Make a small gift bag in a flash!

Sometimes I need a small gift bag in a hurry…I’m visiting a friend and want to take a few magnets, a single lip salve or a bar of soap. I have stopped trying to keep a stash of small gift bags from the store on hand. Even with a huge pile on hand, I could never find just the right color/pattern/picture appropriate for that person. Now I reach for my folder of pretty calendar pages and make one that’s just right!

For several years I have received over a dozen new calendars every December. I saved them because I just couldn’t throw all those pretty pictures away. Last year I finally took the pile and (carefully) ripped out all the pictures I really liked and disposed of the rest of the calendar. That reduced the pile to a folder of pictures about 1″ deep.

I needed a small bag yesterday, and since I’m looking forward to Spring, I chose a page of beautiful flowers.

The larger bag above is made with an 8 1/2″ by 10 1/2″ calendar page. The smaller bag above is made with a 7″ by 7″ calendar page.

You will need: scissors, a ruler, clear tape, a hole punch and a piece of ribbon (about 20″ long).

Below is a diagram of how the bag is made. The first three steps show the first fold on the left side, but I fold mine to the center. Your choice!

Here is the calendar page I chose today:

First, I turned the page over and trimmed the torn edge.

Next, I folded the top edge (where there is usually a hole to hang the calendar) and added a small piece of tape in the center to keep it folded.

Now, fold both sides to the center, with a little overlap, and place a small piece of tape at the top. Fold it to the inside of the bag.

Then add tape the rest of the way down the seam and fold extra to the inside.

Now fold the bottom corners to the center and crease.

Open up the corners and tuck the folds inside each corner. Open the bottom vertically.

Fold each point to the center (with a little overlap) and tape.

Next punch two holes for the ribbon tie.

Add a piece of ribbon to close the bag.

This size bag was just perfect for one bar of my Aloe Vera soap!

If I’m in the mood to make more than one bag, I store them flat in the filing cabinet without ribbon.

So, save all those extra calendars and make small gift bags yourself! Enjoy!

If you’d like to chat about this post, leave a comment or email me directly at marykisner@comcast.net.