This project is a neat way to upcycle any paper bags you have from the grocery store, just in time for Valentine’s Day! The finished satchel makes a great gift for teachers, grandparents, or friends.

To start, I traced a heart (using red marker of course) on a brown paper bag, and guided Travis’s hand with safety scissors to cut out.

Once you have the first heart, trace onto a second piece of brown paper and cut out so the two sides match.

I added red dots around the heart as guidelines for Travis to hole punch – Valentine’s Day 2018 is quickly becoming the year of the hole punch for us!

Next up help your child develop their lacing skills by threading a shoelace through the holes. I picked up a cheap heart-print shoelace on Amazon in keeping with our Valentine theme. If you want your gift recipient to use the heart as a real satchel, don’t lace along the top, and knot the ends of the shoelace to form a handle.

We decorated our satchels with stamps. I set out a few that felt Valentine’s-ish (hearts, lips, and flowers), and suggested Travis use red ink, although he preferred blue. No problem, it’s his creativity!

You can add a note to your recipient on the back as a final touch, or leave it blank.