Tuesday Tutorial: Easter Basket with Paper Grass

It's time for another Tuesday Tutorial! Today I'm sharing directions for how to make one of the first things that I learned to make when I started stamping (about 12 years ago): a darling little Easter basket with paper grass! These are so easy to make, and can be used to decorate your mantle at home or be given as Easter gifts. Let's get started! :-)

A. Materials

To make one Easter basket with paper grass you will need these materials:

(1) 6 x 6-inch square of cardstock for the basket
(1) 2 x 8.5-inch strip of cardstock for the handle
(2) Pieces of patterned paper, cut into four squares each of 1 7/8 x 1 7/8 inches to decorate the sides of the basket
(1) Strip of 1.75 x 8.5-inch strip of coordinating patterned paper to decorate the handle
(1) 4.25 x 11-inch piece of cardstock to make the paper grass
(2) Brads
Scoring tool
Hole punch or piercing tool
Paper crimper
Paper cutter
Scissors
Tape runner
Digis or stamps of your choice

B. Making the Basket

1. Score the 6 x 6-inch piece of cardstock, from right to left, at 2 and 4 inches.

2. Rotate the cardstock a quarter turn, and again score the cardstock, from right to left, at 2 and 4 inches. When finished, you should have a grid of nine 2 x 2-inch squares.

3. On the edge nearest you, starting from the bottom edge of the cardstock, cut up along each vertical (up-and-down) score line just to the first horizontal (left-to-right) score line.

4. Rotate the cardstock a half turn so that the cut lines you just made run along the top edge of the cardstock.

5. Again, on the edge that is now nearest you, starting from the bottom edge of the cardstock, cut up along each vertical (up-and-down) score line just to the first horizontal (left-to-right) score line.

6. Crease the cardstock along all score lines, folding the sections inward towards the center of the piece so that the "valleys" of the creases are on the side facing upward, and the "mountains" of the creases are on the underside of the piece.

7. Flip the cardstock over so that the "mountains" of the creases you just made are now facing up on your work surface.

6. Adhere one piece of 1 7/8 x 1 7/8-inch square of cardstock to each square section of the cardstock except the center, alternating paper patterns for a fun look.

7. Flip the cardstock piece so that the patterned-paper-covered side is now face-down on your work surface. If necessary, rotate the cardstock so that one set of the cutting lines you made in previous steps run up from the edge nearest you.

8. Fold the center square of the bottom row of squares up so that it is "standing."

9. Using your tape runner, apply a little adhesive to the inside edges of the squares to the immediate left and right of the standing square.

10. Holding the center square up so that it remains standing, fold the square to the left of it up, and then angle it over the center square at a 45-degree angle. Press down on the taped edge to tape the two squares together.

11. Repeat step 10 with the square to the right of the center one. Press tightly along the taped edges to seal the squares "standing" together.

12. Rotate the "basket" around so that the other set of cut lines you made in a previous step are facing towards you, and then repeat steps 8 thru 11 on this side. When you are finished, your basket should look something like this:

C. Making and Attaching the Handle

Now it's time to make and attach the handle to the basket.

1. Using your tape runner, apply tape to the back of the 1.75 x 8.5-inch strip of patterned paper.

 2. Adhere this strip of paper along the center of the 2 x 8.5-inch strip of cardstock. This piece will form the handle for the basket.

3. Using your hole punch or piercing tool, punch a hole about one-inch in at the center point of each end of the handle.

4.  Using your hole punch or piercing tool, punch a hole at the center-front of the basket, about one inch down from the top, where the taped-together squares intersect.

5. Using your tape runner, on the patterned paper side of the handle piece, apply adhesive to the left and right sides of the holes you just punched.

5. Rotate the basket around to the other side, and repeat step 4.

6. Lay the basket on its side with the "mouth" of the basket facing towards you. Insert one end of the handle piece into the basket, patterned paper side down.

7. Align the punched holes in the handle piece with the punched hole in the side of the basket. Once the holes are aligned, press down on the taped area of the handle piece to adhere the two pieces together.

8. Flip the basket over, and fold the handle piece around to align the punch holes. Once the holes are aligned, press down on the taped area of the handle piece to adhere the two pieces together.

9. Stand the basket up and then, from the outside of the basket, insert one brad through the punch hole on each side of the basket.

10. Decorate the completed basket as desired. I decorated the front and back of mine with digis from the "Become New" and "Seasonal Crosses" sets.

 D.  Making the Paper Grass

1. Run the 4.25 x 11 piece of cardstock through your paper crimper.

2. Along the short side of the card stock, cut the crimped cardstock into .25-inch strips.

3. Crumple the pile of crimped strips in your fist, crunching them within your fist a few times.

4. Fill the basket with your paper grass.

OK, that's all there is to it. I know there were a lot of steps involved, mostly because I like to be detailed for clarity. I guarantee, though, that once you've made one of these, you'll find you can put subsequent baskets together in just a few minutes each.

One little design note for you to think on. Because the basket is made from a 6 x 6-inch square of cardstock, this pattern could easily be enlarged to make bigger baskets. Just be sure that the dimensions of the cardstock can be divisible by three, such as 9 x9 inches, 12 x 12 inches, etc. Also be sure to enlarge your handle and patterned paper pieces accordingly.

Until next time, happy crafting! :-)