The handmade gift is finished. Now it needs packaging that does not cost more than the project. A plain paper lunch sack can become a personal gift bag with a little drawing, paper collage, and a neatly folded top.
Decorate the sack while it is flat, let any paint or adhesive dry, then open the base, add a small lightweight gift, and fold the top closed. This tutorial includes three decorating styles and a group setup that works with ordinary craft supplies. You do not need to add handles or buy a specialty bag-making kit.
Check the Gift Before Decorating the Bag
Try the actual gift in an undecorated sack first. Check the opening, the base, and the empty space above the gift. Leave enough room for two small top folds without squeezing the contents. If the item catches the sides, stretches the seams, or makes the bottom sag, choose a larger or sturdier package.
Use this project for small, lightweight items such as a folded card, bookmark set, or soft handmade ornament. Support the bag from underneath when carrying it. These are decorated lunch sacks, not reinforced shopping bags, and a folded closure does not add carrying strength.
Materials: Required and Optional
- Required: One clean, unused paper lunch sack per maker, plus extras for samples or mistakes
- Drawing supplies: Pencils and paper-compatible crayons or markers
- Collage supplies: Colored paper, suitable scissors, and paper adhesive if using the tree or paper-band design
- Preparation and closure: Scrap cardboard that slips inside the sack, table protection, and tape tested on the paper bag
- Optional: Paper-compatible stamps and ink or paint, brushes, small paper labels, or ribbon for a separate decorative accent
The bags below are sold as bags; decorating tools, adhesive, tape, and other supplies are separate. Choose scissors and materials for the group’s abilities. Adults should cut stiff cardboard inserts and offer precut shapes when helpful.
A Bulk Starting Point: Brown Paper Bags #5
EconoCrafts’ Brown Paper Bags #5 come in a 100-pack, making them an option for repeated group sessions. Check the current listing and test your actual gift in a sample; the #5 name alone does not tell you whether your finished project will fit.
Prepare One Sample Before the Session
Make a complete sample with your actual bag, drawing tools, adhesive, and gift. Check whether the colors show on brown paper, whether wet materials mark through, and whether the closure holds. White crayons and markers vary in opacity, so test rather than assuming every white tool will give a bright line.
Cut cardboard inserts slightly smaller than the bag interior so they slide in and out easily. Prepare a few large collage shapes, leave a clear strip at the top for folding, and set aside a labeled place for wet work. For a same-day handoff, choose drawing or a small amount of paper collage instead of a heavily painted design.
Step 1: Flatten and Support the Sack
Lay the sack flat with its opening at the top. Choose the broad panel you want to decorate and smooth it gently. Slide a piece of scrap cardboard inside to give a firmer drawing surface and help separate the front and back while you work.
Keep the cardboard clear of any wet adhesive. It is a work support, not a guarantee against soaking through the paper. Mark the area that will fold closed with a light pencil guide on your sample so everyone can see where the main design should stop.
Step 2: Choose One of Three Decorating Styles
Paper Tree and Drawn Border
Cut one broad green triangle and a small brown rectangle. Arrange them as a tree and trunk on the front panel, below the folding area, then attach them with suitable paper adhesive. Draw a simple red border around the panel. Use this as a Christmas design, or leave off holiday wording for a woodland theme.
Snowflakes and Dots
Draw three large snowflakes using a white crayon or another tested opaque drawing tool. Start each with three crossing lines to make six arms, then add short branch marks. Scatter a few blue dots between the snowflakes. Use generous spacing so the brown paper becomes part of the design.
Paper Band and Personal Label
Cut a broad paper strip to fit across the front panel. Glue it flat without wrapping it tightly around the side folds. Add a smaller light-colored paper rectangle for a name, short message, or maker-drawn symbol. This version can suit birthdays, thank-you gifts, or any winter gathering.
For a stamped variation, test a stamp and paper-compatible ink or a thin layer of suitable paint on a spare bag first. Repeat one motif with space between impressions, and follow the product’s drying directions. A simple repeated shape is easier to manage in a group than a bag covered edge to edge.
Step 3: Dry the Decoration and Open the Base
Leave the sack flat until paint or adhesive is fully dry according to its directions. Check for transfer or loose collage edges before handling. Remove the cardboard insert gently, then open the mouth and ease the bottom folds outward so the bag stands on its base.
Avoid forcing a finger into a corner or pulling a wet panel apart. If a decoration sticks to the insert, stop and ease it free rather than tugging hard enough to tear the bag. Repair only a small cosmetic problem; replace a sack with a damaged bottom or seam before adding the gift.
Step 4: Fill, Fold, and Secure
Place the lightweight gift inside without stretching the bag. Bring the front and back of the opening together and flatten the empty top section. Fold the top edge down once, then again to make a tidy band. A fold of roughly 3/4 inch each time is a starting point; adjust to the sack and the room above the gift.
Secure the folded band with a small piece of your tested tape. Add the recipient’s name to the paper label or tape a separate tag onto the front. Keep the label below the crease so it remains readable. Ribbon is optional decoration; it does not turn the sack into a handled bag.
Run the Project as a Group Assembly Line
For 24 makers, a suggested preparation count is 30 bags: one per participant and six for demonstration, mistakes, or extra guests. Set out four table trays for six makers each, with shared drawing tools and paper scraps. Prepare enough cardboard inserts for everyone working at the same time.
Keep the stages separate: choose a design, decorate flat, dry if needed, then fill and close. Makers should still decorate their own bags; the assembly line organizes supplies and movement rather than passing everyone’s artwork around.
- For a short session: Use the snowflake drawing design or precut paper shapes and a tested adhesive
- For easier handling: Offer large shapes, broad drawing tools, help holding the sack flat, and assistance with the final folds
- For senior programs: Offer botanical drawings, geometric bands, or personal messages alongside seasonal designs
- For a busy drying area: Put each maker’s name on a separate place card before the wet bag arrives
A possible plan is five minutes for demonstration, 15–20 minutes for decorating, and five to ten minutes for folding and cleanup. This is an estimate for a simple design, not a tested completion time. Wet-material drying may require a later filling session; do not include it inside a promised half hour.
Quick Fixes Before the Gift Goes Home
| Problem | Practical fix |
|---|---|
| The design disappears on brown paper | Test a darker marker or add a light paper panel beneath the design |
| The paper puckers | Use less wet material next time and favor drawing or small collage pieces |
| The bag will not open cleanly | Check that adhesive is dry and the front has not bonded to the insert or back panel |
| There is no room for the top folds | Remove bulky packing or choose a larger sack; do not crush the gift |
| The base or seam looks strained | Move the gift to a sturdier package and support it from underneath |
Make the Packaging Part of the Gift
A decorated lunch sack gives makers another place to add a personal detail: a color the recipient likes, a carefully drawn pattern, or a short message. Keep the gift light, decorate while the sack is flat, and save the filling step until everything is dry.
Start with a sample bag and a few flexible supplies, then let each participant make the packaging their own.
About EconoCrafts
Since 1956, EconoCrafts has helped schools and after-school programs, summer camps, recreation centers, senior centers, nursing homes, hospitals, churches, VBS programs, libraries, and families run successful arts and crafts programs. We supply affordable art supplies, ready-to-use craft kits, and engaging activities that make planning and leading creative projects easier. Whether you’re organizing one classroom activity or an entire season of programming, EconoCrafts helps you spend less time preparing and more time creating.
