Bake it, Make it & Take it.....Muffins with a Paper lunch bag package!

With all the running around I did last week to pick up the doggy, then try to find him a new home, plus having the kids off of school for two days, I didn't get a chance to put up a new Bake it, Make it & Take it Post. In fact, I didn't get much done last week at all.....that's how crazy it was.

Yesterday, I was feeling the urge to have my house smell like baked goods and to have something with my morning chai, so I whipped up a quick batch of muffins. Zach and I both got to share them, as he's been home for two days with pink-eye. He'll be able to go back to school tomorrow, but he and I have shared muffins and chai for breakfast for the past two days. That kid loves that combo just as much as I do. He's a boy after my own stomach. *wink*

One thing my dad always taught me is that there's no calories in something if you eat it standing up. Now...whether you choose to believe that or not is entirely up to you. I like to think that if I make my muffins with organic flour and unrefined sugar, I don't have to worry about all the guilt. A muffin is only as guilt-free as you like to think it is. haha!

To make these muffins, you can use my mom's recipe here: Basic Muffin Recipe

(and if you haven't checked out my mom's blog yet, you can see it by clicking here ---> Spatulas, Corkscrews & Suitcases.....she's amazing and will make you drool just looking at all of the amazing things she creates in her little sailboat)

Paper lunch bags have become some of my favorite things to dress up. They're inexpensive and they fun to decorate.

I started off with a plain paper lunch bag and cut a few inches off the top. I then folded the top of the bag over about 1 1/4 inches. I trimmed across the edge with a pair of scalloped edge scissors.

I used a stamping sponged with Chocolate Chip ink to sponge around the edge of the bag (just on the front side of the bag), along with the flap that I had folded over.

I used my circle cutter to cut out a hole in the center of the bag front and then sponged around the hole with Chocolate Chip ink, as well.

I have that big box of acetate that my friend, Susan, gave me and this came in really handy for making a window in the hole that I cut. I just applied some adhesive around the square of acetate and then slid it into place and adhered it up against the inside of the bag.

I used one of the flower bouquets from the Framed Flowers set (from GinaK Designs) and stamped that around the bag with Chocolate Chip ink.

For the "guilt free" image, I used one of the stamps from the What's in Your Tin? set 2 (also from GinaK Designs). This image actually reads, "guilt-free goodies." I chose to only use the "guilt-free" so I used my Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write marker to ink up the words I wanted and then stamped it on a scrap piece of Pretty in Pink cardstock. I trimmed the bottom of the cardstock with scalloped edged scissors and then mounted it on a scrap piece of Creamy Caramel cardstock, which I also trimmed with my scalloped scissors.

When I put the muffin inside the bag, I set it on top of a crumpled up piece of white tissue paper just to give it some filler inside the bag. I also placed a piece of waxed paper underneath just in case the bottom of the muffin cup was a little greasy. I didn't want there to be grease spots on the bottom of the bag. 

I trimmed along the edge of a piece of Pretty in Pink cardstock with my scalloped edged scissors and then lined it up against the edge of the bag top so that the scallops lined up. I made it a bit longer so that I could trim the sides after I'd adhered it.

I fold the bag top down and then punched a couple of holes with the rectangle hand punch (I punched one on top of the other so that it made a longer slot) and then threaded a length of brown and pink ribbon through the front of the bag. I crossed the ends on the back side of the bag and then ran then ends back through the holes. This created a "faux bow." I trimmed my edges and adjusted them a little so that they laid flat across the flap of the bag.

This bag didn't take much time at all and the cardstock that I used on it were all scrap pieces. This packaging probably cost me all of 10 cents to make! Talk about quick and cost effective, but attractive packaging!

Happy Creating!

 

-Stampin' Mama

Comments

[Juli Smith]

This is adorable Erika! And it looks very quick and easy to do in a pinch. Thanks for sharing! And MMMMmmmmmm - hot chai latte for me! Panera's blend is my favorite, but I also like the individual packets of Oregon Chai. Maybe tomorrow morning I'll whip up a batch of muffins, and do a bag just for the fun of it! Oh wait, that'd mean I'd have to get out of bed earlier! LOL

Love & friendship, Juli

[Denise~Paper Ponderings]

I LOVE this bag!

[Carol]

This is the cutest way to present a muffin that I've ever seen! I LOVE that ribbon - it's the perfect final touch for this adorable little treat bag! If I received one of these, it would quickly become a science project (mold) because I wouldn't want to open it - it's too darned cute! LOL TFS!

[Lisa]

Really cute! I'm not a huge muffin fan but have been known to eat one on occasion but, I DO lluuuuvvvv the packaging!

[Susanna]

Yep, I'll be making this. Erika, I swear you and Donna are making me FAT because I want to make everything you do!!!! You got a shout out over on Card of the Week.com. Check it out -- http://www.cardoftheweek.com/2008/05/card-of-the-w-2.html If you keep this up, people will think that I'm the payroll! Your stuff just rocks :D

[Deena]

Sweet treat bag!! Very cute idea and one that I will have to do too! Thanks for sharing!
Smiles, Deena

[MarilynY]

I've just discovered you and I'm thrilled with all your great ideas how to make your desserts look exciting and inviting. Can hardly wait to whip up a batch of oatmeal cookies for the Memorial Day visitors with the packaging to go with it. This will certainly be the 'go to' site for me. Aloha.

[Lynn]

Super cute and looks so yummy! (wish I had it here to enjoy with my coffee right now) Love the little window.