Running With Scissors…

Today’s Flourishes preview introduces Gerbera Daisies.  Have I mentioned how excited I am about this month’s releases?  These are some of the easiest flowers to color because you can do just about anything you want with them.  Oh, how I love this stamp set!  At last, all the new sets will be available in the store after the release party, Friday night, Aug. 14.

Just a quick reminder:  Visit the Flourishes Newsletter today to see how you can have a chance to win this set, and to read up on the rest of the release details.

Today I’m having a little extra fun by participating in Sharon’s Stamp Simply Birthday Celebration.  Many of you are familiar with Sharon’s weekly Stamp Simply Challenges.  Well… today marks her 100th week of challenges!  So Sharon’s having a party, and everyone’s invited.  As part of the festivities she’s gathered up a group of designers who will share birthday ideas — cards, recipes, gift sets, all sorts of things.  Blog candies, too!  It’s all happening today.  For a complete list of links, please visit Sharon’s blog –> here.

I’ve made a gift set with the Gerbera Daisies as the focal point.  They’re such cheerful flowers, and perfect for a “happy” birthday gift.  The altered tin held a Fossil watch in its former life, and required only a new cover for the top and a band around it’s middle to cover the logo.  The existing colors of the tin were a perfect match for the card — lucky for me because I’d already made the card and then designed the rest of the gift set as an afterthought.

• I used Mod Podge, applied with a small foam brush, to adhere the papers to the tin (BasicGrey Urban Prairie).  I cut the paper for the top to the 16th of an inch and punched with a regular corner rounder — a perfect fit.
• I sanded the edges of the paper to transition it smoothly to the top of the tin.  See the divit around the edge of the lid — I sanded it down to bare metal to remove the existing painted-on pattern.
• I stamped the daisies on a square of Classic White cardstock, colored with Copics, and cut out all but the two sides that join at the corner.  The corner of the daisy image was then punched with a corner rounder, and the image was adhered to the top of the tin with Mod Podge.
• A final coat of Mod Podge was applied to all the paper surfaces after they were adhered to the tin.
• Note:  I did isolate the paper pattern for this composition with the daisies.  See how the butterfly hovers over the daisies?

I made simple bands for the soaps and stamped the butterflies on Classic White, punched with a Stampin’ Up! label punch.  The soaps are an exact fit in the tin when laid on edge, lined up in a row.  Had I known beforehand I was going to make the tin, I would have used matching silver embellishments on the card.  Here’s a closer look at the card with those fabulous Gerbera Daisies:

I think I’m in Heaven!  Wait till you see what the other designers have done with this set:  Christine, Cindy, Faith, Julie, Latisha, Laura, Stacy, Nancy

So… just to sum it up…

• Flourishes’ new sets will be available in the store tonight after the release party.
• Visit the Newsletter for details on the party, to have a chance at winning this set, and to hurry for your last day to participate in the pre-release challenge.
• Visit Sharon for lots of links to all kinds of fun things to see.

And one last thing:  If you played Flourishes’ Fit for Royalty challenge, be sure to check the Newsletter Saturday at noon for a little something extra.  You won’t want to miss it

Whew!  Lots going on!  Oh, and by the way… TGIF!  Have a great weekend and I’ll see you again soon!

Happy Friday!  One of my favorite days of the week has arrived again at last and today I’m sharing one of my favorite projects with one of my favorite new sets from Flourishes.  Lots of favorites in there!  Tonight is the release party at the Flourishes forum on SCS, when three new sets will be fully revealed, more samples will be shared, and games and prizes will be sure to make it a fun evening.  Look for the party from 7 - 9 pm EST.

My project today features the Signs of Spring set.  Oh, my!  There are some pretty stamps in that set!  I used just one little daffodil stamp — three times.  The Flourishes team is focusing on watercoloring today, so I set aside those Prismacolor markers I’ve been practicing with in favor of this tried and true method of coloring.  I’ve always loved the watercolor look, and if you have water-based dye inks (like Stampin’ Up!, for instance) and a brush or two, you can achieve this look, as well.  Christine has prepared a watercolor tutorial on the Flourishes Newsletter that I’m sure you’ll enjoy.  She’s an absolute master at this technique and her step-by-step will open new doors for many who have been puzzling over its mysteries.

Just a reminder, too, while you’re at the Flourishes Newsletter visiting Christine’s tutorial, you can leave a comment on the Living in Color - Day 3 post for a chance to win this beautiful set.  Winners are randomly selected daily by 10 pm EST.

