Roadtrip Project #4 - Photo I Spy Bag

One of my very first Etsy purchases was an I Spy bag for Elle when she was a toddler. I'm sure you've seen these all over the handmade world... but have you ever seen one with photos?!

I love this idea for so many reasons! It's a lot of fun to watch everyone's reaction as faces, including their own, pop up through the window. It's also a great way to introduce your little one to family and friends that they don't get to see on a regular basis. And maybe my favorite; is that this little bag is like a tiny time capsule of everyone who is part of our family and what they look like at this precise moment in time!

Here’s how you can make one for your cutie!


You’ll need:
two 9” squares of fleece
one 5” square of clear vinyl
polly pellets (I got these at JoAnns)
photos
Laminate (I had a copy center do the lamination)

Make the bag by sewing the clear vinyl square onto the back center of one of the squares of fleece. Sewing over vinyl can be sticky; I put a piece of tissue paper under the foot. Cut the fleece away from the center of the vinyl. I cut it into an “X” and then used pinking shears to trim close to the stitches. Sew the fleece squares to each other right sides together, leave an opening to turn through.

Make the photos by stealing your friends and family’s photos off of FaceBook. In Picasa, crop the photos down to just be their faces. Using the grid option, create a collage out of all the pictures. Adjust the size of the photos by using the grid spacing slider bar. I wanted my photos to be double sided, so I printed two copies of the collage. Cut out each photo and adhere it to the matching photo back-to-back. Laminate the photos.

Finish the bag by turning it right side out, filling it half full with poly pellets, and tossing in the laminated photos. Sew the opening shut.


I’m looking forward to seeing Liv’s face as she discovers Mommy, Daddy, & Sissy in her I spy bag. Hopefully on the trip home she’ll recognize more of the family that she doesn’t get to see as often.