Babysitting Bag

If you have a young teen or tween girl in your life and need a fun gift to give them for their birthday or Christmas, consider this babysitting bag. Especially if they are really wanting to get into babysitting. As a mom I know my kids always want me to get the babysitter that brings lots of fun things.

I thought it would be fun to add a fun phrase or saying to the bag. You could even put their name on the front, for example “Sarah’s Babysitting Bag”. For this project though, I went with a fun phrase. I knew I had some heat transfer or iron-on vinyl that I could use for my phrase. I used my cutting machine program to create the phrase. Once the design was created mirror image the design.

YOU MUST DO THIS before you cut the vinyl in order for it to turn out correctly.

Once it’s mirror-imaged, you load the cutting mat with the vinyl into the machine. You can see that the vinyl has a shiny side and a matte side. Make sure the shiny side of the vinyl is against the cutting mat. That shiny part of the vinyl is a plastic cover that you are going to need to iron the vinyl to your surface. So make sure your cutter is on the correct setting and blade length to cut the vinyl.

Weed or take off the excess vinyl around your letters, leaving your design on the plastic cover. It’s sticky, which is helpful to keep the vinyl from moving on your surface as you get ready to iron.

I picked up a canvas bag from the craft store. They have different sizes and colors to choose from. Using a hot iron with the steam turned off, iron on the vinyl to the bag. You will need to press down firmly as you iron over the plastic-covered vinyl. Iron for about 1 minute, moving slowly over the design. Then slowly peel back the plastic cover. If the vinyl sticks to the plastic lay it down flat again and iron over it again.

Decorate without a vinyl cutter

You can make a fun design using freezer paper and fabric paint. I’ve got a great tutorial on how to make freezer paper stencils. You don’t even have to have a cutting machine to make them.

I picked up some items from the dollar sections at Target and the craft store to put into the babysitting bag.

Things that are good for the bag are:

• books
• puzzles
• coloring books
• crayons
• card games or board games
• DVDs
• activities
• crafts
• bubbles
• play-dough

Just remember that washable crayons, markers, paints are a MUST and remind them to clean up any playdough or art projects that they may get out to do with the kids.

So much fun stuff! I know my kids would love to see what treasures are waiting to be discovered in this babysitting bag.

Heat transfer/iron-on vinyl is one of my favorite things to use in crafting. I love using it to make projects for my kids, too! I made these cute Mickey and Minnie shirts for our last Disney trip. They are super quick to make.