Happy Easter everyone, and thank you for choosing to spend a few minutes with me today. As a crafter I often find myself drawn to things made by other people, and not just with card and paper. As well as the finished product, I also enjoy watching the making process. Sometimes a design will resonate with me and I decide to try my hand at something similar without actually following specific instructions. That’s how I ended up making today’s Easter basket and using the retiring Host stamp set, Natural Textures.

SIMPLE BASKET IDEA

I have to admit that without instructions this project took me a couple of attempts to get the result I wanted. Fortunately you don’t have to go through that process as I have a simple diagram for you, along with lots of photos.

The basket is really easy to put together and my version started with a 4-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ piece of Crushed Curry Card. Once I’d cut the card I used the scoring blade on my Paper Trimmer to score it at 1-1/2″ and 3″ . Then I turned the card clockwise and scored at the same measurements to create a 3×3 grid effect.

The next part of the process was to divide each of the corner sections into two. I was able to do this using my Paper Trimmer but you could also measure the 3/4″ points and cut up to the scored lines with Paper Snips.

Finally I cut a 1/2″ x 5-1/4″ strip of Crushed Curry Card that would become the handle of the basket.

To make assembly easier I worked out that the next task should be to stamp the sentiment. I chose “Happy Easter” from the Celebrating You Stamp Set and a retiring Cinnamon Cider ink pad. This sentiment fitted nicely onto the centre 1-1/2″ x 1-1/2″ section between the two sets of 3/4″ tabs (tabs 1 and 2 in the diagram).

BASKET WEAVE EFFECT

As I was using plain card rather than patterned paper for my basket I decided to stamp on the card next. I knew exactly what I wanted, the basket weave image from retiring Host stamp set, Natural Textures.

Using Cinnamon Cider ink I stamped each of the sections of the basket in turn, then flipped it over and stamped the other side of the card too. Then I finished off by stamping both sides of the handle piece.

Now all I needed was some Multipurpose Liquid Glue (Tombow) and I was ready to create the basket shape.

First I took the two tabs closet to the sentiment (labelled tab 2 on the diagram) and folded them in. Then I pulled together the two outside tabs (tab 1), overlapped the ends about 1/4″, and glued them together.

Next I lifted up the two tabs that were folded in and glued them to the inside of the tab 1 assembly. This made the curved shape of the basket much easier to see. Finally the stamped handle strip was glued to the outside of the tab 1 assembly, before the sentiment section was glued over the top.

With that the front of the basket was complete, and I simply repeated the process to assemble the back.

Unfortunately when I went looking for my stash of mini eggs they were nowhere to be found. So instead I filled the basket with jelly beans, but we’ll keep that as our little secret. Happy Easter.

PRODUCT LISTS

RETIRING PRODUCTS – only available while stocks last. Natural Textures is a ‘Host only” stamp set and as such can only be ‘purchased’ using Stampin’ Rewards.

CONTINUING PRODUCTS