I wanted to share these easy DIY tote bags because they are the perfect handmade gift-vehicle, and it’s that time of year (although I’m refusing to listen to any Christmas music yet)! I made these totes for my bridesmaids, flower girl and ring bearer and gave them out after our rehearsal dinner. I loved how they came out, and stuffed them with all kinds of stuff – toys, coloring books and candies for the flower girl and ringbearer, and lavender soap, flip-flops, personalized dress hangers, robes and all the essential bridesmaid survival kit stuff for my ‘maids.
To make your own monogrammed tote, you will need:
- A tote bag – I purchased these from Amazon.com
- acrylic paint in the color of your choice
- paintbrush
- a letter stencil – I made my own using my silhouette cameo
- tape – painters tape or masking tape is best
- I also used an iron to smooth any wrinkles on the tote bag before I started
First, you’ll need to make or buy a large letter stencil. I used my silhouette cameo to cut letters for my stencils (the letters were about 10 inches high). I used the font Janda Celebration Script for the letters on the girls’ bags, and a more simple/boy appropriate script for the ringbearer bag. Another way to make your own stencil would be to make a large letter in Microsoft Word or another document writing program, print it out and then cut it out.
Then, I just taped the stencil onto the bag, making sure there were no wrinkles under the stencil, and painted over the stencil with acrylic paint.
Then, I just removed the stencil, cleaned up any areas I might have missed and let the bags dry.
Finished! I really like how they turned out, and I wish I had made one for myself. I might have to now.
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you make your own monogrammed tote bags, and what you put in them!
