Paper Bag Scrapbooks

To begin making a paper bag scrapbook, you will 2 or 3 lunch size paper bags. You will place them in opposite directions (as seen in the picture) and place them on top of each other.
When you have placed the bags on top of each other, fold the bags in half to form a book (see above picture). Once the bags are folded, you can sew a straight line right up on the side near the fold (see below picture). You can also punch 2-3 holes in the sides and run ribbon through the holes to hold it together.
Once you have the bags put together, you may use scrapbook paper and accessories to decorate the different pages of your book. The only limit is your imagination!!
Some pages will have an opening on the side. From this opening, you can cut a piece of cardstock (the size will depend on the size paper bag, so you will need to measure yours) that is decorated as well. (see above picture) Some bags I have made will have a piece of ribbon or fancy fiber attached to the end to use as a pull.
Though not shown, you can even place pictures and decorations on the back cover if you so desire.

This book shown was made by my good friend, Kim, who happens to be Laura Beth's Kindergarten teacher. She used the books to record different events over the school year. We started making these 3 years ago for our Vacation Bible School Preschool classes. We had drama centers each night where the kids could dress up and act out the part of the story we had heard that night. We took pictures at this center each night and placed the pictures in the paper bag scrapbooks. At the end of the week, the children took them to home and used them to review that week's lessons. We added pictures, die cuts and captions to the books. The parents love them just as much as the children do, so we have begun gathering and assembling them for this year. The great thing about these books are you can do them for any kind of theme. I have made a Mother's Day one for my mom, a baseball one, an FHU one, etc. The possiblities are endless and all you need are 2 paper bags.