Make quick and easy gift bags with plain paper bags and rubber stamps. Tiffany Windsor of Inspired at Home shows us how to create four different bags. Fill with fresh herbs or a jar of salsa for an instant gift. Check out the salsa recipe below or fill jars with the dry ingredients for your favorite cookies.
You can also listen to this project as you craft, read by Tiffany Windsor. 
Materials for All Bags:
- Paper gift bags
- Shipping tags
Imagine Bag (additional materials needed)
- Acrylic paint – apple green, lavender
- Rubber stamps – large square, dragonfly, small squares, word
- Cosmetic sponge
Instructions:
Apply green paint to shipping tag with cosmetic sponge. Set aside to dry. Stamp large green square on bag. Let dry. Stamp dragonfly over square. Let dry. Stamp two small squares on tag. Stamp word on tag.
Happy Bag (additional materials needed)
- Acrylic paint – green
- Cosmetic sponge (or paint brush)
- Aleene’s Crystal Clear Tacky Spray adhesive or Aleene’s® Original Tacky Glue Stick
- Rubber stamp – word
- Pre-scalloped scrapbook paper
Instructions:
Apply green paint to shipping tag with brush or cosmetic sponge. Set aside to dry. Stamp word on paper. Apply glue to back of paper and place on bag. Cut one piece of paper to fit size of shipping tag. Apply glue to back of paper and place on tag. Let dry.
Bloom Bag (additional materials needed)
- Floral stencil
- Acrylic paint – medium pink, coral, apple green
- Cosmetic sponge
- Waxed paper
Instructions
Pour small puddle of each paint onto waxed paper. Dab sponge into paint and “tap, tap, tap” on waxed paper sever times to evenly distribute paint on sponge. Place stencil on bag. With light taps, apply each color over stencil in desired areas. Don’t overwork paint or you will force it underneath stencil! A soft, airbrushed look is all you want! Lift stencil. Let paint dry.
Inspire Bag (additional materials needed)
- Pre-cut scrapbook papers (floral design)
- Bead – small red
- Button – red ceramic heart
- Aleene’s® Original Tacky Glue Sticks
- Aleene’s® Fast Grab Tacky Glue®
This project is super quick! Apply glue stick to back of pre-cut paper flowers and stick onto bag and tag. Use Fast Grab to glue small bead to tag and red ceramic heart to bag. Let glue dry.
Yummy Garden Salsa
Ingredients:
1 cup plum tomatoes, diced
¼ cup red pepper, diced
½ cucumber, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (use fresh, as cilantro loses its zing when dried!)
2/3 cup fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced jalapeno (optional)
Directions:
Prepare all vegetables and place in bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and chill. You can spice this up if you think it needs more zing by adding more jalapenos or chili peppers. Serve with tortilla chips.
Tiffany’s Designer Tips: Make these gift bags and tags ahead and tuck them away for quick and easy access when you need instant gift wrap that’s extraordinary! Tuck in some homemade preserves, Yummy Garden Salsa or Herbs de Provence or a cute handmade gift and you’re set to go!