My handled gift box is very easy to make and I’d like to share some quick instructions with you.  I only have a couple of photos, but I think it will be clear enough.  I used Wild Asparagus double-sided designer paper.  It’s heavy weight and works nicely for boxes.

• Cut paper 6″ x 10 1/2″.
• Score as shown at 3″, 5″, 8″ and 10″.
• Turn and score across the bottom at 2″.
• Slit the bottom section at the score lines up to the horizontal score line, as shown.  Cut away and discard the last 1/2″ section of the bottom.  This photo shows the inside of the box with two of the bottom flaps raised so you can see where the slits are.

Decorate the box as desired before folding closed.  I added a scalloped border along the top edge, then punched with a 1 3/8″ circle punch to give a little more handle area.  Now, fold into a box shape, overlapping the 1/2″ flap, and secure closed with double sided tape.  I used Sticky Strip, or red liner tape.

The handles are made with Spellbinders oval dies.  Applying the dies to the paper like this is the same method you’d use to make a frame.  A piece of tape at the top edge of the dies will hold them both nicely in place through the cutting and embossing process.

Once you’ve made your cute little frame, you just cut it in half to make two handles.  I adhered my handles to the inside of the box with Sticky Strip, but you could also use brads, eyelets, tacky glue — whatever suits your fancy.

The gift inside my daffodil box is a pair of garden-themed moisturizing gloves, a sample pack of shea butter, and a little bottle of hand lotion — a gardener’s gift.  As I was making this, I thought it would be so cute to make this in the Fall and tuck a single daffodil bulb inside.

I just love this Signs of Spring stamp set with all its sweet images for Spring, Mother’s Day, Easter, or any day I’d like to send a pretty card.  You’ll love what the rest of the team has made with it, too, so be sure and visit the other Flourishes designers and see their watercolor samples.  Don’t forget Christine’s tutorial, as well!  Here are the links to the rest of the team:

• Christine
• Cindy
• Faith  
• Julie
• Latisha
• Laura
• Stacy

I’m glad you found time to drop in today.  I truly do appreciate every one of you.  Have a wonderful day!

Hello!  I made today’s project for Julie’s small gift ideas challenge which can be found here.  You can see more samples of small gift ideas by visiting Deb, Joan, Sharon, Jennifer, Barb, and Tammy.

In addition to Julie’s challenge and project, she’s also offering blog candy.

You can find blog candy at Sharon’s, as well.

We’re keeping the party going through this week as we help Sharon celebrate, not only her 1,000,000+ blog hits, but this wonderful holiday season, too.  You can see the entire schedule of festivities on Sharon’s blog here.

******************************************

I was definitely thinking small for Julie’s challenge, and this is one of those cases where the packaging is as much fun (or more) than the gift.  I made two boxes for this project.  They’re both 4 1/4″ wide, but of two different heights, with certain adjustments made to fit the height.  To avoid confusion, however, I’m going to share the “how to” for just one of the styles — the shorter box, measuring 4 1/4″ wide x 3 1/2″ tall x 1/2″ deep.

The box is shown below with the gift items that will be tucked inside.  I made the ribbon and brad card from cardstock covered with designer paper.  The mini stamps are by Inkadinkado – just a little gift for a stamper friend.  The box will also hold a roll of 1/4″ Offray or SU! gingham ribbon.  See this post for a decorated ribbon roll.

The other box I’ve pictured holds a cocoa pack and two of the chocolate squares.  It’s the sort of gift I might leave on a coworker’s desk.  There’s a mesh ribbon loop on the side of the box to secure the candycane.  The decoration on the front of the candycane box was done with my JustRite Christmas Stamp Ensemble.

Now, to make the box:

The box sides are different than most and it may seem like an odd way to do it at first, but the beauty of these boxes is that you can make two from one 8 1/2″ x 11″ sheet of cardstock and some scraps.  It’s as easy to make two at once as it is to make one.

• Cut an 8 1/2″ x 11″ sheet of cardstock in half lengthwise to create two equal lengths, 4 1/4″ x 11″
• For each box you plan to make, cut two pieces of the same color cardstock 3 3/8″ x 1″.  These will be the box sides.
• You’ll need Sticky Strip, or some kind of narrow double sided tape.  I used Sticky Strip (red liner tape) which is 1/4″ wide.

Score at 3 1/2″, 4″, 7 1/2″, 8″.

