Small Gift Bag

I have a program on my computer called Stumble Upon.  You can find it at http://www.stumbleupon.com/ . At this website, you sign up for a free account and choose from a list of subjects and then the program will search outwebsites that fit the criteria of what you have selected.  I selected things like crafts, photography, recipes etc. and when I click on the STUMBLE button, it takes me to places on the Internet.  I stumbled upon a tutorial for a small gift bag made from newspapers or printed ads that come in your newspaper. Here is a link to that tutorial.
 http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2010/07/how-to-make-gift-bags-from-newspaper.html
and here is the bag that I made today.  I used a LAMPS PLUS ad from my newspaper.  You actually use 2 layers of paper to give the bag extra strength. Click to enlarge photos to better see the details.

Tutorial on how to make paper flowers

I found a tutorial somewhere on the Internet for this paper flower, but for the life of me I cannot find it again.  Sorry to whoever you are that orginally posted it....I would be happy to give you credit for it.  Anyway...the products used were the Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher, and the EK Success Scalloped Scallop border punch. 

Cut a 1 and 1/2 inch strip of paper

Punch one edge with the EK Success Scalloped Scallop border punch.



Now you will fold back and forth the paper kind of like an accordian. It doesn't have to be neat.

It will end up looking something like this.

Now take the Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher, which has staples about 1/2 the width of a normal stapler..and rotate and staple to make the flower shape.

Next, I punch a circle smaller about 1/2 the size of the flower and glue it on the back of the flower to give it extra support.

You can if you want make a second flower and glue it on top of the first flower to make it more full.  I did not do that with this flower...but I do like the fullness when you do that.  I found a button with a loop on it, so I took a hole punch and punched a small hole right through the middle of the flower so that I can thread it through the hole to secure it.

Thread both ends of your ribbon through the hole in the paper flower.

Loop the ribbon around the back.

And tie a knot to secure.

And VOILA!  Your flower is finished!