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  • Decorative Gift Bags
  • From "DIY Crafts"
    episode DIC-102
    advertisement

    Click here to view a larger image.

    Decorate a brown-paper gift bag with a cute three-dimensional bunny made from toilet paper.

    Marilyn Petrovic, a former representative for Faultless® Starch, demonstrates how to make a decorative gift bag from a brown bag, using molds and Faultless microwave stiffener. (Note: Faultless Starch/Bon Ami no longer carries the products needed to create this project, including the microwave stiffener. Instead you might try adding StiffyB. Fabric Stiffener to the pulp and using a clay mold rather than plastic. Place the clay mold in a 250-degree oven for one hour, then remove, and let dry overnight. Decorate as described.)

    Materials:

    Roll of toilet paper
    Faultless microwave stiffener
    2 cups water
    Blender (one that you won't use for food processing -- try yard sales for a used one)
    Strainer
    Plastic rabbit mold
    Sponge
    Acrylic paint
    Glitter
    Hot glue
    Dried moss
    Ribbon
    Dried flowers
    Brown-paper gift bag with handles

    1. Remove the cardboard core from a roll of toilet paper. Cut the roll of toilet paper in half, and place half in a bowl of water.

    2. Remove the toilet paper from the bowl, and place in a blender with 2 cups water and 2 to 3 tablespoons Faultless microwave fabric stiffener. Blend for 1 minute. Pour the mixture into a strainer to remove the water, leaving the paper pulp. If you wish, you can add potpourri to the paper pulp.

    3. Coat a plastic rabbit mold with cooking-oil spray, then run the mold under water to remove excess spray. Spoon the paper pulp into the mold. Use a sponge to press the paper pulp against the sides of the mold and to remove air bubbles. Fill the mold, pressing the paper pulp into the detailed edges. Leave the center hollow. It is not necessary to completely fill the mold with paper pulp. Microwave the mold on high for 1 minute. Remove and let cool for 1 minute. Microwave for another minute. Cool and remove rabbit from mold.

    4. Decorate by painting the insides of the ears with pink acrylic paint. Draw on a face, paws, whiskers and buttons with a black marking pen. Add glitter if desired.

    5. Hot-glue dried moss to the front of a brown-paper gift bag. Hot-glue the bunny embellishment on top of the moss and dried flowers around and through the moss. Wrap a ribbon around the moss, and tie into a bow.


    RESOURCES :
    Stiffy Fabric Stiffener
    Plaid Enterprises Inc.
    Website: www.plaidonline.com

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