Papertrey Ink

Easter is, hands down, the best candy holiday.

But, if you have any chance of collecting jelly beans, Cadbury Creme Eggs or chocolate bunnies, you have to have a basket. Sure, you could buy one in the store … or you could use some of your crafting supplies to embellish a basket into a one-of-a-kind creation worthy of serving as a centerpiece on your dining room table.

I have had this particular basket for years. I think it once served as an Easter basket. When I got married, we added a little ribbon and used it to hold our tiny bottles of bubbles to hand out to guests. And, for the past several years, it has held things in my craft room. Since it holds so many memories, I thought it was time to make it a more prominent feature in the house.

Armed with a few die-cutting machines, papers from American Crafts (Peachy Keen), Craft Glue Dots®, Mini Glue Dots® and Micro Glue Dots® and a bag of paper scraps, I set to work. (Click on the photos to see a larger version). Here are the dies/companies I used: Fence, banner — Cheery Lynn Designs; large eggs — Papertrey Ink; nest and small eggs, sign, letters — QuicKutz; Easter Bunny — Cottage Cutz; house, cracked egg and birds — Cricut. I inked many of the cut outs with Distress Ink to add dimension.

I started by adhering ribbon to the outside of the basket. I used Craft Glue Dots® since they have such an amazing hold. I then tied a bit of leftover ribbon to the handles.

Next I adhered the letters to the banner and then added Liquid Pearls by Ranger. Once dry, I attached it to the basket.

I assembled the houses, adding brads for door knobs and making a chimney, and then used Craft Glue Dots® to attach it to the back of the basket and the fences to the rest of the basket. I tucked a few giant Easter eggs around the outside of the fence.

Then, I filled the basket with crumbled newspaper and then added Easter grass. I assembled the birds and then bent the bottoms so they would “sit” in the basket. They are only adhered on one side, but seem to stay in place.