Brown Bag Greeting Card

Hi Everyone!

Happy Monday to you!  What a great day to start the week.  Not just because it is Monday but because we have been blessed to see it and be a part of it.  It has been raining like crazy here in PA.  It rained from last  week Monday to Saturday morning, stopped Saturday afternoon, and then started again Saturday night and hasn't stopped.  But that's okay because it gives me an opportunity to focus on unfinished projects and to let those creative juices flow. Well the juices were definately flowing over the last week. I went to work on a Paper Bag album, which I will post soon, actually two albums, and had such a great time with them.  I wanted to make an album that was a bit different than the ones that I had recently seen.  Well God definitely answered the prayer of my heart and He also showed me a new kind of card.

After making the paper bag album I was left with all these paper bags that were not ...well, pretty enough for a paper bag album.  I didn't want to just discard the paper bags or keep them until I found a project, I wanted to create a use for them.  Hence the "Paper Bag Greeting Cards" were born. These cards are so simple and it doesn't matter the condition of the bag.  I needed to make some thank cards and so I used this theme to design this "Blessings" card.

I haven't done alot of embellishing for one particular reason, this card will be mailed (yes, it's going postal) and I don't want the embellishments to come off.  This side is the card opening (pic above); kinda like the back side of an envelope.  The gold flourishes are hand drawn with a gold pen.  The butterfly, part of a 4pc stamp set from Inkadinkado, and 'Blessings' are stamped in gold ink from ColorBox.  I also used ColorBox ink in Cream White and inked around all the edges of the bag to soften it up.  I've had the 'Blessings' set for so long that I don't even remember where I got it from.  I also used 2mm rhinestones from Nicole crafts.  They are inexpensive and work great.  The paper I used is the Bellisimo Collection from Autumn Leaves dated 2006.

When You lift up the "Blessings" flap the card opens up; here is the inside.  Some more gold flourishes, rhinestone embellies and a single butterfly.  I used a total of 8 rhinestones throughout this card.  When I started this card I was going for a brown, beige and white combo, hence the chocolate brown ribbon; never thought about using the gold.  But as I got further along I realized that I didn't have one small component - Chocolate brown ink {DOH}.  But all in all, even with the ribbon I don't think it came out too bad.  I going to hand write my note on these two pages.  Once I write the note I will probably add some more embellishments.

I cut out a 1" half circle on the right side where the opening to the pocket is.  Inside is a place for a trinket, photo, gift card or anything else.  I happened to cut out a tag and made slits for a gift card to be inserted.

Now, of course I am not going to give a Costso membership, though that would be a nice gift, but I am just using the card in place of a gift card.  The sentiment on the tag "A Little Something For You" is a set from Studio 112 by K&Company.  

And finally, here is the front of the card where the addresses would go.

I will definitely make some more of these "Brown Bag Greeting Cards".  I think they are just so cute and a perfect way to send a gift card or memento through the mail.  Once I write my note inside and address the card, I will adhere a clear label to seal the package.  This is also a safety precaution so that if the label has been peeled back, I will know if it has been messed with. 

I also used this design to create one of my paper bag minis.  Oooh, wouldn't this be great as part of a Paper Bag Swap.  You could use any color bag you want, embellish however you would like, you would just need to leave 1/2" for the binding on the bag bottom side, I will have to come up with a theme.  :)   I like this idea!!  Let me know what you think and if you would be interested in something like this.

Thanks for spending some time with me, I really appreciate it!  Until we meet again, have a blessed tomorrow!

Kelli
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"This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."   ~Psalm 118:24