Supply List:

• Canvas Zipper Bag
• Decorative Napkins
• Parchment Paper
• Watercolor Paints
• Mod Podge Matte
• Plastic Wrap Sheet or Chip Brush
• Stickles – Diamond
• Pitt Pen – Black
• Heat Tool – optional

Tassels:

• Embroidery Floss
• Scissors

Looking for a fun and creative way to personalize a canvas zipper bag? Whether you need a stylish pouch for craft supplies, journaling materials, makeup, or any other essentials, this tutorial is perfect for you! Today, we’ll transform a plain canvas bag into a unique summer-themed accessory using a popsicle napkin, watercolor paint, pen work, Stickles, and tassels. This project is great for beginners and full of possibilities for customization.

Painting Your Canvas Bag with Watercolor Paint

Place a piece of parchment paper inside of your bag, just in case you have anything bleeding through. Spray your Watercolor Paints with water and let them sit for a few minutes to soak it up. You could mist the bag with water to get it a little bit wet too. Next, I’ll use a paintbrush to swipe on bright, fun colors in horizontal strokes. Dry with a heat tool.

Adding Napkin Art to Canvas Zipper Bag

If you are interested in just doing napkin art and not painting, you could add a single napkin to your bag.

On one side of my canvas bag, I’m will apply a full sheet of napkin art. I have a cute popsicle napkin that I will use for both sides. Open the napkin, cut it to size, and separate the plys. Add a coat of Mod Podge Matte to your bag, place the napkin on top, and pounce it down with a chip brush. Using a brush will help the napkin get into the bag’s texture. Dry with a heat tool and add another coat of Mod Podge Matte to seal your napkin.

On the other side, I will cut out four of the popsicles from the napkin and separate the plys. I’m going to place them in a row, so I’ll add a coat of Mod Podge Matte to that area and pounce those napkins on with a chip brush. I’ll add a coat of Mod Podge Matte onto the entire bag to seal it in. Dry with a heat tool.

Embellishing the Canvas Zipper Bag

I will use a Pitt Pen to add detail lines to my popsicles – just outlining different things like the watermelon seeds and the pineapple texture lines to make it all pop. Then, I’ll add Stickles – Diamond here and there to my popsicles as well. Add the Stickles and then use a small paintbrush to spread it out. Dry with a heat tool.

I will add some hand lettering to my bag too. I’ll use a brush pen and write out the words “Stay Sweet”. I’ll also use a gold paint pen to go over the lines. Dry again. If you want it to stand out even more, you can take a thinner Pitt Pen and outline the words again. I’ll also add Stickles to the letters.

Crafting a Tassel for Your Bag

We are going to be working with embroidery floss to create a little tassel for the canvas bag. Before removing the packaging on the floss, remove one tube and push the other one to the middle. Cut one small strand from it, wrap it around the middle, and tie it with a double note. Remove the wrapper and then cut the bottom. Trim off the excess thread. Remove one strand from the tassel and create a top knot by tying it around the top. 

Do this for however many colors and tassels that you would like! Then, tie them onto the zipper of your canvas bag.

And there y’all have it – a beautifully customized canvas zipper bag that’s perfect for summer! With just a few supplies and some creativity, you’ve turned a plain bag into a fun and functional accessory. Plus, this project is so versatile that you can experiment with different themes and embellishments.

I go LIVE on my Facebook page every Friday at 11 am CST for a fun and easy Craft-n-Chat Session. Come learn something new while creating something beautiful! 

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