Trick or Treat bag by Astrid

Can you believe that it is nearly Halloween? Time certainly seems to have wings at the moment.
For my first project this month I decided to make a gift bag in moody Halloween/Autumn colours. I made the bag out of an envelope.
There are loads of tutorials on how to do this out there, here is my quick take on it.
1. Use a good sturdy envelope, glue it shut, making sure the flap is glued down right to the edge and trim off one side so you have a bag shape. Colour around all 4 edges on both sides in a colour of your choice. I used Adirondack Dye ink in Expresso for mine

2. Next score around the three closed sides. The width of your score depends a bit on the side of the envelope you started with. My envelope was 5 x 7" and my scoreline was 1". After scoring, make a sharp crease with your bone-folder, this is important!

3. Fold the original folds of the envelope back onto it self and shape the bottom of the bag by tucking in the corners. (This is the most tricky bit...but don't worry it does not have to be absolutely perfect as you can see from mine, you don't notice it in the end.).

The last step is the tuck in the sides and your basic bag is done.

Now for the fun of decorating the panels for the front and the back.
For this cut two panels large enough to cover most of the front and back of your bag. Mine were 3 x 5.25" and I cut them out of smooth stamping card. I coloured them with Distress Inks in Rusty Hinge, Frayed Burlap and Vintage photo. I then gave them a few spritzes of Perfect Pearls Mists in Cappucinno and Heirloom Gold. I also stamped some splotches (hard to see on the photo) with a stamp from the Swirls Splats and Dots plate and one of the sentiments from the  Caterpillar Words. I finished this side with a cut out and coloured butterfly from the Insects and Butterflies plate and some die cut and coloured autumn leaves from my stash.

The second panel was coloured and decorated in a similar way, but this time I used the Airmail Bird Stamp over the coloured back ground. I highlighted the eye of the bird a little bit with a white gel pen.

I completed the project with some bits and pieces from my stash and added a ribbon for the handle.
Hope you enjoyed this project and found some inspiration for your autumn/halloween projects, until next time!