A Paper Bag Journal for Mother's Day!

(click any image to enlarge)

Hello friends! With Mother's Day right around the corner, I thought it would be fun to do a new Mother's Day themed paper bag journal! This one is a bit different from the Valentines Day journal I did earlier this year - I changed the orientation to vertical (like a little purse), made it with two holes instead of three, and I used one larger brown paper bag as the cover and two smaller white paper bags as the interior...

I cut the holes in the brown paper bag first, then used a pen to mark the location for the holes in the white bags...it makes hole placement much easier this way...

I used images that I printed out from my new digital "Sweet Spring Stitches" Clipart Kit to decorate the journal (I keep saying journal, but the way this one came out, it is more of an elaborate card or small album though it would be very easy to add journaling elements)...
UPDATED 5/23/2013:  I no longer have my Aimee Asher digital shop (above link), but the artwork is now available in my Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/listing/152015914/sweet-stitches-digital-clip-art-kit

Next, I cut out all the elements I wanted to use...

Since I was doing this like a little purse, I wanted a contrasting top where the handle would come out, so I used decorative edged scissors to cut a length of paper to fit the top with about an inch overhang covering the front and back...

Then I marked it for hole placement, punched the holes, and glued it in place...

At this point, I have a rough idea of the layout, but no real specifics. I surround myself with all the art elements, the Scripture verses and sayings that are part of the kit, and my stash of trims, ribbons, buttons, and lace, and let the glue and inspiration flow...

I always add a few touches as they occur to me like these little stitch marks on this saying...

Here's how it all came out in the end (sorry Mom, but you're getting a really early preview of one of your Mother's Day gifts!) I used wire and coordinating glass beads to make the handle...

(Sorry for the poor photo quality, I had terrible lighting...
the beads on the handles look much darker than they really are)

I used a large button on front and a smaller on in the back along with some ribbon to fashion and enclosure to keep the journal closed...

I used this verse to make an little card to slip into the open end of the outer paper bag...

I did a two page layout here...

...and added embellishments like white covered wire for the "steam" coming from the cups, ric-rac, and
buttons...

...and little touches of lace and tiny ric-rac here and there...

Finally, here's the back cover. You can see that I used a small button glued on top of a length of ribbon to create the back of the button enclosure...

Well, I hope you enjoyed this little variation of the paper bag journal. I had a lot of fun putting this together! As usual, there is SO much more that you can do with these little creations...you scrapbookers and card makers out there are brimming with ideas and techniques that I haven't even dreamed of. But no matter your skill level or creative ability, a handmade gift is a wonderful (and thrifty) expression of your heart to your friend or loved one...one they will always cherish.

Happy handmade crafting and giving!!