artful thursdays #8.....nut cup easter basket tutorial

spring is on its way i can feel it. the other morning as i left the house at 5am i heard birds for the first time in months. living in utah with a blanket of snow that lasts through the winter the first signs of spring are a cause for celebration.

that and the tiny chenille chicks and easter candy that they just stocked at the market....



today's artful thursdays project is a quick one you can make in 15 minutes once you gather your supplies. you will need some little white party nut cups, pipe cleaners, crepe paper, tiny blossoms and stamens, a chenille chick, and a bit of trim.

step 1. nibble a chocolate easter egg.

ok, real step #1. cut your pipe cleaner to 6 inches and fold into a handle. (try not to get chocolate on the pipe cleaner) glue the two ends (3/4 of an inch) on either side of a paper nut cup and clip until the glue dries.




step # 2. cut a strip of crepe paper 1 inch wide and 36 inches long. gather down the middle with your sewing machine or needle and thread. fold crepe paper ruffle in half along the stitching and glue around the top edge of the nut cup. glue another folded ruffle on top of the first so you have a nice ruffly edge.


step #3. gather a strip of tulle or vintage curtain 1 inch wide and 20 inches long. glue it on top of the crepe paper ruffles.


step #4. glue a strip of pretty 1/4 inch trim along the center of the tulle. this darling spool of trim was at joann's. they had lots of pretty spring colors of narrow vintage looking trim and each spool was only $1.00!


step #5. gather together a tiny posy of millinery flowers and stamens. wire them tightly together and clip off extra wire.



step #6. wrap the posy with ribbon or string and tie to the pipe cleaner handle on one side.


step #7. fill the basket with tiny paper shred. make your own by cutting a folded up piece of crepe paper into 1/8 strips.

step #8.
cut text strip from a book with words you like and fold it in half and notch the end. glue around a paper millinery flower stem and tuck the banner under a little chenille chicks wing. glue in place. the little banner could have a name on it and your basket could be the place card for a friend coming to tea...


fill your basket with little candy eggs and pop your chick on top. its as sweet as you!



here are a few other tiny easter baskets i made. the vintage crocheted nut cup holders came in an old chocolate box. i imagine they were brought out for bridge night with the girls. i dressed this one up a bit...




i made a few easter decorating kits for you with all the supplies to make 8 little easter baskets on a lovely sunny afternoon.
happy thursday, julie