Paper Bag Books

Okay - so I love these.  They kind of combine all the goodness of scrapbooking, sewing (just barely), actual physical cards (which I think are all too rare anymore) and a whole bunch of thoughtfulness.

I have made a few, and I really don't know why I haven't made more.  Well... maybe I do.  I sometimes take hours doing a page in a scrapbook... so I would have to say it's safe to say that these would take me a long time.  And, I love doing them - so I'm not complaining one bit.  It's just that whole thing of there not being enough crafting hours in a day.  Bummer.

I made this one for my dad after he traveled to good 'ole Chi-town to support me in my 4th Breast Cancer 3-Day walk.  (Which, is all together a whole different series of posts because it is such an amazing and life changing event).  For those of you not familiar - the 3-Day is a walk that spans, you guessed it, 3 days.  We walk 20 miles per day - a total of 60 miles.  For these three days it is totally socially acceptable, and quite encouraged, to wear bras overtop tank-tops, on your hat, swirling around in the air, etc.  It's not everyday that I walk around in the wide-open public wearing a feather bra, a flowered coconut bra, or glittery seashell bra.  And, yes, I did make all three!  Hooray!  The crafting spans into 3-day accessories!

So, onto the paper bag book.  It is a cute way to make a card/book/scrapbooking momento/etc. 

All you do is take paper lunch bags.  I actually stumbled upon extra large bags - which was more fun because you can fit more onto a page. Stack the bags on top of one another.  I alternate the bags, so that the closed end of one is on top of the open end of another.  Stack as many as you want, and stitch down the center.  And - there you have it - a paperbag book!

Now, it is up to you just how you decorate it.  The open ends of the bags become little pockets to slip in extra little surprises.

They are so easy. So cute.  And such a fun surprise when someone is expecting a card to accompany a gift... or when they're expecting nothing at all.

Happy Crafting!