Easter Burlap Bags

 

Easter will be here soon and I am having so much fun decorating and trying out fun crafts for the holiday.

My children are older and the Easter Bunny seems to be bringing less toys and more money and gift cards.  The large Easter Baskets that they’ve had since childhood are not being used–so I came up with a simple and super sweet Easter bag that the Easter Bunny could fill when he visits on Easter-Eve night.

These bags were so easy to make that I feel you could get the kids to help make them.  This doesn’t have to be just an Easter craft-I could see stamped bags being used to hold party favors, become gift bags or use them for decorations by filling them with fresh flowers.  They would also be great to hold homemade jams, jellies or honey jars.

The burlap bags were at Hobby Lobby in a pack of four.  They were only $2.99 a pack but, of course, I used by 40% coupon.  Here’s a link to Hobby Lobby’s site where you can buy them online.

Here’s how to make them:

Step 1-Slice a baking potato in half and then press a cookie cutter (metal is preferred) into the the potato.  While the cookie cutter is still pressed into the potato, take a small paring knife and cut around the cookie cutter a half-inch to an inch down.

Step 2-Dry the potato as much as possible.  Simply take a paper towel and blot the potato so that the paint will stick easily.

Step 3-Put paint on the stencil.  (Sorry…I forgot to make a photo of the bunny so here’s an egg…)  I found that dipping the stencil in paint puts too much paint on the stencil and causes it to smudge when pressing it on the bag.  I used a sponge to put the paint on the potato.

Step 4-Place a piece of cardboard or construction paper inside the bag.  This will keep the paint from bleeding through to the other side.

Step 5-Firmly press the stencil onto the bag.  Be sure to apply pressure on every part of the stencil.

Step 6-Admire your work!

But wait, there’s more…Step 7-Paint cute accents and add any type of decorations you’d like.

I couldn’t resist taking a photo of my painting sponge….it looks so much like the sugar lollipops I used to eat when I was a kid.  They were delicious.  They were just pure sugar with different layers of pastel colors/flavors.  I wonder if they still make those?  Do you remember them?

Here’s a few more photos:

Thank you for taking your time to stop by and visit!  Join me next time (dramatic music) when I show you my outdoor Easter decorations!  Until then, I hope you have a blessed and wonderful day.  Remember to be thankful for the ordinary things that you sometimes take for granted and focus on the good things in life.