissors or craft knife
pencil
glue stick or double-stick tape
Steps:
1. Select a piece of card stock that is compatible to the bag. If it is a plain bag, you might want to use a piece of patterned card stock. If you use plain card stock, you might want to decorate it after folding and cutting but before shaping. A stencil, rubber stamp, stickers, etc. can be used.
2. Place the bottom of the bag on the wrong side of the card stock and draw around it. Do not place it along one of the edges as the next step is to remove the bag and draw a border outside of the drawn line. This should be as far away from the drawn line as you want the side of the top to be. For example, if you want the top to be 2 inches deep, then draw the border 2 inches around/away from the traced bottom of the bag (figure A).
3. Crease along all of the drawn lines with a bone folder or a stylus and ruler.
4. Turn card stock over and make a diagonal line in each corner from the inside corner to the outside corner with bone folder or stylus (figure B).
5. Fold along all the creased lines. Unfold except for one of the long edges. Place this on the table with the top edge of the bag along the fold. Make a tiny mark where the ends of the carrying handle are attached to the bag. Repeat along the opposite long folded edge of the top. Cut a small "V" or punch out a half circle at each of the four marks.
6. Unfold the top and draw a line along each long edge between the two holes on that edge. Cut along these lines. Make a second cut about 1/8-inch away from the first to make an opening for the handles (figure C).
7. Refold the top and glue or tape the corners to hold (figure D). Slip the top over the top of the open bag.
Variations: Many variations can be made depending on how deep you make the top and what card stock you use. An easier top can be made by simply folding a piece of plain or printed card stock in half, cutting it the width of the bag and as deep as you want it to be. It can be cut straight, to a point, in a half circle, etc. Make marks and cut the openings for the handle as for the previous bag. Decorate as desired; then close the top of the bag and slip the cover over the handles (figure E).
This is even easier if made using a die-cut machine at your craft store (figure F).
Some of them have die cuts that will cut the shape for you (figure G).
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