Clumsy Crafter

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DIY Heart Tote Bag

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Easy DIY tote bag for Valentine's day or to use year round by Clumsy Crafter

I have a confession. It might be possible that I am a bag hoarder. It’s true.  Now because of this Valentine’s craft tutorial you can be a bag hoarder too. Who wouldn’t want this Easy DIY tote bag to carry the boxes and boxes of chocolates that suitors will be leaving for you on Valentine’s Day? But if you’re lacking chocolates (or got smart and swapped them out for Starbucks) then you could also let your children use this as their Valentine’s Bag for their candy and cards simply by writing them name in the heart with a permanent marker.  It’s a great craft that’s perfect for a girls night out or a kids valentine’s craft done around the kitchen table. Not to mention that I love these canvas tote bags.  These in particular I bought at Hobby Lobby and paid $7 for a pack of 3 bags. Hello! How can you not love that? (Here’s an affiliate  link to the same bags on Amazon.com) When we had two little girls in diapers at one time I used similar canvas tote bags as simple diaper bags for church or anywhere that they would be split up but still need a diaper bag. It’s the perfect size and weight to use for children but also for  the store or library.  You just can’t go wrong with canvas tote bags. I’ve even given ugly tote bags a little makeover to transform them into a wonderful  tote bag with pizazz.  I guess in my eyes this is the perfect craft because not only do I hoard bags but I also love pencils. Pens just leave ink all over your hands (or mine anyway) but pencils give you the freedom to erase and start over again. How can you not love pencils?  Making these bags are easy. To make one all you will need is one canvas tote bag, fabric paint ( I used the kind with glitter for extra oomph), a thick heart template – I cut a heart out of a cereal box, and a pencil with a new eraser. If you don’t have a pencil (GASP – the horror) you can use a Q-tip. 

Easy DIY Tote bag from Clumsy Crafter for Valentine's day

 To start simply lay the heart in the middle of the tote bag. I actually secured it to the bag using two loops of washi tape on the backside of the heart but this is totally optional. I knew my kids would be at the table “helping” me so I did it to keep the heart from getting moved by precious little hands when I wasn’t looking.  Dip the eraser into to the paint and start on the edge of the heart, pressing the pencil eraser straight down on the tote bag. Continue making several prints with the eraser, going further away from the heart and pressing harder until you are out of paint. Repeat this step and go all the way around the heart.  To make it look the best I found that you need the thick paint dots closer to the heart and make it fade away.  If too much paint build up forms on the edges of the eraser, simply  wipe it off before continuing. When you are done remove the heart template and you should have a heart shape with a straight edge.

Easy Tote bag using pencil erasers and paint from Clumsy Crafter

  Let your bag dry, which should not take long at all, and you are ready to go with your new personalized DIY tote bag! 
 
  What do you think? Would this be a fun craft to make with a group of friends one night?  I’m adding this to my Clumsy Crafter Pinterest Board, come check it out! 

Easy Heart tote craft from Clumsy Crafter

Also if you love tote bags but what to try out something different, ditch the pencils and grab some celery to make this DIY Celery Rose Tote Bag: Rose Tote Bag made using Celery from ClumsyCrafter   If that’s not your style then check out this other simple lovey – dovey craft – Couple in Love Wood Dolls.  How to make a rustic love couple - great for valentines day or weddings So many choices! What will you make? Maybe you should make them all! 

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Comments

  5. I can’t wait to try this with an apple shape! Teacher Appreciation Week gifts are in the bag!! …see what I did there ? 😉

  6. I absolutely love this and am planning on making these as welcome gift bags for my sister’s wedding. What kind of paint did you use? Are of my paint is water soluble, and I am worried that the paint will eventually run or fade if water gets on it. Did you seal the paint somehow afterwards? Thank you!!!

  7. I totally love this ides – maybe adding glitter paint also to get that sparkle… I was just wondering if the paint leaked through or did you need a piece of paper or something inside to stop it going through?

  9. Hello….about the paint…you can seal it extra by using a hot iron. Just a few minutes from the backside of the fabric. So it´s extra safe 🙂

  13. I would love to put it on a t-shirt any suggestions I probably have to oreshrink shirt but any other thing that I need to do for shirt Plz help me thnx

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