"Green" and Glamorous Tote Bags

I’d love to share with you a gift-giving idea that I received from my dear friend Liv. A year or so ago Liv decided that for Christmas she was going to make everyone’s gift. While I’m sure it helped her save money in the long run, I think for her it was more about giving her friends something that she put a lot of time into that was unique and showed both her and their personality.

In any case, she decided to create these fabulous tote bags!

She went to her local craft store (think A.C. Moore or Michaels) and grabbed up a bunch of basic canvas tote bags, as well as a variety of fabric paints, glitters and other applicable details.

According to Liv she spent about 3 days straight during a weekend break painting these bags, turning them into what I consider awesome works of art. Not only were they really cool looking and got tons of compliments on campus, but they were also very fashionable in that they were reusable “green” totes that could be used in various ways.

If you’re interested in making your own tote bags as future gifts but don’t have 3 days to spend on the project, rest easy. In the case of projects like this, the amount of work you want to put into each bag is truly up to you and the design you have in mind. Liv’s bags were incredibly detailed and required many coats of paint. This will not always be the case.

Also, as a bonus idea, consider filling the bags with a few goodies. They could be a new attempt at the old gift baskets. Think DVDs, CDs, candy, or even a few more crafty trinkets (like painted picture frames).

It doesn’t really matter what colors you use or whether or not you decide to fill the bag. What will matter most to the lucky receiver is that the gift was truly a gift from the heart.