York Photo - $1 Personalized Tote Bags (+S&H)

York Photo currently has a promotion for personalized tote bags for $1(normally $8.99) if you use coupon code  YORKTOTEAD until 7/30/12 and you can get up to a total of 3 bags at that price.

I purchased a total of 3 and shipping was $7.97 and for the above used templates from the "Browse Our Designs" and uploaded my pictures to add.   My total for 3 bags + Shipping and handling was $10.97; a savings for $23.97.

The first one is unfortunately one of the best picture I could get of my son on  graduation day as he has places to go and people to see and didn't have time (and it is a bit Frankensteinish with the van in the background looking like bolts coming out of his neck) using the Apple background.   I used to be a teenager once and understand how it is - you are so afraid you are going to miss out on something cool with your friends so I just had to snap as what I could as soon as possible.

The second one I used the "Love My Soldier" background and added the picture of my son's Edsel and put the "1959 Edsel" at the top.  I using this one to hold presents my son on his birthday and he can later use it to hold cleaning supplies and rags to keep in his car instead of scattering them all over the living room:)

I ordered one more for a friend with a flamingo design for her birthday, but not going to post it so it won't spoil the surprise   I don't have to worry about my son reading this as he has a much interest in reading my blog as I would reading all the strange text acronyms young people type back and forth to each other like IKD, *$,.!!!!,BTW, URHOT, XME, ZZZ or RUMCYMHMD.   

They also have other offers on their "Specials" page 50% off photo books using the code NEWBOOKS until 7/9/12 and the following good until 7/31/12 and shipping and handling will depend on what you buy,

• 5x7 Easel Panel for $7.80 using the code 40PANEL
• Adult T-Shirt for $7.80 using code 40SHIRT
• A Deck of Cards for $10 using code 50CARD
• Water Bottle for $10 using code 40BOTTLE

Also, if you are signing up with York Photo for the first time, you also get 40 free prints.
I learned of this coupon at Jessica's Coupons.


Disclaimer:  I have no affiliation with York Photo or Jessica's Coupons and have received nothing for this post - just sharing a deal.

Jeans to Tote Bag

 This is for  30 Days of Creativity and the theme for Day 4 is Trousers, so I decided to turn a pair of jeans into a girly tote bag.   I used tulle as an accent through the belt loops but any fabric or even a belt could be used.

Items used:

• Jeans or pants with belt loops
• Scissors
• Sewing Machine and thread
• Rope 
• Tulle (off of a roll from the Dollar Store - approx. 12 inches wide  & 3 yds)

Cut pants off straight across above the crotch.

Zigzag around all edges to prevent fraying.

Turn inside out and pin together at the bottom and stitch 5/8 inch away from the edge.  Trim corners and turn right side out.

For the handle, I cut 2 pieces of rope a little over a yard long each and sewed to the pants 3 inches away from each edged on each side.  If the rope you use is polyester, you can seal the edge using a lighter or candle before applying to the jeans.


Cut the tulle at a diagonal on the edges, thread through the loops and tie in a bow.



Linking up to:

LIMITED SELECTION OF FREE SEWING PATTERN DOWNLOADS AT HOMESPUN THREADS

For a limited time only, Homespun Threads is offering patterns a limited selection of  sewing patterns with instructions to download and print for free.

There are several cute baby items, totes, and bags.  I downloaded some baby shoes, the pocket bib and the Sash Handbag  that I plan to make after the Holidays are over.


Image: Aleksandr Kutsayev / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Warhol Inspired 60's Gift then Tote Bag

This was made a gift bag for a birthday for someone who had seen one I had made similar to this and then it can function as a tote bag afterward.  This is similar to a bag I had made previously here:

http://craftsandcreationswithkathy.blogspot.com/2009/07/warhol-60s-inspired-tote-bag.html.   

Items used:

• Tote Bag
• 1/2 yd. Clear Plastic Sheeting
• Amazing Goop or Craft Glue
• Hot Glue Gun
  
• Scissors
• Pen 
• 11-12 collage photos*
  

The tote bag is one that I got at Meijers awhile back and the plastic sheeting was a remnant from Walmart's fabric department for 50 cents, but I have also found plastic sheeting before at sometime in hardware stores.


*The photo collages for this project are similar to the tutorial here using the free software at www.picnik.com:   http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/pop_art_portrait_2/versions/6/edit.   

One thing I found out the hard way was when I had prints made up for with four pictures collage that the top was cut off from the top and  of the picture on the top row and the bottom of the picture on the bottom row.  To fix this I used free software from http://www.irfanview.com/ to get a black background then used a screen capture program (http://download.cnet.com/ScreenShot/3000-2192_4-10423334.html - it is a free download) and made the screenshot approximately 550 pixels tall and 785 wide.

This is what it looked like after doing this and I didn't have any problems with the top or bottom being cut off when I had the photos printed off at Walgreens.

