Easy Paper Basket

Old World Roses in a Basket

by Albert Williams  (English 1922 - )

This is a simple paper craft that I created for a 5-year-old, but it could be used to accent a table for tea guests, with each basket made to give away holding something else handmade, or anything that suits your theme.  You can use really high-end scrap papers, or you can use a paper from a brown paper bag. I used children's construction paper.

The only ingredients are paper of any size, scissors and tape.

Square-off your paper by picking up a point and bringing the paper over to line up with the straight edge on the other side. 

Fold any excess paper sticking out, evenly lined up with one edge,

and cut it off along the folded line.

Set the excess piece aside 

Open up the paper and fold one side up to the middle line.

Fold the opposite side up to the middle also.

Open up the paper again,

and fold up the other two sides to the middle.

Open it up again and you will see the fold lines of a lot of even-shaped squares.

Cut off all four corners.

This is what it will look like with the corners

cut.  You can use this for a template and just trace around it to make other baskets, or you can follow the entire proceedure for each basket. In my observation, children would rather know how to do this step-by-step so they can pick up a piece of paper any time and do it themselves, so I do not make a template. However if you are making 20 of them for a special event, make a cardboard pattern and trace around it.

Pull up the corner sides and put one piece of tape on each corner to secure it.

Fold that left-over strip of paper in half, lengthwise.

Cut along the fold into two pieces.

Use one piece for a handle, taping it once on each side.

These are not strong baskets, but will hold some lightweight paper craft, hand shredded paper (made with a hand held shredder usually available in craft and scrapbooking stores) or used to hold some kind of food served at the table.

First Day of Spring

This is what came the first day of spring, covering the pink blossoms on the trees.

The blue spruce looks great with a bit of white powder, and there are some willows bending over with the weight of the snow.

These are holly trees and a large old maple.

Here is a simple creative way of potting a flowering plant. I've taken some primroses from my garden and put them in these waterproof containers to make colorful favors for ladies Bible classes, or other occasions. If you have no cards you want to part with, use new ones that you buy in packages of 8 or 12 from dollar stores and craft stores.

The containers are any plastic boxes similar to the ones that contain unsweetened baking cocoa. There are quite a few grocery items pack in waterproof containers, as you might notice from looking in your pantry.

Remove the lable and trace the container on to the blank side of scrapbook paper, wrapping paper or a greeting card.

Deckle edged scissors can be used to trim the card to fit, and you can fill in the back with other scraps of cards or paper. Cards or paper sticks well with white glue or tacky glue. I prefer Elmer's white glue. (Dollar store white glue seems to be too wet for craft projects.) Paint white glue  or decoupage glue on the outside with a sponge brush to make the card or paper more durable. 

 Put a few rocks in the container for drainage, and add  a plant from your garden or purchased from a garden center. If you like, you can add a ribbon around the box, and set it on the lid. This makes a good accent piece for a small side table, a desk, your mantel or kitchen sill.

Here is another one done with a left over piece

of pre-pasted wall-border. Just dip it in water and it will

stick.

I will be giving this one away.

Not home made, but just as enjoyable, are these little water pitchers found at Dollar Tree for one dollar. They  come in light blue, green, yellow and coral.  

Put outdoor plants in them for front porch gifts, or a dining table centerpiece.

Here is another frugal idea. For many years I had spare "lefties" from my pair of rubber gloves, as the "rightie" always got a hole in it. I considered advertising for spare "rights" from left-handed dish washers, but finally got this idea. So far, it is working.  I buy two pairs of rubber gloves, one larger than the other. I put the lower quality, cheaper glove (yellow) inside the larger glove (purple or pink Playtex brand).  So far, it has been a month, and no holes. Not only that, but there is no feeling of heat through these gloves and I can use really hot water. I do have a dish washer, but end up washing many different kinds of dishes, such as tea cups, pots and pans with handles that are not dishwasher safe, or different kinds of bakeware.  I hope to update this with a report of the first leak in these gloves.  I enjoy not running to the store to get a new pair of gloves.

