Repurposed Magazine Gift Bags

If you're wracking your brain for party favor ideas or searching for tiny present packages, collect a few pretty ads to construct these Repurposed Magazine Gift Bags by Melony Bradley.  They're perfect for gifting artisan candies or jewelry.



Materials:

• Magazine pages
• Paper trimmer
• Paper glue
• Tissue paper (shown in black)
• Scissors
• Scalloped-edge scissors
• Butterfly die cuts
• Block letter stickers
• Cardstock
• Rubber stamps of your choice
• Hole punch
• Ribbon or beaded trim for handle
• Small rhinestone decals or sequins

Instructions:

1. Choose a full-page magazine ad and cut it down to a square using a paper trimmer. Examples shown are 7x7 inches, but larger squares will yield roomier gift bags.
   
   
    
2. Fold the square in half diagonally.
   
   
    
3. Fold one corner across the page as shown. Use paper glue to secure the folds if needed.
   
   
    
4. Fold the opposite corner in the opposite direction as shown.
   
   
    
5. Separate the two corners at the peak and fold them away from each other so that they lie against the outsides of the pouch.
   
   
    
6. Squeeze the edges of the pouch together a bit to open the pocket.
   
   
    
7. Cut tissue paper into 1x5-inch strips. Wrap it around the top edge of the pouch as shown and glue.
   
   
   
   
    
8. Trim excess tissue paper.
   
   
    
9. Trim edge of pouch with scalloped-edge scissors.
   
   
    
10. Cut cardstock into small circles and stamp with design of your choice.
    
    
     
11. Glue cardstock circle to center of pouch, and then glue butterfly die cut to center of cardstock circle as shown.
    
    
     
12. Adhere rhinestones and block letter stickers to tissue paper trim.
    
    
     
13. Punch holes on either side of the pouch and attach a small length of ribbon or beaded trim as a handle.
    
    
    
    

You can find more projects like this one in our 17 Recycled Handmade Paper Crafts collection!