These little pieces are for the box sides — see dimensions, above.  Score the length of each side at 1/4″.  To do it on the Score-Pal I placed the piece at the marks, as shown.  After I made my first score, I turned the cardstock piece so the opposite end is against the marks and scored that side.  Then I had a 1/4″ scored edge the length of each side.  I hope that makes sense — I’m trying to minimize the number of photos.

Apply Sticky Strip the length of each edge, outside the score lines.  Trim off any overhang.

Cut designer paper to fit, and adhere as shown.  The shorter flap is the top, which will fold over to close the box.  I punched a scalloped border on the top flap end and a half circle on the other end.  The other end with the punched half circle is the box body.

Now, see the end with the punched half circle — cut 1/16″ off that end.  This is an important step in getting your box to close with nice, square edges.

Any further decorating of the box is best done before the sides are added.

Adhere sides as shown in the photo below.  Peel off the last of the Sticky Strip cover and fold up box, keeping edges even.  If you’re more coordinated than I am, you can fold up both sides at once.  I found it more fool proof to do one side at a time.

This is the inside of the finished box:

I hope you enjoyed this little project.  It’s a quick and simple “do” and can be dressed up any way you’d like.  It can hold cosmetic samples, photos (including a small photo frame), a little book, handmade soaps, 3 x 3 gift cards, paperweight, jewelry on a card . . .  I tried it with a little round mirror, a compact, a lighted magnifier — just a few ideas.

I’ll see you again soon!  Have a great day!

You may not have even noticed, but I’ve had a few days away from my blog.  My husband is home on vacation; I had a birthday “get-away” day; my son came home for a birthday visit…  One thing after another and, well, let’s just say my focus shifted for a while.  I’m back now and I’d like to take the time to share this little project with you.

It’s been over a week since I worked on designing this box, photographing, writing the instructions, etc. and I finally put the finishing touches on it today.  It’s the way the flaps are folded that makes this box so incredibly easy and, once again, the concept is derived from the 2-4-6-8 box that I use so often.

While in the process of designing this project I visited one of my favorite blogs – that of my friend, Sharon Johnson — and found a wonderful post in which she shared three beautiful boxes made in the same manner.  A bonus!  Sharon’s boxes are a different size and shape so I’d like to encourage you to visit her post here to see her measurements and some absolutely fabulous ideas for turning a simple gift into something especially delightful.  Thank you, Sharon!

My simple box is sized for cards.  It will hold six A2 cards (and envelopes) with an average degree of layers and embellishments.

I decorated my box with Memory Box Winterberry paper on a shimmery ivory cardstock and topped it with the large poinsettia from Flourishes’ Poinsettia and Boxwood stamp set.  The poinsettia is watercolored with SU! inks and layered with dimensional foam tape.  The center pearls can be found at Flourishes here.  Gold elastic cord is attached under the poinsettia and wraps diagonally around the box to make it look just a bit more “giftable”.  It slips on and off easily.

Here’s how it’s made:

• Cut the box bottom 8 1/2″ x 7 1/4″.
• Score all sides at 1 3/8″.
• Clip to score lines as shown.

Tip:  When you make the clips as shown above, you may find your corners more tidy if you create a little space where you clip.  Cut along both sides of the score line and remove that narrow section (about 1/16th”) as shown in the photo below.

• Apply red liner tape to the flaps.
• Fold to the bumpy side of the score line and adhere.

Subsequent photos will clearly show where the tape is applied.

The next photo is the box top.  Whether top or bottom, the red liner tape is applied the same.

• Cut cardstock 7 1/2″ x 6 1/4″.  Score all sides at 13/16th” — that’s 1/16″ past the 3/4″ mark.
• Cut two designer paper strips 5 3/4″ x 3/4″
• Cut two designer paper strips 4 1/2″ x 3/4″.
• Cut one designer paper panel 5 3/4″ x 4 1/2″.
• Adhere as shown.

This is the underside of the box lid, showing where the tape is applied.  The tape is applied the same to the inside of the box bottom.  All that’s left is to fold and adhere the box.  Be certain to fold the short flaps to the inside.

And that’s all there is to it!  Although this box is sized for cards, there are many other gifts which would nest nicely within it, too — a silk scarf, socks, gloves, candy…  I hope you enjoyed!

I’ll be back Monday with more fun to share.  Until then, have yourself a wonderful weekend!

It’s all loaded up and ready to go and, gosh, I feel like singing a sleighing song!

