How To: Make Garland From A Grocery Bag

Last week, I ran in Publix (a local grocery chain) to pick up a birthday cake for Judd.  Did I mention that my amazing husband turned the big 3-0 last week??? 

[His birthday usually falls on a day when one of us is frantically working on or studying for fall semester final exams.  Lucky for Judd, those days are behind him.  Now, the stress of finals is all my own.  BUMMER.  Last week his birthday fell on the same day that my statistics final was due!  Eeek.  Hence the reason I was running to Publix to purchase a ready-made birthday cake.]   

Long story short, at check out the cashier unfolded a paper grocery bag and placed Judd’s cake inside of it.  We usually place our groceries in reusable grocery bags or we just get plastic when we are in a hurry.  (I know, I know, just go ahead and report me to Al Gore).  So, I haven’t looked at a brown paper grocery bag in a while.  When I got home, I noticed that printed on the front of the crisp brown sack was a pretty blue and green bird.

 

On the side of the bag, in large blue font, was the word “celebrate.”  I left the bag on the counter for a day or two trying to decide what to do with it.  As soon as I saw that little bird, I knew there was a craft project just waiting to be made with it.

On my next weekly visit to Publix I asked the bagger to please place our groceries in only paper sacks.  When I got home and unloaded my groceries I had a total of 5 bags all with the same holiday bird motif.

My craft project wheels started to turn.  Last night, I decided to make a garland out the lovely paper birds.  I am not sure exactly where to use it just yet.   This year will be the first time Judd’s parent’s cabin can be used for Christmas.  Maybe the garland would be pretty used as a rustic decoration at their farm.  We’ll see.

To make the garland, I slid a legal notepad (cardboard side up) inside the bag to use as a cutting board.  I used an X-Acto knife to cut around each bird.  This was a quick way to trim out the birds without having to bend them or deal with cutting around the bulky bag. 

Next, I used a whole punch to make one whole at the top of each bird.  I took a long piece of jute twine and double tied each bird to the twine by poking the jute through the punched whole.

Here is the finished product.  Keep in mind, I did not make these for my house.  Also keep in mind that I have been frantically working on my final exams and have not yet decorated our mantel.  Pretend you see what you saw last year.  Ha.  I quickly threw some pinecones on the mantel to add a rustic feel for these pictures.

 

Now, I just have to figure out what to make with the “celebrate” side of the bags. 

What do you think about this budget friendly project?  Is it something you would create for your own home or rustic space?  Do you have any ideas for the “celebrate” part of the bag or for other uses for the birds???