HOW TO MAKE AN EASTER BASKET

FUN WITH FOAM

There is still plenty of time to make this cute Easter basket. It doesn't take a lot of time, experience, or supplies. I got the idea for it from another Easter basket I saw walking thru a store I was at a few weeks ago. It was a lot of fun to make and I was actually very pleased with the way it came out. Soooooooooooo, let's get started.   

WHAT YOU NEED

You can purchase these at your local craft store or you can purchase it from online at www. amazon.com.

1. sheets of fun foam in the colors that you want to use. I used kelly green and a lighter green for the basket to resemble grass.

2. small bottle of foam glue.
3. scissors
4. Easter foam activity kit (It came with pre cut shapes of bunny, chicks, lambs and flowers)
5. last but not least - easter grass

 

INSTRUCTIONS

I made my basket 7" on each side and approx 9" to the top of the blade of grass. So on the two shades of green I marked off 7" wide x 4 sides. Then I had to draw the blades of grass for the top rim of the basket. I can't draw worth beans so I went to a free coloring page site and found an Easter coloring page with grass. I enlarged the grass to the size I thought would look good and traced it onto the green foam for a total of eight sides. Putting it together, I put the lighter green on the inside and glued the sides together and the darker green, I put on the outside but made sure that the blades of grass didn't directly overlap each other so you could see the two different shades of green.

In one of the following pictures, you'll see how I traced the grass onto the foam and then you'll see what it looks like so far after I glued the sides together.

Then I decided that I wanted to put a little fence around the basket to give it a little more color and that is also where I will glue my bunnies and flowers.

Then I decided that I wanted to put a little fence around the basket to give it a little more color and that is also where I will glue my bunnies and flowers.

So I took the yellow foam and the ruler and drew some fence posts and two thinner strips to go around entire basket that the fence posts would glue onto. What you should have is something that looks like this ------------------>

Then I took the precut little bunnies and glued on the ears and a bow in the hair and some pre cut easter eggs and flowers and I glued them to the front of the picket fence. I then cut a long wider strip of the yellow and glued it between the two shades of green to attach the handle of the basket. The end result after putting the grass inside the basket is this:

I love it. I am so happy with the way it came out. It is sturdy. It's a good size and can hold several pieces of candy and even some non candy items. My daughter is 21 and yes, I still give her and Easter basket. She's away at college and this year I am driving up and staying for a few days and spending Easter with her. I'm sure that a 21 year old wouldn't mind finding a gift card or two in her Easter basket.

Whatever you decide to put in your basket, I'm sure it will be loved and appreciated.

Happy Easter all and thank you for stopping by and visiting my blog. God Bless.

CROCHET A HOTPAD

Here it is. My first craft on my Crafty Mowens Blog. Today I'm going to give you instructions on how to make this hot pad. I love this project because it is made with something that if thrown into the trash without disposing of it correctly, it can be a danger to our animals in the wild. Our landfills have wild animals foraging in them for food and if one of their limbs or a beak or anything gets caught in them, they surely will not live long after that. So, let's get started on the craft and then I will tell you of an easy way to dispose of these plastic six-pack holder things. (I tried to find out what they are really called, but had no luck)

You start off with the plastic that usually holds six packs of soda together. You cut them apart and then cut of excess so that you have six circles like you see in the above picture.

For the hot pad above, I used varigated cotton yarn. But you can use anything you have on hand. You can make each ring a different color, or just make the rings one solid color and then the edging in another color. There are several possibilities. Just have fun with it.

So, pick your yarn and what you will do to start with, is crochet around each ring with a double crochet.  What you will then have is this.......

The next thing you will want to do is chain 53. Double crochet in the fourth chain from the hook (3 skipped chains count as first dc) and in remaining chains. You should end up with 50 dc.

The next step is to use the dc chain to connect all of your rings together. You will want to overlap the rings and weave the dc chain in and out where they connect like this........

Once you have connected all of your rings, shape it into a circle and stitch the two ends of the dc chain together. Once you have everything shaped into a circle you are ready to go around the edge and sc (single crochet) evenly around and where rings overlap, your sc will hold the piece together. Your end result will be the picture that is at the top of this page. Back when I was 19 and didn't have money to buy someone a small gift for an occasion, I used to make these. They were always appreciated. The person on the receiving end likes the fact that you actually took time to make them something.

