When you’re a crafter, maker, or creator, the project doesn’t end when you’re done creating the actual craft. Presentation is everything. So packaging is for sure part of the project. For me, sometimes packaging is the funnest part. This is especially true when the project is a gift. Making a custom gift bag is often what makes the project extra special.
For most of my gift bags, I run to the local Dollar Tree. I usually come out with about $2 worth of gift bags and $20 worth of other stuff. But that is absolutely besides the point for now. So moving on…
What You’ll Need for Making a Custom Gift Bag
The technique that I want to show you in this article is super simple. You can use any size gift bag. Either a solid color or a patterned bag will work. Personally, I almost always use a solid single color gift bag. (But that because I have an “underdeveloped” sense of pattern coordination.)
You’ll also need a sheet of sticker paper. Just about any brand or kind of sticker paper will work. In a crunch, you can take a trip to Walmart and pick up a pack of matte sticker paper from the stationary section. Personally, I’ve used several different types and brands of sticker paper. I’ll add them below. BUT, my favorite and my most-used is from Neato Labels. Their sticker papers are great quality and (shhh….. don’t tell everyone) they ALWAYS have a sale going.
No matter what sticker paper you choose, be sure to purchase the correct type of paper for your printer. Some stickers are made for only laser printers, and some for only inkjet. There are a few kinds that will work with both. But you don’t want to get excited about making this and then find out that the paper you bought is not compatible with your printer. That would be a near craft-tastrophy. (Ask me how I know…)
My sticker paper sources
- Neato Labels– Online
- Online Labels- Amazon
- AstroBrights- Walmart
What about graphics?
Graphics are what will make your gift bag pop. If you are making a gift bag for something you created using your Cricut or other cutting machine, this will be pretty easy. You can use the same set of images that you used for your gift. Here’s an example:
This baby set was just too adorable to go into a plain gift bag. Sure, a glittery bag would have been nice. But come on! Mrs. Craft Lady needed a matching bag as cute as the outfit itself. I used images from inside of Cricut Design Space for the outfit. For the gift bag, I used a matching image I found on Mujka.com. The added watermelon border below the cute little girl image is also from Design Space.
If you don’t already have graphics you like, don’t panic. There are lots of reputable sources where you can get fun and classy images. Some of my favorite graphics come from:
- Cricut Design Space (yes, there are ALWAYS free images available)
- Creative Fabrica
- DesignBundles.net
- Hungry JPEG
- Mujka Designs
- Silhouette Design Studio (yes… I do use Silhouette sometimes)
Also, don’t forget about individual bloggers and designers. Many of them have really cute graphics that they make available to their readers for personal use.
At the end of this post, I’ll give you a 7 ideas to make your custom gift bags extra special.
Besides the items I’ve already mentioned, you will also need a home printer, a cutting machine and the cutting machine software. Ready to rock? Let’s go!!!
DIY Custom Gift Bag
Equipment
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Cricut or other cutting machine (not required)
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Pair of scissors
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Home printer
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Computer or mobile device
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Design software or word processing app (Word, Docs, etc.)
Ingredients
- 1 sheet sticker paper glossy, matte, or clear
- 1 gift bag any size, any color
- graphic or image your choice
Instructions
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Upload the image to your cutting machine software or into your word processing software.
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Measure the gift bag to give you the area you have to work with.
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Size your image(s) in your software to fit your bag.
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If using a cutting machine, send the image to print and to cut.
Be sure to load the sticker paper into your printer so that it prints on the correct side.
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If you are not using a cutting machine, print your image and cut around the outer edge with scissors.
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Peel away the backing from the sticker paper.
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Place the sticker onto the front of the bag.
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*OPTIONAL* Create and cut 2 copies of the design so that you can decorate both the front and back of the bag.
Notes
You can make any adjustments needed.
Try printing onto printable iron-on paper and adding to a reusable canvas bag.
Tip: add a think offset or outline to your image to add dimension.
7 Ideas to Make Your Custom Gift Bag More Special
- Stamp a special sentiment all over the gift tissue paper
- Use a special photo as the cover to the greeting card
- If including a gift card, make the gift card envelope using a special photo
- Use the printable iron on to add a unique sentiment to the ribbon
- Make a bow using the colors included in the gift
- If you sew or embroider, add a meaningful quote or the recipient’s name by hand
- Add texture to the gift tissue paper using an embossing machine like the Cricut Cuttlebug or Sizzix Big Shot
We always say that presentation is everything. I really hope this quick tutorial and these 7 bonus ideas help inspire you to make something amazing!
If you create a custom gift bag or use any of the other ideas, please tag me. I’d love to see what you design. I am EJ’s Fun Crafting on all platforms.
