Pearly Sparkles challenge - guest designer

Hello again friends; I'm like buses today - no posts for ages and then I'm back with my second post lol!  I am delighted to be a guest designer over at Pearly Sparkles challenge this month and their theme is 'anything but a card' so you can make bags, boxes, bookmarks, tags - the world's your oyster!  I can't wait to see what you create.

I had loads of ideas running through my mind and remembered I had this cute little gift bag die in my stash that I hadn't used for years.   So simple to make but really fun to decorate any way you want.  I hope you like it. 

Here is my bag:

A closer look at the adorable images:

A little decoration to the back:

I began by die cutting two pieces of the gift bag from a mid grey card and adhered them together with strong red line tape. I love the decorative edge and stitching detail around the handle. I stamped the images onto alcohol marker friendly card, coloured them with Promarkers and added some white gelly roll pen highlights.  I die cut them with the coordinating dies.  I used a strip of patterned paper and used a scallop border die to create the decorative edge on each side.  I added a white panel slightly smaller on top with double sided tape (I did ink blend some pink ink lightly over the white panel to soften it slightly).  The images were arranged over the strip and added with foam tape.  I stamped the sentiment onto white card with black ink and used a larger sentiment strip die to cut it out; this was adhered to the bottom of the bag with double sided tape.  For a finishing touch I wrapped some twine around the handle and tied it into a bow.   For the back of the bag I kept it really simple.  I added the same patterned paper and white card so that I could write a message to the recipient of the gift.  A really sweet and dinky little gift bag - it only measures 3" x 4" - but it would be perfect for some small chocolates or some jewellery.  

I would like to enter my gift bag into the following challenges:

Alphabet challenge - w for wings (my little bird has wings)

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

Crafty Calendar challenge - more than one fold

Crafty Catz challenge - ATG optional twist for the girls

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Cut It Up challenge - tie it up (I used twine)

Die Cut Divas challenge - critters

I Love Promarkers challenge - ATG or add some sparkle

Little Red Wagon challenge - tiny dancer (the gift bag is dinky 3"x4")

My Time to Craft challenge - 1-2-3 recipe (1 sentiment, 2 critters, 3 balloons)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - ATG

I would like to thank Helen and everyone at Pearly Sparkles challenge for having me as a guest this month. I hope you will be able to play along with the challenge and I cannot wait to see all your non-card projects.

Ok, that is it from me for today, but thank you for stopping by and visiting my corner of blogland.

Love and hugs,

card ingredients:

Lawn Fawn - goodie bag die

Lawn Fawn - year four stamp & die set

Lawn Fawn - spiffy speckles 6"x6" petite paper pack

Promarkers

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

Clearly Besotted - scalloped edges die collection - retired

Gina K Designs - large strip sentiments dies

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card - not currently available

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card - store now closed

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

grey card from stash