DIY You Can Do This Tote Bag

I am sharing my experience with stenciling, and this fun new tote bag perfect to carry around my WIPs (works-in-progress).

It’s time again for the Inspire My Creativity Challenge! This is a monthly craft blog hop, and each month, there is a different theme. This month’s theme is Stencils. If you have a post that fits that theme, feel free to link up too!

I struggled A LOT with this challenge because I really had no idea what I was going to make, or even how to paint using a stencil! I remember when I was younger, I would get the hard stencils, pencil them in, and then color, but with a paint brush is soooooo much different. I did a lot of thinking, and honestly, dreading – this project brought me anxiety! But I pushed through, created a nice little tote bag, and am quite proud that I was able to face this challenge, and try something new.

This is not a normal post like I normally share because I really don’t have step-by-step photos, and I am not knowledgeable in painting or stenciling, but I will share my experience with you.

I went to JoAnn’s, and looked around at their stencil options, unfinished wood and MDF, clearance area… I walked around for quite some time trying to figure out what to do, and close to the end of my visit, I found THIS STENCIL SET (wasn’t in the stencil area), and I really fell in love with the stencil you see right on top. I am getting married next month, and I thought this one would be perfect to make, and display next to a wedding photo.

The neat thing about this set is that it comes with 26 stencils in tote! They are all 12″ by 12″, but not all of them take up that entire space, so you can use them for slightly smaller things too.

I didn’t find anything I was interested in for stenciling on, so I headed to Hobby Lobby, found this HUGE canvas tote bag (did not find online) for just $3.49 (a steal!), and a two pack of 12″ x 12″ canvas for only $4.99.

I decided to work on the tote bag first, and found this quote to be quite fitting not only for the challenge, but also because I wanted to use this tote bag to carry around my WIPs (works-in-progress) and the encouragement is nice for finishing projects. PLUS, if you know me at all, you know I love my coffee, hehe.

I centered the stencil, then used some clear tape to tape down the sides.

I don’t have any painting photos because I was really focused, but I will tell you that for this one, I used a regular small paint brush (3/4 I think?), and afterwards, it only came out slightly blurry around the edges, but no major paint blobs. Not perfect, but a success.

After this one, I tried the quote I originally fell in love with on canvas with a foam sponge brush because I thought it would be better for dabbing with, and I immediately threw it out after I finished – I was so disappointed and embarrassed! So, I learned small paint brush is a better option.

Here you are seeing part of my wedding dress (a current WIP)! I need about 6 more days off to finish it up. I am so excited to put it together, and try it on!

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Linked Up To…
Craft Schooling Sunday – Creative Jewish Mom
Craftastic Monday Link Party – Sew Can Do
Ginx Woolly Linx Party – Ginx Craft
Handmade Monday #131 – Sum of their Stories
Tutorials & Tips Link Party 396 – Home Stories A to Z
Creative Mondays Linkup – Claire Justine
The Really Crafty Link Party #174 – Keeping it Real
504th Inspire Me Tuesday – A Stroll Thru Life
Fabulous Party #272 – Lou Lou Girls
The Linky Ladies Party #161 – The Purple Poncho
Little Cottage Link Party #6 – Love My Little Cottage
{Wow Me} Wednesday #308 – Ginger Snap Crafts
Hookin’ on Hump Day #193 – Petals to Picots
Your Whims Wednesday #412 – Your Whims Wednesday
The Wednesday Link Party #300 – The Stitchin’ Mommy
To Grandma’s House We Go 144 – Chas’ Crazy Creations
Crochet Patterns and Anything Crochet Link Party #12 – Joy of Motion
Scrappy Stitchers Link Party #52 – Stitches N Scraps
Talk of the Town #179 – My Repurposed Life
Style Me Wednesday – Shopping My Closest
Turning Heads Linkup – Elegantly Dressed and Stylish
Confident Twosday Linkup – I do deClaire
Weekday Wear Linkup #23 – Away from the Blue
Thursday Favorite Things #394 – An Artful Mom
Thursday Fashion Files Link Up #217 – Curly Crafty Mom
Trendy Thursday Linkup – Thirty Minus One
Pin Party #321 – The Pin Junkie
Best of the Weekend – Calypso in the Country
Home Matters #238 – Modern on Monticello
Link Up – Lizzie in Lace
Link Your Stuff – Annemarie’s Haakblog
Snickerdoodle Create Bake Make Link Party 289 – Across the Boulevard

This post is part of the monthly link party I host called Inspire My Creativity.  Each month, a group of bloggers all create a project based around a theme and this month the theme is STENCILS.  There are tons of great ideas and I know you’ll get inspired to create something fun and new!

Your Co-Hosts

Shani  |  Sunshine & Munchkins — Meg  |  See The Happy
Christine  |  Swordfights & Starry Nights
Julia  |  The Quiet Grove — Marie  |  The Inspiration Vault
Brooke  |  My Beautiful Mess — Heather  |  Glitter On A Dime
Rachel  |  Adventures of a DIY Mom
Anna  |  Practical and Pretty — Cathy  |  A Boy and His Mom
Sarah  |  The Strawberry Nest — Adree  |  The Keele Deal
Aimee  |  Things Small and Simple — Alexandra  |  EyeLoveKnots

If you have a post that fits, feel free to link up too! Link up will stay live for two weeks.