Today’s card was made with the new Sleigh Ride set from Flourishes.  This could be Santa’s sleigh but I was thinking of a country sleigh ride — the morning glittering with frost and the world gone quiet under a blanket of snow.  What a fun way to deliver gifts to friends and neighbors.  Just bundle up in those mittens, hats, scarves, gloves, leggings, boots, sixteen layers of clothing, three lap robes…okay…it’s easy for me to romanticize a sleigh ride since we rarely get snow on the Oregon coast.  Brrrrrr…can you imagine the wind chill?  It does sound like a lovely idea, though, doesn’t it?

My sleigh has been paper pieced with the Memory Box Winterberry paper (I would provide a link but it appears to be temporarily sold out) and spruced up for the holidays with one of the bows from the Poinsettia and Boxwood set.  The presents from O Christmas Tree were arranged in the paper pieced sleigh before it was mounted on foam tape over the first copper embossed image.

About that Winterberry paper – my entire background scene was created from one sheet in the collection.  I stamped the sentiment, also from the Sleigh Ride set, directly on the paper and added Stardust Stickles to the trees and along the hillcrests.  That’s absolutely all I did to the background.  I’m happy to say there are two more of these same sheets in the collection because I have definite plans for them.  All the patterns are just wonderful.

While I had this set out I thought I’d make a few gift tags with some of the smaller images.  That’s something I wind up buying every year but now I’m prepared with 18 new tags.

Even though the images are colored, this little project went rather quickly.  I mounted the stamps all on the same block for a single stamping on each tag.  The To/From stamps are part of the Holiday Greetings set.  I never use staples on my ribbon but it was a quick way to attach it and I was trying to keep it simple.  These tags will be used by my husband as well as myself and he’d rather not have to fumble around tying ribbon on a package.  There’s a small strip of red liner tape on the back of each tag to make it easier for him.

The self-adhesive labels were a little tricky due to slippage and drying time for the ink.  I tried Stazon but, oddly, that ink just lifted right off with the stamp.  I stamped my labels with Palette Noir and set them aside for a while to dry, then colored the images with fine-tipped Sharpies which dried almost instantly.

That’s it for today!  I’ll have more samples with Flourishes’ new releases tomorrow.  I must admit I’m loving this year’s Christmas sets.  Now through Monday, Oct. 13th, you can discount 10% from your entire Flourishes order if you use the promotion code RSC88.  Be sure and visit my Flourishes friends for some beautiful and inspiring samples:

 See you again soon!  Have a wonderful day!

This is a little something I made for a friend — one of those “just because” sort of things.  I used my new JustRite Harmony Classic Circle Stamper II Ensemble with a flower from Summer Botanicals.  The stamps were colored directly with markers and I always like the somewhat distressed or painted look this gives the images.

For the tag on the clear box I omitted the outer ring.  The word, “friend”, on the card was cut from the center of one of the JustRite stamps in the ensemble.  Because the new JustRite sets are more than monograms there’s a lot of versatility in a single set, and this is one of my favorites.

The box is a 2-4-6-8 design which I return to often because of its simplicity.  I tried something a little different with this one and I’d like to share it with you.  It’s made with Crystal Clear Cardstock which I embossed with the same design as the card.  In case you’re not familiar with 2-4-6-8 boxes I’ve included a photo to help illustrate the concept.  Since clear cardstock is so difficult to photograph I’m showing it in gray.

Cut a half sheet of Crystal Clear Cardstock — 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″.  Score across at 2″, 4″, 6″ and 8″.  Turn and score lengthwise at 2″.  Cut along the score lines up to the lengthwise score line, as shown.  Cut away and discard the lower 1/2″ section.

Back to the clear cardstock now — This part of the process is a little difficult to illustrate but very easy to do.  You need to fold the box in half and insert it in your embossing folder with the bottom cut flaps hanging out the end of the folder.

Run it through your Cuttlebug and it will emboss the whole top part of the box at once.  It will feel a little tight as it goes through, rather like when your Cuttlebug was brand new.  I’ve only done this once — you’re looking at it — but it worked just fine.

The following is a picture of the box after it was embossed and removed from the folder.  Again, the clear cardstock is not the most photogenic subject, but I think you can get the idea.  It’s pretty cool and much more so in person:

Now you apply Sticky Strip to the outside of that little 1/2″ flap and fold the upper part of the box closed like a tube.  Then fold up the bottom flaps and adhere with Sticky Strip.

