Think Crafts Blog – Craft Ideas and Projects – CreateForLess

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

There’s something wonderful about getting a present in a beautifully packaged bag or box. When you make your own packaging and personalize it to the recipient, it can make the gift even more special. Chances are you have empty food boxes lying around, so rather than throw them out, make glittery Halloween gift bags from them. The sturdiness of the box makes it an especially excellent option for semi-fragile gifts.

What you’ll need:

• Empty food box
• Hole punch
• Green ribbon
• Brown ribbon
• Fabri-tac
• Scissors
• Orange cardstock
• 3 types of scrapbook paper
• Pencil
• Orange, black and green glitter
• Q-tip
• Mod Podge
• Spray adhesive (optional)

Step 1. Find an empty food box that your gift can fit in, then cut the tabs off the top of the box.

Step 2. Choose three colored scrapbook papers. I chose a dark brown patterned paper for the front and back, orange for the sides and orange and beige striped patterned paper to layer onto the front.

Step 3. Put a thin layer of Mod Podge onto the front, back, and sides of the box, place one type of scrapbook paper on the front and back and another on the sides, then smooth out all the air bubbles. When it dries, cut of the excess paper.

Step 4. Cut the third piece of scrapbook paper, which is going to layer onto the front of the box, into whatever size you’d like. Adhere it using the Mod Podge, then trim the excess.

Step 5. Put a thin layer of Fabri-tac on the edges of the front of the box, then attach strips of brown ribbon.

Step 6. Draw a pumpkin onto the orange cardstock, then use a Q-tip to put Mod Podge only on the pumpkin and not on the stem or face. Sprinkle on the orange glitter, knock off the excess, then fill in any bare spots.

Step 7. Use a Q-tip to apply Mod Podge to the eyes and mouth of the pumpkin, sprinkle on the black glitter, knock off the excess, then make any adjustments to even out the lines of the shapes.

Step 8. Use another Q-tip to apply Mod Podge to the stem of the pumpkin, sprinkle on the green glitter, then knock off the excess.

Optional step: If you’re worried about the glitter falling off the finished project, spray the pumpkin with spray adhesive before you attach it to the front.

Step 9. Put Mod Podge on the back of the pumpkin, then carefully press it down onto the front of the box.

Step 10. Punch a hole in each side of the box about an inch down from the top. To make sure it’s even, punch one hole, then put a pencil through, then punch a hole where the pencil meets on the other side.

Step 11. Cut three long pieces of green ribbon that are even in size. Holding the three pieces, tie them together by making one large knot at the end. The knot should be big enough that it cannot fit through the hole punched in the side of the box. Starting from the inside of the box, put the ribbons through one hole, then up and around through the outside of the opposite hole so the ends of the ribbon are back inside the back. Tie a thick knot on the end so you create a three-ribbon handle. To test that the knots won’t pop out through the holes, lift the bag up by the handle and shake it a bit.