Brown Paper Bag Album – Valentine Theme

This unique scrapbook is created out of brown paper lunch bags. What a creative way to say, "I love you!"

What you need

2 Brown Paper Lunch bags
4 sheets of 12×12 Patterned Scrapbook Paper (1 page per pattern)
1 sheet of 8 1/2 x 11″ Red Cardstock
1 sheet of 8 1/2 x 11″ White Cardstock
1 sheet of 8 1/2 x 11″ Black Cardstock
1 sheet of 8 1/2 x 11″ Silver Cardstock
Sheer White Ribbon (approx. 2.5 yards)
White Ribbon (approx. 2 yards)
Silver Ribbon (approx. approx 2 yards)
Black Chipboard Letters (“L”, “O”, “V” and “E”)
Valentine?s Day embellishments/stickers or stamps
Black inkpad
Srapbooking Adhesive (dry)
Glue Dots

Instructions

The scrapbook includes six pages and several tags, hidden in pockets, for additional photos/journaling. It also features a pull away “door” flap, which reveals an additional decorative journaling area. Shades of red with accents of white, black and silver help to capture the feeling of romance. The contrast of textures and hidden surprises makes this scrapbook exciting to both create and receive!

Tools Needed:

Hole Puncher
Scissor
Paper Cutter
Ruler
Stapler and staples
Tag Punch

1. Take one paper bag and lay it down horizontally on your work surface with the bottom of the bag facing up and to your left hand side. Next,
lay the second bag down directly on top of this bag with the bottom of the bag facing up, this time to your right hand side. (alternating ends)

2. Fold the bags in half from left to right, forming a “spine” for your scrapbook. It is very important to make a crisp seam.

3. Punch five holes running along this seam, slightly less than a half an inch outwards from the spine. Holes should be equally spaced apart.  Start punching your holes beginning a half an inch from the top and ending a half an inch above the bottom of the scrapbook.

     

Decorating Directions:

Below you will find step-by-step directions on how to re-create the cover design and page layouts seen here. However, feel free to abandon these decoration tips and get creative!

Front and Back Cover:

1. Choose one sheet of 12×12 patterned paper that you would like to use for the front and back cover of your scrapbook. Cut your paper into four 5×5″ squares. Take two squares and set the other two aside.

2. Take your scrapbook and open it to the center of book. From your left to the right, flip the book upside down. The back and front cover will now be face up. (Front cover to the right, back cover to the left)

3. Slip out the bottom bag, re-fold it along the spine and set it aside for later. Now, glue one 5×5″ square on the left (back cover) and the right (front cover). This paper will cover up your punched holes. Once firmly secure, flip your bag over and punch holes through the patterned paper, using the pre-punched holes as your guide.

4. Fold your paper bag up, so only the front cover is exposed and facing up. Choose a different sheet of 12×12 patterned paper and cut a 5 x2″ strip. Glue it down on the left hand side of the front cover. Again, this strip will cover up your punched holes. Once firmly secure, open the bag and flip it over and punch holes through this strip, using the pre-punched holes as your guide.

5. Add a Valentine?s theme embellishment (not 3-D) in the area to the right of the strip on the front cover. In this sample, a paper heart was used. Any Valentine embellishment, sticker or stamped image will do.

6. Next, take your paper bag and drag the three sides of the front cover along the edge of your black inkpad. This will give it a somewhat distressed look. Do not add ink to the edges of the strip area. Repeat this step with the back cover. Let dry.

7. Take your black chipboard letters and add glue dots or other strong adhesive to the back. Arrange the letters to spell out the word “LOVE” on your front cover. Chipboard letters add dimension to this project, however, one can easily use stamped letters, stickers or rub-ons if desired.

Page 1 & 2:

1. Open the book and insert your already folded, second bag. Line up the seams and make sure the bottom of the second bag is on your right. You will now design pages 1 & 2.

2. Choose another new sheet of 12×12 patterned paper that you would like to use as the background for these pages. In this sample, a distressed black paper is used. Cut out two 5×5″ squares. Discard the remainder of the paper (save it for another craft project!) Punch holes through paper as previously instructed.