There’s always the question, then, as to how you cover the Sticky Strip.  Well, I think it’s hardly noticable, especially once the box is filled and pinched closed.  I used a little clip to close the top of the box.  The tag is tied to the clip, rather than through the top of the box, so it’s very easy to open and close the box.

I hope you enjoyed this very simple project.  I just love embossing the clear cardstock.  I’m sure this could be fancied up even more, perhaps with a little designer paper trim around the bottom or top.  You could add a handle and turn it into a basket, maybe add a row of eyelets along the top and lace some ribbon through.  It could be elegant or cute, whatever your heart desires.

This particular JustRite Harmony Classic Ensemble is perfect for a project like this and you can’t beat the flexibility.  So much fun in one set of stamps!  The ribbon, by the way, can be found here, and the Spellbinders circle dies here.  Thank you so much for stopping by.  Have a happy day!

• Stamps:  Summer Botanicals, JustRite Harmony Classic II
• Paper:  Crystal Clear Cardstock, Old Olive Orchid Opulence, Whisper White
• Ink:  Old Olive, Orchid Opulence, Close to Cocoa markers
• Accessories:  Floral Fantasy Cuttlebug embossing folder, ribbon, Spellbinders circle nesties, Sticky Strip, Scotch brand foam mounting tape, candy (of course — yum!)

  Just in case you may not have seen the link I edited in for the gift bag I posted yesterday:  Monica found some wonderful instructions here where Paula wrote a detailed and easy to follow tutorial.  Thank you, Monica and Paula!  These bags are a fabulous way to use up some of your double sided or cardstock weight designer papers.  It took less time to make this bag than I usually spend on a card and the cool thing about a gift bag is that it will be reused, being passed on from one person to the next.

Also, Deb found this helpful PDF file.  Thanks, girls!  I get by with a little help from my friends!  Have a great day!

Begin with a solid white image.  Mask and stamp with a leafy background.  Paint flower center chartreuse, then feather burgundy toward petal edges.  Apply rust colored Fun Flock to the stamen ends.

Okay…I’ll admit it…I didn’t have time to do a coloring tutorial this weekend.  I spent the weekend stamping for Flourishes’ new releases which will be happening this Wednesday (pretty exciting!) and making a gift bag for a friend to go with the 22 cards he just bought from me for his mom.  All the while the weather was beautiful and I still had the gardening, housework, laundry and other weekend chores to do.  Add to that my husband came home Sunday after a four day absence and…well…you get the picture.

I’d say I wish I was a superwoman, but I don’t think I’d like that.  I’d rather be my pokey-slow Type B personality, plodding through my day, easily distracted by a butterfly, a shimmer of light, or a wildflower growing on the other side of the fence.  It’s not easy being me in the fast-paced environment in which I work.  I sometimes feel I’ve split myself into two personalities — the one that’s “on” (at work) and the one that’s on cruise control (at home).  Perhaps I over compensate when I’m home but I guess each of us has our own way of moderating the stress in our lives.  Home is a stress-free oasis for me unless I choose to make it otherwise and I’m fortunate to be able to make that choice.  Some are not so lucky.

So here, at least, is a photo of the gift bag I made.  It’s a design by Angela Sylvester that was shared as a Stampin’ Up! OnStage online project.  The instructions were shared with me by my friend, Nancy Littrell.  I searched online to see if Angela has a blog where she might have posted a tutorial but the best I could come up with was this PDF file which appears to be incomplete — there’s no Page Two with a diagram for the score lines.

EDT:  Monica found a tutorial!  See it here.  Thank you, Monica!

It’s made from two 12″ x 12″ sheets of double sided designer paper which are taped together with Sticky Strip at one of the corners.  I folded the top 2 1/4″ down to the outside to make a border.  The finished bag is 8″ x 3 1/2″ and my bag is 7″ tall, but it could be taller without the top folded down.  There’s a sheet of white cardboard in the bottom to firm up the base.  It’s really an ingenious design and could be fixed up super cute but I don’t have time to do more with it today.  Maybe next time.

I sure hope you all had a nice weekend.  I’ll be back by Wednesday with brand new stamps from Flourishes.  I had a great time stamping my little heart out with them this weekend.  Take care!

They’ve stolen my heart with their most beautiful set to date, Siberian Iris.  Perhaps it’s no surprise to you  that I find this set so appealing, me being a flower person and all.  They’ve truly outdone themselves.  When I first saw this set, all I could say was “thank you”!  Well, first I fell out of my chair…and maybe I sort of got a little over excited…just a little…

This stamp was a dream to watercolor.  I added some of the little flourishes that come with the set, as well as the words “Siberian Iris”.  There are Mother’s Day and other sentiments included for various uses, too.  I love a gorgeous botanical image so I kept the focus on the flower, itself.  The papers that pattern the background of this 5 x 7 card are from my BasicGrey Perhaps 6 x 6 pad.

