• About WordPress
    • WordPress.org
    • Documentation
    • Support
    • Feedback
  • Log In
  • Register

Mommysavers

Frugal Moms Living Well for Less

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest




  • Cooking
    • Cookies
    • Copycat Recipes
    • Crock Pot Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Freezer Meals
    • Frugal Recipes
  • Holidays
    • Back to School
    • Birthdays
    • Christmas
      • Gift Ideas
      • Elf on the Shelf
    • Easter
    • Halloween
      • Costumes
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Frugal Living
    • Leftovers
    • Repurposing
    • Crafts
    • Saving Money
  • Hobbies & Home
    • Decorating
    • DIY
    • Organization
    • Time Management
    • Simple Living
  • Family Fun
    • Date Night
    • Random Acts of Kindness
    • Travel
  • Deals
  • About Us

Gift Idea: Super Easy, Super Cute Monogrammed Tote

November 9, 2010 by Kimberly Danger 4 Comments

I got this adorable gift idea from the November issue of Woman’s Day magazine.  When I read the directions, I thought, “There is no way this can be this easy AND come out this cute.”  But I was wrong!  From start to finish, one bag took me less than 20 minutes, cost less than $4.00, and is really cute.  The magazine recommends using an 18×13 tote.  I chose to use a 13×13 tote.  I found a pack of 3 for $9.99 at Michaels, making them only $3.33 per bag.  Combine with coupons here and you may be able to create one for under $3.

Supplies:

  • Canvas tote (I used a 13×13 bag.)
  • Black fabric paint (I used Tulip Slick in black)
  • Monogram/Alphabet stencil (The magazine gives complete directions on making your own.  I had an alphabet set already, and just used that one.)
  • Small paint brush
  • Doily (I used a 10″ doily.)
  • Spray adhesive

Directions:

  1. If your tote is wrinkled, iron first. Spay adhesive on back side of doily.
  2. Adhere doily to lower right corner of bag, partially hanging off (see picture above).
  3. Paint over the outer edge of the doily, making sure not to go outside of the outer limit.  I wanted an “aged” look, so i intentionally used varying amounts of paint so that the color was not consistent.  If you want a more uniform color, use more paint.
  4. While paint is still wet, peel off doily.
  5. Let paint dry.
  6. My stencil fit well within the wet paint, so I skipped step 5, saving time. Spray adhesive on back of monogram stencil of your choice.  (You can see, I used a “K”.)
  7. Lay monogram stencil on the tote, centering inside the (already) painted pattern.
  8. Paint over monogram stencil.
  9. While paint is wet, remove stencil.
  10. Let dry.
  11. After all paint is completely dry, using a high heat iron, iron over painted areas to set your design so that the bag is washable.
  12. Voila!

I can’t wait to fill these with teacher goodies and gift cards to give to my daughter’s preschool teachers for Christmas.  You could also fill them with crackers, cheese, and/or homemade bread for your favorite neighbors.  The possibilities are limitless.

If you are interested in a subscription to Woman’s Day, now is the time to try it out.  Check out this deal where you can get 1 year for only $3.73! Also, before heading to Michaels, check out these great coupons!

Share
Tweet
Pin
+1
0 Shares

Filed Under: Decor and Design Tagged With: christmas, gift ideas, diy




« Frugal Fitness Tip from Valerie Orsoni of LeBootCamp.com
Countdown to Christmas with this Beautiful Calendar Craft »

Comments

  1. Kimberly Danger says

    November 9, 2010 at 5:32 pm

    Super cute, Mandy! I bet you could save even more by using a Michael’s coupon from the Sunday paper. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  2. Mandy House says

    November 9, 2010 at 6:01 pm

    Great idea, Kim! I edited the blog to include some great coupons you had posted in the coupons forum. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Maggie says

    November 12, 2010 at 9:22 am

    I’m afraid to post this on my facebook page because I am making these to hold all the girl gifts this year!

    Reply
  4. Patti says

    November 12, 2010 at 2:10 pm

    I just went out and bought the bags with a coupon at Michaels and the doilies at Dollar Tree. This should be a fun project – think I have all the other items in my stash. What a fun and cheap but cute gift.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Tags

aldi baby birthdays caramel centerpiece chocolate christmas cookies costumes coupons crafts decoration detergent disney dollar store easter fall fitness forget the joneses gift idea gift ideas gourmet graham crackers groceries halloween holiday holiday shopping ice cream kitchen laundry leftovers mickey mouse nature no-sew pasta popcorn product reviews pumpkin random acts of kindness target thanksgiving turkey valentine's day walmart ziploc

Copyright © 2023 · Delightful theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2023 · Delightful Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in