A New Year, A New Portfolio (Altered Paper Bags)

Happy 2012!!!  Lori here from ScrappinMyStressAway with a project to help keep me organized in 2012! My friend and fellow instructor at Michaels, Carol, made one of these to keep track of her class sheets and information.  Carol is amazing and rocks the Tim Holtz classes.  Her portfolio was super distressed.  I wanted something a little more artsy for mine.

I layered three paper bags (back and forth) similar to making a mini paper bag album.  I used my ATG gun to adhere the pages together.  The Target bag (with a handle) is bigger than the other two, so I used that one for the cover.  I put the HyVee bag (also with a handle) next so the handle is on the opposite side.  The center bag had no handle, but if it did I could have cut it off.

Here is a side view of the bags glued together.

The front of the bag has two pockets glued back to back.

I used scrapbook paper that I found at Michaels last year.  I loved the doodling look!  I trimmed the paper to fit the width.  I then cut the paper just below the center and adhered it to the front and back cover leaving a gap.

I adhered purple ribbon around the cover hiding the gap.

I used a 3 inch strip of denim to bind my portfolio.  I ran it through my Xyron to make it stick evenly.

I tied some crinkle ribbon and some metal hearts to the front.

I don't own any copics, but I borrowed a purple marker from my son and colored in a few words and a heart on the cover.

Here is the inside.  An 8 1/2 x 11 page fits inside the pocket.

I left the center open to add future photos, words of inspiration, doodles or whatever I find to inspire me!

One more pocket in the back!

The back.

I hope your 2012 is healthy and happy and a bit more organized than 2011!