As if the beautiful iris isn’t enough, the cute little topiary stamp in the project below is also part of the set.  I made my topiary card very quickly, coloring the images by applying ink with sponge daubers.  The designer papers are Wild Asparagus scraps I’ve finally just about used up.  The box holds bath salts and is made from the Crystal Clear Cardstock that’s new at Flourishes.  It’s done like a 2-4-6-8 box, but with 1 1/2″ sides.  I’m sorry I don’t have time right now to completely explain how to make the box.  I’ve had some technical difficulties with my blog and I’m very pressed for time at the moment.  If you’re viewing this in an email or a reader I apologize if the text is too close to the photo.  I won’t know about that for sure until I receive my own email.  That’s one of the technical difficulties (among others) that hasn’t been resolved yet.

Did you hear the news from Flourishes yet?  We have a new guest designer and she’s over-the-top fabulous!  Surely you know her — Sharon Harnist.  Be sure and treat yourself to a visit to her blog, Paperfections.  You’ll be awed by her work!  We’re very excited to have her on our team!  If you go here you can read about Sharon, see her beautiful, smiling face, and check out some of the other new items Flourishes has to offer this month.  It will be worth the trip!

I must go now.  I hope to be back soon with more samples.  Enjoy the countdown to the weekend!

I’m so excited – I’ve received my new Easter Bunnies stamps from Flourishes and to go along with my bunny card I have something to share that I really hope you’ll enjoy trying — a brand new and super easy Easter basket! 

The card:  I thought this bunny in the basket was pretty darn cute.  He has that somewhat startled look that most chocolate bunnies have, so I made him into a creamy, milk chocolate bunny.  He’s stamped with Timber Brown Stazon and colored with markers and a blender pen.  Some of Stampin’ Up!’s retired double sided designer paper is in the background.  To make his Easter Bunny eyes I colored over them first with a green opaque Sakura Souffle pen and dotted the centers with Cinnamon Stickles.  The Easter eggs and the sentiment are accented with a Copic Spica clear glitter pen.  The paper edges are sponged with Creamy Caramel for a little extra chocolate flavor.

Here’s a little closer look at the baskets:

I had my heart set on a round basket with a woven look, just like a real, old-fashioned Easter basket but it had to be very simple to make and to explain.  I tried out and discarded so many different ideas, got a little frustrated and just about threw in the towel.  The greatest difficulty was in trying to produce a decent looking bottom on a round woven basket and again, quick and easy was paramount in this design.  Finally, I gave it one last shot with an idea out of the blue and it came together like magic.  I settled on slatted rather than woven but the slats are somewhat woven on the bottom.  Here’s a picture of the bottom of the basket:

And here’s how to make it… 

You’ll need:

4 pieces 3/4″ x 5 1/2″ for basket slats

1 piece 3/4″ x 6 1/4″ for basket trim

1 piece 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ for basket handle

The picture below shows the reverse side of the paper.  Apply adhesive tape to the inside of the basket trim and adhere the basket slats along the left side, as shown, leaving no spaces between the strips.

This is where the basket forms its shape.  As shown in this photo, loop the end of the slat on the far left over to the next position on the basket trim.  See how it forms sort of a sling.

Continuing to work from the left side, bring the next slat over in the same manner, placing it beside the first one you brought over.  No need to weave it – just bring the tail of each slat over one at a time.  Each slat will overlap the previous slat and the basket will form its round shape as you go along. You’ll have a little bit of the basket trim left over which you’ll adhere over the opposite end to secure your round basket shape.

Next, adhere your handle to the sides of the basket and it’s ready to dress up however you wish!

My pink basket handle is made of designer paper adhered to cardstock for sturdiness.  The white basket has a wider handle made only of cardstock.  The little tag on the pink basket uses one of the sentiments from the Easter Bunnies set.

I hope these instructions are clear enough.  I wanted to keep on making baskets because these are incredibly quick and easy to make.  I do plan to make more later but I had other projects to finish this weekend as well.  I do hope you’ll give this little project a try!  I’d love to see any pretty little thing you come up with.  I’ve got to run now but I’ll be back later this week.  Have a great day!