Halloween Treat Bags

I know it isn't even October yet....lol But if you look in the stores it is around us all , I don't agree with the stores doing this but I do like to be prepared so yes I am going to start posting things you can make for Halloween. As with everything I post my goal is to help everyone live more simply and making your own is one of the best ways to do this. So here we go...................
One of the big things outside of a costume is the goody / treat bag. All children want the largest and best decorated one they can get their hands on , right? Well what better way to give them exactly what they want by making it with them.
There are many different ways to achieve this even on a shoestring budget. Of course we all think of using a pillowcase or a grocery / paper bag , but what you may not have thought of is decorating them. And there are tons of ways to do this , depending on your child's age will depend on how detailed and what items you want to use for this. And at this time of the year anything goes , your imagination is your best friend at all times but will really shine during Halloween.
First the paper bag method : 1 grocery / paper bag , Tape , glue ( stick or liquid )  The rest of the things for this are up to you. I am adding some things you could use if you have them. Glitter , construction paper , ribbon , lace , wax paper , tissue paper , paints ( glow in the dark are great ) , wooden skewers , confetti  , crayons , markers , scissors and more. The list is endless. Ours is going to be a Light up Treat Bag.

Draw out Design

First sketch out your design onto your paper bag with a pencil , once happy with it cut it out. If your going to use exacto knives make sure your put something inside the paper bag to keep from cutting into the other side of the bag. Now place the wax paper on the inside and secure with glue or tape and take the yarn ,  punch a hole in the bag and tying a knot in the yarn , repeat til all four ends are secure. For added security you can glue ( liquid / glue gun ) or staple the yarn to the bag. Now for the fun part place a flashlight or a couple of glow sticks ( Glow Sticks can be purchased at Dollar Tree ) in the bag and watch it light up your design. You could also add ribbon , lace or anything you like to the top border of the bag for a special touch.

Cut out Design & Paint Bag if You Would Like.

This also works well for lighting up the walkway the children will use to come to the door using a smaller paper bag/s.  Be sure not to use candles though since the little ones tend to trip and fall or their costumes can catch fire by simply passing over the flame. Add a little dirt to your bag and place a glow stick or other non-flammable light in , also you won't need to use the wax paper. The wax paper keeps the candy from falling out of the treat bag.

Measure out wax Paper & Trim to fit.

Tape Wax Paper to Inside

Poke holes for handles and tie handles in place.

Tape or place Glow Stick Inside. The Glow stick can be
adjusted Once The Candy Starts to Fill the Bag.

Now for the pillowcase : Any old pillowcase will do and depending on how much work you want to put into it let your imagination run a muck. You can sew it , dye it and on and on. For this one we are going to paint with acrylic paints I always have some in my house with all the crafting I do , but you could use markers as well since this is a one night thing and probably won't be used again. However if you do use the acrylic paints and don't cut handles into it you can in fact let them use it for their pillow once washed. The acrylic paint must set for 48 - 72 hours before washing and only iron inside out on low if needed. Now back to the project. You can use a picture from a coloring book , print one out from your computer or if your really talented draw free hand. If your like me you'll want to print one out or use the coloring book method. Take the picture you have selected and place inside the pillow case , it's best to use a light colored pillowcase for this since you want to see your design thru the pillowcase. Now trace the design onto the pillowcase , you can put a light under the pillowcase if needed to help see your design while tracing. Pull the template out and place something inside the pillowcase to keep the paint from seeping into the other side , begin painting. Acrylic paint also comes in marker form and aren't to expensive but as I said you can use regular markers if you have nothing else on hand ( Regular Markers CAN NOT BE WASHED ).

Let dry and if you would like paint some glue onto your design and sprinkle with glitter ( GLITTER CAN NOT BE WASHED OR DRIED IN THE DRYER ) or add any other touches you would like. You could also sew felt to your pillowcase in a design of your choice and you could cut handles into the pillowcase and sew them for a nice tote effect. But I like reusing things so we are going to leave it as is other then the painted design.
The bags I have described for you are cheap and easy and for younger children. If you have an older child who is into the gore and gross aspect of Halloween , the wooden skewers are great for an added touch. Simply push them threw a let's say skull design and add paint to make it look like it's bleeding. Got the idea? The older the child the more they can do with these two projects. It's a Simple inexpensive idea and project for you and your children to share and make memories.