How to Paint & Bedazzle a Patriotic Tote Bag from a $3.99 Hobby Lobby Find

A $3.99 tote bag from Hobby Lobby + a $9.99 stencil from Amazon + some red, white, and blue paint = your new favorite patriotic accessory! In this tutorial, I'm walking you through how to paint, stencil, and bedazzle a God Bless America tote bag from scratch — and trust me, if I can do it, YOU can do it. We're covering EVERYTHING: how to prep your canvas tote so the paint actually stays on (this step is non-negotiable!), how to mix DecoArt Santa Red and Navy Blue paints to get that rich, true patriotic color, how to use a stencil AND tracing paper to get the perfect lettering every single time without faking it, and how to apply rhinestones with Gem Tac and seal them so they're not going anywhere. This bag features a USA flag silhouette stenciled in navy and red, handpainted red and white stripes, "God Bless America / land that I love" lettering done two different ways, Crystal AB, Navy, and Light Siam rhinestones for major bling, and a back panel cross stencil for a sweet finishing touch. Pro tips you'll learn along the way: ✦ Why you MUST seal and sand your canvas bag before painting (this is the secret sauce!) ✦ Why red paint always needs a touch of black to deepen it ✦ How to use tracing paper + transfer paper to put any lettering on any bag ✦ Why Gem Tac is the glue of choice for rhinestones on fabric ✦ How to use a diamond sealer brush to lock your rhinestones in place for good You can swap out ANY of the decorating ideas here for whatever speaks to you — a tea towel, ribbon, an iron-on transfer, or just something you printed off the internet. The technique is the same! —————————————————————————— 🛍️ SUPPLIES USED Paint: • DecoArt Santa Red • DecoArt Navy Blue • DecoArt Black • DecoArt White Rhinestones: • Crystal AB 4mm rhinestones • Navy Blue 3mm rhinestones • Light Siam 3mm rhinestones Other Supplies: • Tote Bag – Hobby Lobby ($3.99!) • God Bless America Stencil – https://amzn.to/4gxXwqt • Bedazzled T-Shirt (as seen in the video!) – https://amzn.to/4w66EYa • Dixie Belle Bonding Boss Clear (canvas primer/sealer) • Gem Tac glue (for rhinestones on fabric) • Diamond sealer + small brush • Tracing paper + yellow transfer/graphite paper • Sanding block or nail buffer • Stencil brush (small) • Flat square brush (for stripes) • Wax rhinestone pencil or pickup tool —————————————————————————— 💎 WANT MORE PROJECTS LIKE THIS? Join our Sisterhood membership for just $25/month! You'll get access to live crafting sessions, exclusive member auctions (where YOU get first dibs on finished pieces — no competing with thousands of people!), plus all kinds of perks you won't find anywhere else. Come craft with us at https://checksavvysisters.com/join —————————————————————————— ⚠️ Disclaimer: Events, sales, prices, and product availability mentioned in this video may no longer be current. Some links in this description are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through them. —————————————————————————— #PatrioticCraft #ToteBag #Bedazzle #FourthOfJuly #DecoArt #CanvasBag #RhinestoneArt #StudioMdaz #CheckSavvySisters #DIYToteBag #GodBlessAmerica #4thOfJulyCraft #PaintedBag #CraftTutorial #FabricPainting