Paint on canvas bags?

[alexsam]

For my son's birthday parties, we usually skip the "goodie bags" and do some sort of fun craft that they take home (which usually ends up being the same amount of $ anyway!). I just got a whole bunch of little canvas tote bags for really cheap at Michael's and I was thinking they could paint and decorate them.

My question is... do the kids HAVE to use fabric paint? Would acryllics be OK? How about some type fo glue for buttons or whatever? Can I make make potato stamps for the paint? Any other fun and inexpensive ideas for decorating little canvas tote bags?

[Callimom]

We've used acrylics, very cheap fabric paints, fabric markers and crayons, puff fabric paint, permanent markers, pastels (you can set these by dipping the canvas in milk and then ironing, using parchment paper to protect your iron).

You could test drive using a strong koolaid mixture as a type of water paint, and then heat setting them with a hot iron, or using natural dyes (berries, onion skins etc.

You can use a hammer and hammer the colour out of leaves and flower petals.

there are lots of options!
good luck
Karen