Just doing something fun and creative this month.
We get a handful of trick-or-treaters each year, all neighborhood kids. Our neighborhood is not considered one of the desirable T or T neighborhoods, as the houses are far apart and driveways long. So, the ones who do come I know are neighbor children. I like to do something nice for each of them. This year, I made small bags to fill with candy and trinkets. Here's how they look so far. Once filled, I'll turn the top down and thread a yarn through holes and tie closed.
Here's how I made these.
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the finished bag |
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I used some of the brown packing paper that came in boxes of groceries I ordered during the pandemic. I mentioned this paper last fall. |
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These are supposed to look homespun, so the wrinkles in the paper don't matter. I cut the paper into lengths suitable for a small bag. |
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I rubber-stamped the center of the paper. |
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After stamping, I used glue stick along one of the ends that I would be sealing to form a bag. |
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I flipped the paper over and added glue to the corresponding "flap." Glue stick adheres best when both surfaces are coated with glue. |
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After glueing the back, I glued the bottom flap, as I would if I were wrapping a gift. |
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I pressed the glued sections together well, and creased the corners with my fingers. |
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Here's the bag flipped over. |
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While the box was still in the bag, I used pinking shears to cut a zig-zagged edge along the top of the bag. |
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Now the box is ready to be pulled out of the bag. |
We get too many kids to pass out bags, but I'm sure they will be appreciated by your neighborhood children. One of our neighbors used to pass out bags to my kids and they loved them. What are you going to put in them?
ReplyDeleteHi Live and Learn,
DeleteNo, I don't imagine if you get a lot of trick-or-treaters that handing out bags would be feasible. One year, we had a grand total of 8 trick-or-treaters. That's how few we can get. It depends on the weather and day of week. The last couple of years, the weather was good/dry and the holiday fell over the weekend. This year, the forecast is for lots of rain, highs around 49 F/lows around 40 F, so the evening could be chilly and wet. I recall taking my kids out when it was so cold even with mittens on my hands froze due to the rain soaking through the knit. So, we'll see. As for what's going in the bags -- some candy, stickers, temporary tattoos, and party favor stampers, all stuff from the dollar store (except candy -- I bought that at our Kroger affiliate early in the season when they had a sale and at WinCo from the bulk bins).
I have lunch bags and was going to look in my Halloween supplies to see if I have any stickers. I would definitely use a stamp if I had one for the holiday. I purchased some candy with real fruit juice and some bags of chips was going to make Halloween treat bags for my family. Depending on the weather we could go from 40-100. The left over chips my family will eat, the left over candy I usually send with someone to their work place or donate. Frequently it is requested by service groups for kids Christmas parties to put in their stockings.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of brown paper lunch bags for the last couple of years we have made with glue, scissors and some staples or paper clips the most AMAZING paper stars. Directions can easily be found online and generally it takes 12 lunch bags to make these intricate stars that are reminiscent of snowflakes when cut out. We are making them to bring as decorations to a Christmas party and inviting the participants to take them home.
Hi Teresa,
DeleteYour treats sound yummy and special. I'm sure they will be very appreciated!
I will see if I can find the paper stars that you're taking about. They sound pretty. Thank you for mentioning them.
Those are very cute! I'm sure the kids will enjoy them.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cat. Today I filled the first one and tied it with yarn to see how they'd look. My daughters will help me fill the rest tomorrow afternoon.
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