Mother's Day gift idea!

Mother's Day is only 3 weeks away, and here's a fun project that I made for my Mom a few years back! I had seen some of these paper bag scrapbooks made, and they looked kind of interesting, so I gave it a shot. What a fun project it was, and a perfect way to use up some of my scrapbooking leftovers. It took just a couple of hours, and I didn’t buy anything at all for this project…just used what I had on hand.

First you will need 3 brown paper lunch bags. You could use more, I am sure, but this was a perfect size, and I think if it was much thicker, it may be hard to punch holes in for the binding.

Layer the paper bags on top of each other, making sure that the direction of the bag ends alternate. Next I chose some decorative paper and cut it just a bit smaller than the length and width of the top bag. I like a distressed, “used” look to my scrapbooking projects, so I scuffed up the edges of the decorative papers, as well as the photos themselves, with fine sandpaper. Adhere to top bag. I used rubber cement. It holds well and is forgiving!!! Cut a coordinating piece of decorative paper 3” wide and trim to the correct length. Glue in place for binding.

Fold the bags in half. You’ll need to punch three holes through all the layers, and I found that this works best using the largest hole setting on my eyelet setting tool. Punch the holes about ½” from the edge of the bag, and spaced evenly apart. If you don’t have an eyelet setting tool, a paper punch would work as well, however, you will need to punch the holes in each bag separately. Tie ribbons through holes as shown in photo. Decorate cover as desired, using chipboard letters, rick-rack, ribbons, tags, stickers, etc.


Next I adhered scrapbook papers to all the pages, thinking ahead to which pictures/stickers would go where. In my scrapbook, I wanted to start with photos of my Mom with her Mother; my Grandmother. These photos aren’t originals, but rather scanned copies. This is a good idea, so you don’t have to cut up treasured family photos. You can also crop them, resize, etc.


In the bag opening on the right side, I placed a tag that I made with a poem:


On the following pages I scrapped photos chronologically of my Mom and I through the years, as well as some of us with my Grandma too.


In the following photo, you’ll notice that I covered the bottom of the bag at left with a piece of paper just big enough to cover it to make a little pocket. Into this pocket I placed a little note to Mom in a sweet little envelope.


Into the next bag opening I added another tag:


Here you can see that I have added another member of the family; my newborn daughter. This four-generation photo shows my Grandmother, my Mother, myself, and my daughter Ashley.


This final page shows all four of my daughters when my twins were babies, as well as five years ago in the final picture of us with my Grandmother before she passed away.


This scrapbook was a special keepsake gift for my Mom for Mother’s Day, and this final tag in my book had a double meaning for her. Her Mom is gone now, but she’ll always be with us, and my Mom and I live 350 miles apart and I don’t see her nearly often enough.


This project can be completed in an afternoon and will be a treasure to any Mom. With Father’s Day right around the corner, you may want to make a paper bag scrapbook from Daddy’s Girl. Just a warning, however. Not all guys “get” this! My husband for one! He looked at this and said I did a good job, but “It’s just lunch bags!” Exactly! Quick, easy, beautiful, and CHEAP! Have fun!

Prim blessings,
Laurie