Easy Heart Cards

Here is a very easy way to make Valentines using  paper and clip art from magazines or ads that come in the mail. The heart has a special country style shape, so if it does not suit you, just make your own shape by folding paper in half and cutting a half-heart shape, and using it for a pattern.  This one is designed to fit in the long business envelopes, as you see below:

I bought these envelopes at WalMart when they had a special pink office supply promotion.

This heart is made of white cardstock and a simple rose is glued on. Without much fuss, and no embellishments, it is still really pretty.

  

In the photograph above I have sketched a simple little scene of a path leading to a house surrounded by trees, with hills in the background and a clear sky,  which you can print and use to make the card like those old post cards.  This one is just done with crayons and a rose sticker is added at the lower end of the heart.

All you need is construction paper or thin scrapbook paper, or cardstock if you prefer. The clip art can be anything you have, such as stickers or pictures. The only equipment you need are scissors and white glue. Deckle edge scissors and glitter glue is optional. For children, this is very easy, since they only have about three things to put on the card. I've added stick-on diamonds and ribbon to some of these.

A long stemmed rose is included in the pattern. Just cut the entire rose on green paper, and then cut out the rose bud in another color and glue over the stem, clipping where necessary. A white card with the rose on it would look just fine. I have used glittered puff-paint by Polymer and Scribbles to outline the above card.  The template provides a small rose shape to glue inside the larger heart. This one is made with a small heart from glitter paper.

This is done with a clip-art tag and a hand made feather, which can be made just by drawing a feather shape and clipping the edges. Shade the tip and make it look like a quill pen.

Print the template, above, on cardstock or glue to cardboard. Cut out the pieces and trace around them on various types of paper, for your heart cards.  These are just one layer. The personal greeting is written on the other side. 

If you sell things from your home, this would be a very easy and quick project. Line up all your supplies and get everything in order before you begin, and it will go fairly easily. The white cardstock hearts on the left are made only with cardstock paper and stickers. Just two ingredients are simple for children and still make a lovely impression.

Take a second look at the things that come in the mail and you'll find some good clip-art. The bookmark from Country Living magazine promotion is made of good quality cardstock, has a beautiful scene of roses on it,  and is just the right size for the business envelopes I am making these cards for.

Here is what the junk mail clip-art looks like on cards. The bookmark at the top of the picture made a lovely card, tied with coordinating ribbon. 

Look at your business-reply cards inside of magazines, too. This is one from a Victoria magazine, pasted on a piece of paper made with a special craft punch that makes it look like lace around the edges.

The smaller heart shape makes perfect little tags, which can be attached to gifts or gift bags. The construction paper comes from the dollar store.

If you do not have enough envelopes, just open a business size envelope from any mail you have, or use a new one, and glue it on to cardstock. Cut it out and use it as a pattern on thin scrapbook paper, putting the white side on the outside and the print on the inside.

To make a book or letter-card, just punch holes on the straight edge of the card and thread ribbon through it. Cut out extra pages but make them slightly smaller all around.

This one has a length of silver beads to tie it and is outlined in silver glitter-glue. I've made a guest book out of this one, just for one day. You can get quite a few pages in it for one postage stamp, for writing letters.

You can also trace this shape on fabrics, cut them out and glue them on the cards with a glue-stick.  The liquid white glue does not work as well with fabric.

While I think of it, I discovered something to share: Sidewalk chalk (that odd looking piece on the edge of the chalkboard) works really well on old chalkboards. Normal chalk seems to slide and not stick on the board when it gets older and worn out, but children's  sidewalk chalk is great, and you can get it at the dollar store. It erases a lot more easily too, and  it comes in large sticks in many different colors,  or in shapes like bunnies and ducks, etc. If you are not able to refurbish the black boards with chalkboard paint, cannot get any, or do not want to spend the money, this sidewalk chalk makes them look fresh and new.

Have a look around at things you normally would throw away and you will find quite a few things you never noticed before. For example, in the picture of all the hearts, the last card on the right of the top row has a rose on it made with a green stem cut from part of a brown paper grocery bag. Part of the bag was green.  You might find a little rose on your tea box or floral stickers from your junk mail, that you could use to brighten up a card. 

Although there are high quality products widely available today for crafters, it is always good to understand how to be creative and resourceful and to use what you have on hand,  to make something beautiful for someone else.