I love finding ways to reuse materials that usually end up in my recycle bin or landfills because I am doing my part to protect our planet while also finding art materials for FREE! I remember making these paper bag books in middle or high school, and recently have been having so much fun with them! Because of the low cost, and super-chill materials, I am finding that I feel much more free with my creativity in a paper bag book than in a beautifully bound sketchbook. I find that there is less stress, and absolutely no black page anxiety when I sit down to create. I have been having more fun cutting and pasting as a creative warm-up before I get into my bigger projects each week. Paper bag books have been a great place to work out ideas in an inconsequential way, and get myself creating even when I am feeling low. I love that if I find interesting materials to play with, I can tuck them into the pockets to save for later!
What to use paper bag books for?
-Sketchbook/doodle pad
-Junk journal
- Recipe keeper
-Seed organizer
-Kids scavenger hunt log
-Kids craft book
Note: Lunch bags aren’t acid free, which means over time the material will begin to break down. Some people have expressed concern about making something that won’t last hundreds of years, but I find that to be part of the charm.
There are more ideas and mini tutorials in my Shorts feed! @ me at @cactuscloudsart on TT, IG and YT if you give this a shot, I’d love to see!