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Handprint shopping bag

Written by: | Published: June 06, 2012 | Updated: June 05, 2017

You’ve seen them at all the local shops, recycled shopping bags you can buy for a buck or two and use instead of “paper or plastic”. Well, at Walmart, the store brand bags are only 50 cents but they aren’t all that exciting to look at. So, when I was asked if I would do a project featuring Plaid products available at Walmart, I had to grab one of these shopping bags and try them out for some crafting fun.

Handprint shopping bag
Handprint shopping bag

I started out with the idea to paint the bag and then add kid art on top of the white paint. However, the bags are so porous, the paint just soaked right in. So plan B it is… create a workable canvas area, decoupage newspaper with Mod Podge right on to the bag!

Make your own handprint shopping bag

Materials:

  • Recycled shopping bag
  • Mod Podge
  • Newspaper
  • Plaid’s Apple Barrel craft paint
  • Paint brushes
  • Someone’s hand
I received a whole goodie box from PLAID, filled with products to try out. For this project I wanted to keep the instructions simple so even little kids could get involved. So, I used only the paints and Mod Podge from the photo below. Look at all those juicy supplies…
PLAID craft supplies available at Walmart
PLAID craft supplies available at Walmart

Instructions:

  1. Put a piece of cardboard, covered in plastic wrap, inside the shopping bag. This will prevent the paint and Mod Podge from sticking the inside of the bag together.
  2. Decoupage newspaper on to the front of the shopping bag. Let dry overnight.
    If you’re unfamiliar, decoupage by painting on a layer of Mod Podge directly on to the bag. Before it dries apply pieces of newspaper and quickly apply another layer of Mod Podge on top. Make sure the bag and paper are thoroughly wet.
  3. Paint newspaper white. Let dry. Repeat until desired coverage.
  4. Pour colored paint on to a paper plate (or other paint friendly palette). Don’t mix the colors, just apply colors next to each other.
  5. Place hand in paint, apply to bag where desired. Repeat for number of handprints you’d like.
  6. Paint extra details such as dots, stripes and a border around the piece. Let dry.
  7. Seal and protect with a coat of Mod Podge (optional).
Painted bag didn't work, needs decoupage
Painted bag didn't work, needs decoupage
Decoupage newspaper on to bag with Mod Podge
Decoupage newspaper on to bag with Mod Podge

Note: Paint the newspaper white before adding handprints.

Colorful handprints using a plate of different colored Plaid paints
Colorful handprints using a plate of different colored Plaid paints
Colorful painted handprint shopping bag
Colorful painted handprint shopping bag by Jen Goode

Find more craft inspiration from Plaid:

Plaid Crafts on Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/plaidcrafts
I haven’t finished the backside of this shopping back yet. Really, you could just decorate the front, but I planned to paint both front and back. However, we got a little sidetracked playing with the paint… we decided painting with handprints was so much fun, we’d try feet too. Unfortunately, none of the feet ended up on the bag, we just played on newspaper for a while. (A little too long maybe, she got a little stuck to her foot and we had to wash it off!).
Painting with Plaid paint
Painting with Plaid paint
I think this kind of handprint painting would make a great gift or art piece. Next time I want to make a cool picture with all my kids handprints that I can frame and put up on the wall. My daughter and I created another project, perfect for preschoolers to do with minimal help. Check out the tutorial for painted clothespin picture hangers also using Plaid paint.
What kind of handprint fun will you create?
Disclaimer: this project used supplies from a paid campaign sponsored by Plaid and TheBlueprintSocial.com. The creativity and opinions are all my own.
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Jen is Passionate about Creativity. She is the owner and "doodle in charge" of JGoode Designs, a Denver based design studio. She is an illustrator, mixed media artist and creative lifestyle blogger. Jen has been a creative professional since 1998 but says she's been an artist since she was old enough to eat glue.

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8 thoughts on “Handprint shopping bag”

  1. Great project! I love the color choices. We are going to have to make a handprint project by painting the hands that way- looks like fun! I bet you will get a lot of people commenting when you are out-n-about using it 🙂

    Reply
    • Gail, thank you! The color mixing is one of my favorite parts, it’s a neat way to make it completely original without doing much extra. After a while, the paint gets a bit muddy from all the color mixing, so if you try this yourself, make sure to use only a little paint so you can create a new color mix when the colors get muddy. 🙂

      Reply

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