3. Take 6″ of white satin ribbon and add glue to the back. Horizontally place ribbon 3/4″ down from the top of the paper. Wrap ribbon excess around sides of paper and glue to back of the paper. Glue this paper to left hand section (page 1). Glue your second 5×5″ square to the corresponding page (page 2)

4. Take your final remaining sheet of 12×12 patterned paper and place it down in front of you on your work surface. About 1 3/4″ in, start slowly ripping your paper from top to bottom. Gently moving your hand slightly from left to right during ripping will help generate a more natural ripped look.

5. Cut a 5″ long piece from this ripped strip and discard the rest. Turn piece upside down and add glue along all three straight edges. Do not add glue along the ripped edge. Glue this ripped strip along bottom of page one.

6. Next, cut out two tags from red cardstock using a tag-shape punch. Add one 2″ piece of white satin ribbon, folded onto the top of each tag. Affix with one single staple. Beneath the ribbon, stamp a small black heart (drawing the heart or using a sticker would also work.) Page 1 is now completed and ready for you to add a special message on each of the tags.

7. Out of red cardstock, cut out a 4 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ square. Next, take 5 ” of white satin ribbon and add glue to the back. Horizontally place the ribbon 1/4″ up from the bottom. Wrap ribbon excess around sides of paper and glue to back of the paper. Glue this red square to the right hand section (page 2). This red box is designed to hold a photo.

8. Out of white cardstock, cut out a small triangular piece of paper. Stamp three small, red hearts on the triangle and drag the three sides of the triangle along the edge of your black inkpad. Pages 1 & 2 are now complete!

Page 2 & 3:

1. Turn page two of your scrapbook, so that page three and four are now exposed. You should see the bottom flap of this bag face up, on your right hand side.

2. Take the bottom flap of the bag and slightly raise it/ pull it up with your finger tips. With your scissor carefully cut horizontally along the top and bottom seam of this flap. Pull back area that has been cut and now carefully cut along the inner crease upwards, in order to fully open the bottom of the bag and form what looks like a door. Be careful not to cut through the entire bag here.

3. Take the two remaining 5 x 5″ squares cut out of patterned paper (matching the front cover and back cover) and add glue to back. Affix squares to pages 3 and 4. Punch holes through paper as previously instructed.

4. Out of black cardstock, cut out a 4 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ square. Add glue to back and glue it down onto page three. This black box is designed to hold a photo.

5. Out of the same patterned paper used to make the strip on your front cover, cut out a 3 x 5″ strip and two small triangular pieces. Glue the triangular pieces on the upper left hand corner and lower right hand corner of your black cardstock square. Glue the strip onto the front of the “door” piece on the right hand side of page 4.

6. Take 4″ piece of white satin ribbon and add glue to the back, leaving a small section in the center unglued. Horizontally place ribbon 1 1/2 ” up from the bottom of the “door” strip. Wrap ribbon excess around sides of paper and glue to back of the paper. Take a 3″ piece of white stain ribbon and feed it underneath the center of the glued ribbon on the strip. Tie in a knot and trim edges. Take a 6″ piece of white satin ribbon and glue vertically along the left hand side of strip.

7. Open “door” and add two Valentine?s theme embellishments (not 3-D) onto page four. In this sample, a paper heart and quote was used. Any Valentine embellishment, sticker or stamped image will do.

8. On the inside of the “door” glue down a 3 x 5″ strip of white cardstock. On the top, stamp or hand write a special title. Here, “XOXOX” was hand stamped, along with two small red hearts. This area can be used for journaling a special message. Pages 3 & 4 are now complete!

Page 5 & 6:

1. Out of red cardstock, cut out two 5×5″ squares. Glue one square directly onto page five. Punch holes through paper as previously instructed.

2. Cut the second red square diagonally in half, forming two triangular pieces, Set aside one triangular piece, and discard the other.

3. Out of the same patterned paper used to cover your “door” on page four, make another ripped strip. About 1 1/4″ in on your patterned paper, start slowly ripping from top to bottom. Gently moving your hand slightly from left to right during ripping will help generate a more natural ripped look.

