Project Tutorial - Altered Tote Bags

Supply List:
(3) Small canvas tote bags (Club Scrap)
Patterned cardstock (Club Scrap)
Rubberstamps (Club Scrap)
Orange Inkpad
Pinot Noir Black inkpad (Superior)
Mat board
Acrylic paint
Bottle cap embellishment
Ribbon (Club Scrap)
Flowers (Prima, Club Scrap, and stash)
Brads (stash)
Glue Dots
Decoupage medium (Modge Podge)

Tools needed:

Seam ripper
Scissors
Tooth brush or foam brush
Hot glue gun & glue sticks

Instructions:

1. Take each tote bag, and carefully rip the seam out on both sides of each bag, on all three totes. This will give you an open bag that lays flat.

2. Cut the bag in half at the very bottom, creating (2) one sided bags.

3. Cut your mat board to 5.25x5.25 inches.

4. Take your mat board and place at the very top edge of the tote bag. Using a hot glue gun, put a bead of glue along one edge of the mat board and adhere to the top edge of the tote bag, centering it. Then glue the folded edges of the bag (the part that was part of the seam) to the mat board on both sides and bottom edge. Repeat on the other 5 pieces of the tote bags.

5. Using a tooth brush (or foam brush) apply acrylic paint to all the edges of the bags as well as the handle, this will give it a little bit of a distressed look. Let dry.

6. To create ‘hinges’ cut (10) pieces of cardstock 2in x 5in. Fold each in half. Using a foam paint brush, paint the two ends of the hinges (leave about 3/4th of an inch without) with modge podge and adhere to the back side of the tote bags. You will put two hinges between each set of bags. Repeat this on all the totes, until you have all six totes adhered to one another, creating an accordion of totes.

7. Decorate your pages as you see fit. You can stamp your title, add flowers, ribbons, and other embellishments along with your photos.

8. As the last step, you will want to hide your hinges, any ribbon ends, or other unslightly items visible on the backside. Cut 6 pieces of cardstock roughly 5.25in x 5.25in. Ink edges and stamp various images to decorate or use pattern paper. Using modge podge cover the backside of the cardstock and adhere to the back side of the totes.

Hope you enjoy this fun little project.

Debbie Weller
DebDuzScrappin.com