02/05/2012 - V-Day Garland

Since I have a little one now, I am trying to do a better job of decorating for the season/holiday, but I am also a cheapskate so I don't want to spend money doing so. My little Zoe got a sweet Valentine's package from some wonderful friends in Chicago and a 3 year old + gift bag = torn/crumpled gift bag that can't be reused. Most gift bags are paper covered in a plastic film, so they can't be recycled once they cannot be reused. 

Reclaimed Material: discarded gift bag, plastic grocery bag
Other/New Material: none 
Tools: scissors, hole punch

How I did it: The gift bag was covered in hearts so I just cut them out and was happy not to have to make a template. After I cut out the hearts I punched a hole on either side of each heart. I then cut off the handles of the plastic bag so the top was even, then began to cut the bag into a 1" strip around. I cut the bag kind of like an apple peel so I could have one long piece for the garland. I then strung the plastic "string" through the holes on each side of the hearts so that the long part of the "string" was behind the hearts. I tied loops on both ends of the garland and trimmed off the excess plastic "string" then hung it up. When Zoe got up in the morning she said "Mom, we have Valentine's decorations!"

What I would do differently: I saved the scraps from the bag that I cut the hearts out of, so I will end up using them for some other craft to celebrate this month-o-love.