4. Cut a 5″ long piece from this ripped strip and discard the rest. Glue this ripped strip vertically along the left hand side of page five.

5. Out of the same patterned paper used for the ripped strip on page one, cut out one 3 x 4 1/2″ rectangle and one 5 x 5″ square. Glue the 3 x 4 1/2″ piece directly onto page five. This rectangle is designed to hold a photo. Glue the 5 x 5″ piece directly onto page six.

6. Next, add glue to the two sides of the red triangle that form a 90-degree angle. Leave the third side unglued, as this piece will now serve as a pocket where you can slide in loose photos, memorabilia, notes, etc. Glue triangle down to lower left hand corner of page six.

7. Finally, decorate both pages with a valentine?s themed embellishment, sticker or stamped image. Here, we used to stickers that read “kiss” and “passion”. Pages 5 & 6 are now complete!

Binding:

Now that your scrapbook is assembled and fully decorated, it is time to bind it!

1. Cut out five pieces of sheer white ribbon, each measuring 5 – 5 1/2″. Open book to its center and begin to feed one piece of ribbon horizontally into one hole and out through the next. Once this process has been completed for each of the holes, carefully flip your scrapbook over (cover side up).

2. With your book still open to its center, firmly tie each ribbon in a knot, forming five knotted ribbons, which will serve as your books binding. Be careful not to tie ribbons too tight, where it would cause the paper to rip.

3. Close your book and tie sheer white, satin white and silver ribbon, of a variety of lengths onto all five of your binding ribbons. Trim as you see fit.

Tags:

Between pages 2 & 3 and 6 and the back cover, you will find two pockets which once were the openings of your paper bags. You can use these pockets to hold loose photos, notes, memorabilia or tags. Here, two tags were created.

Tag #1 (for pocket between page 2 & 3):

1. Cut out two 4 x 4″ squares out of your silver cardstock. Set one square aside.

2. Cut out one 3 x 3″ square out of your white cardstock. Drag all four sides of the square along the edge of your black inkpad.

3. Cut out a 1 x 4″ strip from the patterned paper used for your front & back cover. (You may already have a scrap suitable for this from prior cutting)

4. Punch a hole on one side of your square, approximately one inch down from the top. Measure one more inch down and punch your second hole.

5. Parallel to your punched holes, vertically glue down patterned paper strip in the center of your silver square. Next, center your white square and glue it on top of your strip.

6. Feed sheer white and silver ribbon through holes and tie knots. Ribbons can be of a variety of lengths. Trim as you see fit.

Tag # 2 (for pocket between pages 6 & back cover):

1. Cut out a 2 1/4″ x 2 1/4″ square and a 4 x 2 1/2″ rectangle out of red cardstock.

2. Take 3″ piece of white sheer ribbon and add glue to the back, leaving a small section in the center unglued. Horizontally place ribbon 1 ” up from the bottom of the red square and glue down. Wrap ribbon excess around sides of square and glue to back of the paper. Take a 3″ piece of white stain ribbon and feed it underneath the center of the glued ribbon on the red square. Tie in a knot and trim edges.

3. Glue red square down on an angle, appearing as a diamond shape. Decorate red square with valentine?s theme embellishment, sticker or stamped image. Here, a paper heart was used.

4. Cut out several pieces of sheer white and silver ribbon in a variety of lengths. Group together, fold pieces in half and staple down onto bottom right hand corner of tag.

5. On the opposite side, glue down the red 4 x 2 1/2″ rectangle in the center of the tag.

6. Finally, cut out a 3 1/2 x 3 1/2″ square out of the same piece of patterned paper used on page 6 of your scrapbook. Glue this square on top of the directly in the middle of your tag.

Please note: While the majority of scrapbook supplies and papers are considered acid and lignin free, paper bags are not. So please make sure you use duplicate photos when making this project. Non-digital photos can easily be color copied or scanned and printed in a copy store or photo lab.

An original design by: Jennifer Camacho