Paperbag Scrapbook Directions
Paper bag scrapbooks are an inexpensive and popular form of scrapbooking that also incorporates altered art. They are usually made from brown paper lunch bags, taking something plain and practical and turning it into something fun and full of memories.
When folded and placed together the bags become the covers and pages of an album. The open ends of the paper bag make little pockets where you can add removable page or tuck in photos, little notes or letters. The bottom flap of the bag can be used as a hidden area for journaling little notes or have pictures or ephemera peeking out from them.
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Things You'll Need
- Three paper bags, such as lunch bags
- Hole punch
- Pencil
- Ribbons, book rings, twine or other items to use as binding
- Scrapbook papers
- Scrapbook embellishments
Instructions
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1
Fold each paper bag in half and crease along the fold you made.
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2
Open the bags and lay them together, alternating them so that some of the bag openings are at different ends. Then fold in half to make a book.
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3
Punch holes along the spine. Three or five holes will work. If you have difficulty punching through several of the bags at a time, try punching the holes where you want them in one bag. Then put it over another bag and mark where the holes are with a pencil. Then punch your holes where you marked them. Repeat with the last bag.
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4
Tie ribbon, twine or other fibers through the holes to bind the three bags together. Alternatively, put book rings through the holes to bind the bags together.
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5
Decorate the pages however you desire with scrapbook paper, pictures and embellishments. Cut pieces of paper that will fit inside the open pockets of the paper bags to add removable pages and decorate them as desired.
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Tips & Warnings
Instead of using a paper hole punch and tying the bags together, you can use staples along the spine or sew along the spine with thread using either a sewing machine or by hand with needle and thread.
Paper bags are not made of archival or acid free materials. If you wish to make them safer for archival purposes, use an archival spray on the paper bags before assembling them into scrapbooks to help neutralize the acid. You also could use only duplicate photos.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit scrapbooking image by Philippe MICHAUD from Fotolia.com
