Homemade Popcorn Bags Using Wrapping Paper

The day of the Safari Sleepover is here!

I was up late last night making sure everything was ready and packed, and going over my to-do list again and again.  Nevertheless, I can say with a large degree of certainty that something will be forgotten, but I can say with an even larger degree of certainty that it won't matter much.  Things have a way of proceeding despite a forgotten detail.  :)

Well, no matter what decoration or activity I managed to forget, at least the movie at the end of the night will be in theme.  Last year, I made popcorn bags for a movie night I was having with the girls, and have been making 'in theme' popcorn bags ever since.  I thought I'd share a tutorial on how I make them, as they are easy, and certainly a nifty little touch.  (Sorry... I can't do tutorials without lots of pictures... comment if something isn't clear!)

I found my supplies at Party City... zebra print wrapping paper, and leopard-print gift bags.  It's certainly cheaper to make them all out of wrapping paper, but I wanted a little bit of variety so I made an exception.  ;)

I cut the wrapping paper into 10 x 15" pieces.  The shorter side will be your bag height (less 2 1/2" for the bottom).

Next,  fold a strip at the bottom of the bag 1 1/2" wide.  Once you've creased the fold, open it back up.

Fold the bag edges so that the front of the bag is 5" wide.  The edges should overlap quite a bit.

Fold both edges back on themselves, leaving a 1" fold, then fold them back over themselves again, making a 'zig-zag' on each side

(This is what your bag should look like when both sides are folded properly...)

Pressing the bag flat, tape along the top where both sides meet.

The bottom of the bag is the trickiest part.   Using the crease you folded in the beginning, fold the sides, press the corners, and then fold the top and bottom in (exactly as if you were wrapping a present.)  Tape them together.

It's a bit difficult to see, but this is the inside of the bag.  (I used tape inside, as well.)

To fold the bags so that they store more easily, press the top edges together, and slowly work your way towards the bottom, smoothing the paper as you go (as though you're ironing it.)

The bottom should fold naturally. Press the bottom to crease the folds properly.

That's it!  You're done!  It took me about an hour and a half to make 15, but I took my time, watched a movie, took breaks, etc.  It really isn't very time-consuming if you commit yourself to the task (which I rarely do.)  For the gift bags, I just removed the handles (and saved them for a future project... I'm sure I'll use them at some point.)  Here are all the finished popcorn bags:

Don't they look fabulous??  I tell ya, we are going to be movie-ing in styyyyyyyyle tonight.  :)

~ Sarah

PS:  If you are having trouble getting the bottom to work for you (believe me, it's tricky at first) you can use this idea instead.  Fold the bottom over on itself twice, then tape.  This is a much faster method, but the bags don't stand up, and children inevitably get popcorn everywhere (not that my dog minds this problem...)  :)