Craft: Painted Tote Bags and Nametags

Our craft today was a painted tote bag that we can bring back and forth to MOPS to hold all of our MOPS supplies. I think they will be very handy! We also put names on our name tags.

*Reminder: All craft supplies are available for ANY mom who has registered and is a part of our group. If you have to miss a meeting, that does NOT mean you have to miss the craft! Supplies are available in the supply cabinet for you to either take home or do at a future meeting. Simply contact your DGL to get the supplies!

Name-tag

Every MOPS mom should have a name-tag so we can learn each other's name quickly. They will be kept in our buckets so we do not have to worry about misplacing them.



1. You will receive a name tag that looks like this. First add colored beads to it according to how many children you have (ie. I have 1 girl and 2 boys so 1 pink bead and 2 blue beads).

2. Tie an adjustable knot. Take the left side and tie a knot to the right side. Then take the right side above the knot and tie that to the left side with another knot. The allows it to adjust to fit your neck.

 

3. Using black puff paint, carefully write your name on the life preserver and allow to dry.

Painted Tote Bag:

The original tutorial for this project is found HERE

Things You'll Need:

Canvas bag

Fabric paint

Paper doily

Krylon Paper Finishes Adhesive spray

Paintbrush

Instructions:

1. Spray doily with paper spray adhesive and press down on the bag (not shown). (Using Krylon Paper Finishes Adhesive spray allows the doily to stick in place while you paint, but it easily pulls off without leaving a sticky mess behind after you paint.)

Go light on the adhesive used to stick the doily to the fabric.  Make no more than one pass over the doily.

2. Gently paint over the holes - I recommend paint for fabric, not crafts. I first used craft paint...fabric paint will be more durable.

Use good pressure to press the doily onto the fabric making sure all areas of the doily are stuck down to the fabric to prevent bleeding of the paint.

Use very little paint (almost a dry brush technique).  Squirt some paint on the plate and dip your sponge in.  Then tap some of the paint off on the plate before tapping on the doily to ensure even coverage and to prevent bleeding.  

Use an up and down tapping motion with good pressure to go over the doily stencil.  DO NOT RUB the sponge over the doily. It is better to go light on the paint and build the coverage you want by making a few passes over the stencil.

3. Peel back doily before paint dries. The doily might tear, just peel off the pieces. 

 Peel off doily immediately following applying the paint.  (If you used the above technique for applying the paint it will not be very wet and lightly touching it should not be a problem.) Slowly and carefully peel away the doily starting at the edges and working into the middle.
The more you reuse a doily the more risk of the paint bleeding through.  I used the same doily only twice before pitching it.

Let your piece dry for 72 hours before washing.  (There were no washing instructions for the paint but I would do it cold.)

 There is no need to heat set the paint if you use the same kind of fabric paint we used in MOPS.