i was only going to print some cute cars...

...from the same set i used for matthew's banner ...and put them on a STORE-BOUGHT birthday-themed giftbag!!!

but then i thought they looked a bit sad just being one solid color, so i thought, "ok i will paper-piece them...but THAT'S ALL!"

of course the paper-piecings were sooooo cute that it seemed a pity not to outline and embellish them...but i'd still stick them on the store-bought giftbag.

shortly afterwards, i found the b&w striped patterned whilst looking for something else, and it struck me how much it looked like a "highway" down which some adorable paper-pieced vehicles might drive...surely a little piece of that would enhance a store-bought giftbag even more?!?!

when i went looking for the clouds, and the paper with the traffic signs on it, i finally admitted to myself that i was going to full-on decorate a plain giftbag from michaels! from there, it was a slippery slope to chipboard letters in a couple of fonts, layers of foam tape, cute stickers, and machine stitching!


however, i totally DREW THE LINE at making a matching card!!!

ok, ok, there is a tag, on the back of the bag. just a teeny *LITTLE* one! made from the scraps of the bag! really, it'd've been more trouble to put them away!!!

don't bother sending me links to a paper-crafting twelve-step program...'cause there's NO WAY i'd go!!! :) :) :)

(~materials~ giftbag, tissue & ribbon from michaels; digital car brushes: kiddie conveyance by hero arts from 2peas; patterned paper: basic grey, oriental trading, my mind's eye, making memories, ki, sei, october afternoon; chipboard letters: heidi swapp, prima; stickers: recollections, mambi, love elsie, martha stewart; brads: making memories; ink: colorbox, stewart superior; adhesives: tombow monorunner, uhu gluestick, 3m foam tape, sewing machine)