"Basket Weaving"

Aren't these fun? I have been saving the baskets that I buy strawberries in for quite a while, thinking they'd make some kind of great project. So I pulled them out of the cabinet this weekend and made up these Easter baskets. They are super simple and quick to make using scraps you probably have laying around your craft room.

The directions are pretty easy to figure out from looking at this photo, but here's a run down. Start with a clean "fruit" basket. Cut a few strips of patterned scrapbook paper, or colored card stock. Then weave the strips in and out of the sides of the basket. Make a handle with some wired ribbon; you can either tie the ends on the basket or, as I did with mine, attach with button brads.... whatever you have on hand, there are a lot of possibilities. Then add any other embellishments that you choose and you're done.

These are so easy they'd make a great project for a scout troop or Sunday school class, etc. And you could easily adapt them for any holiday: a May Day basket filled with flowers from the garden, a basket for Mother's Day with chocolates, a Father's Day basket with fishing bait,.... well you get the idea. And the best part is you are recycling.

Thanks for looking. Have a creative day!

DIY Decorating with Decor Stencils

Stampin'Up! just posted a new video on their website today. I am so excited about the new line of stencils. I wish I could figure out how to embed the video on my blog to show you what I'm talking about, but here is a link (just click to follow.) This looks so easy. What a great and inexpenisve way to to add a professional decorator look to your home.

If you are interested in ordering some stencils, you can access my Stampin'Up! website here. Click on the 'shop now' button, it will take you to the online catalog. The stencils are listed under Home Decor in the product list - or you can click here for the direct link.

I'm off now to prepare for a scrapbooking class I'm teaching tomorrow. I'll try and remember to take pictures to share with you here.

Have a great weekend!

Recycled Sweater

I was cleaning out my closet last week and came across a stretched out, rather frumpy turtle neck sweater. I hadn't worn it for ages because . . . well, because it's stretch out and rather frumpy looking.

It just so happened that I had recently seen a couple of ideas on other blogs about "refashioning" used clothing and decided that this sweater made an excellent candidate for my first project. Unfortunately, I was nearly finished with it before I realized I had forgotten to take a "before" picture. But here's the "after" photo.


I didn't work from a pattern or plan. I just sort of came up with the idea for this sweater jacket as I went along. Here's a condensed version of what I did:

• I started by cutting off the "turtle neck"
• Then I cut up the middle of the front.
• For the next step I cut across the middle above the waist.
• As you can see from the photo, I added a swatch of denim fabric to the waist and then reattached the bottom part of the sweater I had removed.
• I made the collar from the "turtle neck" I had removed in the first step.
• And finally I made and attached a tie closure with another scrap I had in my stash.

I wish the color had shown up better in this photo. The sweater is actually a dark olive green. I think it turned out pretty good for my first attempt. It's really much cuter "on" then hanging here on the hanger, but it's hard to be the model AND the photographer.

So do you have any sweaters hiding in your closet that need refashioning? Here are a few links for inspiration.
Easy-Peasy-Sweater Recon
Refashioning Sweaters
Refashioned Sweater into Cardigan

Have fun!