Use Amazing Goop or craft glue to glue the pictures on the tote bag.  I used 6 on the back and 5 on the front because the tote bag I got from Meijers had a pocket on the front and I only put pictures on up to the pocket.  Allow time for the glue to dry. 

Next put the bag on the plastic sheeting and trace the bag  around it twice.  It is better that it is a bit bigger than the bag and you can trim off any excess.  Cut along the lines.

Position the plastic o the bag and use hot glue on the edged on the bag then press the plastic into place doing a little bit at a time.

Do the same thing on the front of the bag.    

 

Once the plastic is glued down on both sides, trim any plastic that is hanging over the edges with a pair of scissors.

 

I am linking this up to Creative Jewish Mom's first Craft School Sunday Blog.  http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a011570601a80970b0120a803d82a970b.   Every Sunday she will be hosting where crafters and foodies from around the world can share their links via a McLinky.

Also linking up to

Warhol 60's Inspired Tote Bag

Turn a photo in to a retro work of art to carry your groceries in! Items used:

• 1 tote bag
• 6 photos
• Craft Glue
• Packing Tape
• Scissors

I used a Walgreens bag that I got on sale for .33 cents (they are normally .99 cents not on sale) and it was larg enough to hold 2 pictures across and 3 pictures down.

The photos are of my son checking out a guitar at a local guitar store and is one of his favorite memories, and they were created using free software at Picnik.com and the basic tutorial on how to tint and make collages is posted here: http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/pop_art_portrait_2/versions/6/edit

I had originally intended on putting pictures over the entire bag and use the four picture collage; however, when I went to pick up the pictures from Walgreens where I had them developed, the head were chopped off on all of the 4 picture collages and none were useable, so I went with what I had left. I chose 6 photos, 1 black and white, 1 tinted, 1 with 50% tint and three with tinted 3 picture collages.

Lay them out how you want them to be on the bag.

I used packing tape across the front of the pictures to protect them, then put glue on the back of the photos 2 at a time and made sure it was long enough on each side to slighly overlap the edge.

Trim off the extra tape from the edge and allow to dry.

Blooming Tote Bag - version

Just because making fabric and felt flowers is addictive and I need something to put them on. All of the flowers that I made on this are put together using hot glue. The frog at the bottom is a scrap left over from another project, as are the artificial flowers.

BLOOMING TOTE BAG

For Earth Day Walgreens gave out tote bags with a purchase I got the tote bag below. It was a little too plain for my tastes so I decided to turn it into a blooming tote bag covered with flowers. This is what it looked like before: Some of the flowers I have made with links to tutorials at the following: http://craftsandcreationswithkathy.blogspot.com/2009/05/fabric-flowers.html http://craftsandcreationswithkathy.blogspot.com/2009/05/felty-flower.html http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/sunflower_facinator Others are misc. creations and a few of the flowers and the leaves were left over from my "Spring In A Jar" project. Some of the felt flowers were made using 9001 glue, others were hand-stitched. All of the flowers were attached to the bag with a hot glue gun. Items used:

• Tote bag
• Fabric or felt (to make the flowers)
• Artificial flowers
• 9001 glue
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Needle
• Thread
• Scissors

Personalized Purple Satin Tote Bag

This is a personalized tote bag for my grand-niece for her birthday to carry around all of her toys and goodies.

• Purple Satin Tote Bag - $1
• 1/8 yd lavender organza (.44 cents)
• 1/16 yd lavender tulle (.12 cents)
• Thread - on hand
• Scissors - on hand
• Needle
• Violet Glitter Fabric Paint on hand

Total cost: $1.56 + tax

The purple tote bag is from The Dollar Store. The flower fabric I make using lavender organza for the petals using the tutorial below.

http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/fabric_flowers_2

The center is lavender tulle that is about 1 1/2 wide and 8 inches long folded in half horizontally then folded accordian style then tied in the center with thread and with the thread wrapped around the bottom and stitched to the inside of the petals on the above flower.

The name and embellishments are in violet glitter fabric paint.

NO SEW TANK TOP TO TOTE BAG

Total Cost: $0 - All are items that I already had on hand. If I would have had to purchase the beads I probably would have either gotten them at the Dollar store for $1 or a large package at Walmart for around $2. I posted the How-To out at Instructables: http://www.instructables.com/id/No_Sew_Tank_Top_to_Tote_Bag/ It turned out a little off kilter at the bottom because the pair of scissors I had with me (I did the cutting at bottom on over my lunch hour at work and grabbed my paper scissors by accident) weren't really sharp enough and it got harder and harder to cut up as far as I should have. This is a project I am sure I will do again in the future sometime as tank tops are surprizingly sturdy and carry a lot more than you would think just to look at them. I previously converted a tank top to a tote bag turning it inside out and sewing the bottom shut and would carry a 12 pack of pop, my lunch and crafting stuff in it. This will be used more for going to the library or if I shop at Aldi's (a no-frills market - you have to supply your own bags or boxes or pay for them).