Berry Pretty Basket

Howdy! and welcome!  I hope this new year is off to a wonderful start for you! {smile}  Me? well, I have been in my craft room, when I'm not shoveling/plowing the new snow fall.  So, I'm doing good! {wink}  Last month, I met this charming lady, Elma.  Elma, just loved the crafts she saw at one of my Holiday Craft Fairs.  Anyways, Elma, is putting together a Trash to Treasure Trunk Show, and  invited me to participate (be a vendor) at this years Trash to Treasure Trunk Show, and well, I accepted.  {super happy!}  I have been brain storming as to what I could create/craft to sell at the Trunk Show, and I believe I have a few 'new' crafts to sell! {Yeah!}

My main focus, is to craft/create stuff that is repurposed.  Because let's face it, isn't that the whole premiss behind a 'Trash to Treasure' Trunk Show?!

I found a stack of these plain white berry baskets in my craft room.  Originally, I purchased them to decorate for Easter.  And I did.  But only 4 were used.  So, I have quite a few left, and I knew I could do something 'pretty' and shabby chic with them.  I took out my bin of fabric scraps, trim, and sewing machine and I decorated the outside of one berry basket.  [It's my 'sample'.]  

and here it is:

I stacked a strip of red velvet, a strip of red and white seersucker, and a strip of white eyelet trim, and machine stitched them together.  Adhered the layered material to the outside of the white berry basket.  Made a hand sewn red velvet blossom, and adhered over the seam of my stacked material.  Viola!  Now, before we get too far ahead of ourselves, I haven't 'finished' this berry basket yet.  I haven't quite decided on what to add to them.  I was thinking about adding a tag,  or leaves, or an altered clothes pin, or shred, or a doily, or something else.  I just wanted to share my creation with you.  I believe that I will 'package' these gems in cello bags, that way you can 'see' it without leaving finger prints.    And unfortunately I don't come up with a price yet either. {frown}

But stay tuned, I have been 'working' on a few fabric banners and wreaths, and I want to share those with you soon.  {smile}  I hope you have been inspired to create something 'new' out of something old.  {smile}

Berry Cute

Happy Easter.  I hope you are spending this day with those who mean the most to you, and the Lord.  We are headed out to an Easter Luncheon a little bit later today.  So before I head into the kitchen to make a few dishes to share, I did want to share some small treats I made. {smile}

I started with some white berry baskets.  I actually have a stack of them in my craft room.  I can't remember what I actually purchased them for, but, glad I did.  {smile}.  I made my own crepe paper fringe.  I took 4 strips of the colored crepe paper and two strips of white crepe paper, and stacked them.  I ran the stacked crepe paper through my sewing machine giving them an extra push through, to create a ruffle.  Then I used my picking sheers to trim the ends.  Then I took my cutting sheers and made snips all the way down each strip (both sides) to create the fringe.  Finally I took my fingers and fluffed the cut fringe into this decorative puffy fringe.  I used hot glue to hold the crepe paper fringe to the outside of the white berry baskets.  I had a few 10" circle paper doilies.  So, I lined the inside of the berry baskets with the doilies, instead of easter grass.

Then I filled the baskets up with a few goodies.  Each basket has a small plush bunnie.  An individual-size package of Jelly Beans, a chocolate egg, and of course a chocolate bunny!

These were fun to make, and relatively inexpensive to put together.  Thank you for stopping by.  I am headed back into the kitchen.  I am making Green Chili Corn Pudding (by Martha Stewart), Mashed Potatoes, and Pink Lemonade Chiffon Cupcakes to take to the Easter Luncheon.  Happy Easter, and God bless you.