Now, I told you I would tell you how to dispose of these plastic six pack holders. It really is very easy. Just take the plastic and cut all circles into half circles. This will still leave you with two joined areas that connect the rings. Cut thosse also. Cut all areas where it is joined. The best thing to do would be to take it one step further and cut it into small 4 or 5 inch pieces. Once you see th.at an animal or bird can not get caught in it, it is okay to throw away.

So many things going thru my head about what to write about. I am so excited about life again after joining the focus group yesterday. It is so easy to get discouraged.

I have a tendency to want things to happen "now". After losing my job almost 2 months ago I deceided that the perfect way for me to have a life that would work for me is to make money online. But it did not happen over night and as a matter of fact, it still hasn't happened. However, I am confident that it will happen. I know it is possible and slowly but surely I am moving forward.

I see so many other Blogs and think "I want a Blog like that", and one day I will have one. I need to remember everything takes time and patience. I am blessed to have a God in my life that loves me and puts people in my life to help me along the way.

In the next several days I will be writing about different things. I love to scrapbook and have plenty of it to do. I want to travel with my dog Makenna in the future whether it's on small day trips or eventually I want to hook up a small camper to my car and drive and just have fun doing the camping thing. For now I think I will live my life "one day at a time", learning along the way and making new friends.

Until tomorrow, God Bless you all, and thank you for stopping by.

Just like my strawberry plant is growing and thriving, so will I.

BEING CONSISTENT

"The path of the lazy man is grown over with thorns, but the path of the faithful is a good road."   Proverbs 15:19




I've got to tell you that this is not an area that I am good at especially since I became unemployed. I've just been getting up in the morning and sitting on my front porch drinking my coffee for a couple of hours, helping get my dad up and making him breakfast and then I've kinda just been seeing what the day brings. Some days have been good and then some have been not so good. While I was in the shower a word popped into my head, CONSISTENCY. This is the word for me today.

I started researching blogs, articles and books on being consistent. I found several writings on the topic but a couple that I really found informative and very helpful. I'm still not too sure as to what I can and cannot post on my blog, but I think if I put the name of the articles or books, that would be okay.
So here goes......

The first thing I read from was "The Positivity Blog". The title of the post is "How to Take Consistent Action: 7 Powerful Tips". There is also another post on this Blog titled "Wayne Gretzky's Top 3 Tips for Becoming the Best You Can Be". I loved reading both of these posts and the responses they received. Definately starting the day on the positive side. A neighbor of ours stated this once, "If you want something to become a habit, you need to make it a priority first."

I hope you all have a wonderful day! I bought a new camera last night (mine broke) and I think for some fun this afternoon Makenna and I will go walking and see what we can find to take pictures of.

More on New Beginnings!

"It is pleasant to see dreams come true, but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them." (Pro. 13:19 NLT)

It has been several days since I have last posted on my blog. I want to thank all the people that have visited my blog. This is all so very new to me.

As I look all around me I see so many different things and notice the process of a new beginning. I have dreams that I want to make a reality and I believe that these dreams were put on my heart from God.

One big problem I have is that I just want those dreams to happen now. I am learning that new beginnings take time and have a process. Just like my picture above that has new flowers and leaves, they will take time to fully develop. I need to realize that my dreams and new future will also take time to develop. I need to start with step "A" and go thru the alphabet one by one. There are new things to learn, there are priorities to set and doubt and fear to overcome. I feel like a child just learning to walk.

PERSEVERANCE

What is perseverance?

• Perseverance is commitment, hard work, patience, endurance.
• Perseverance is being able to bear difficulties calmly and without complaint.
• Perseverance is trying again and again.

I looked up the definition of perseverance this morning and the above is what I have found. I am learning that if my new venture is going to be successful it will take all of the above.

"...and in you self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness."
      2 Peter 1:6

I've been trying to figure out what I want to do with this blog. So many things have been crossing my mind lately and I need to organize my thoughts maybe. Since January 9th, I have found myself unemployed. Those of you out there that have been or are in the same boat know the roller coaster ride your emotions take you on. But I did realize today that I am really blessed. I live in a home that I share with my brother and my father. My father became ill a couple of years ago and my brother and I are his care takers.

I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. I lost my job just a few days before my dad came home from the hospital after being there for 2 1/2 months. There can be someone home with my dad all the time now to make sure he is always okay.

I was very blessed to have had my job for 28 years. Before that I had a job where I was for 10 years. Not everyone is able to stay at their jobs for that length of time and I feel very fortunate.

Now I get to start a new adventure. I'm not sure what that will be but I do know that God will guide me every step of the way. I would like to see about being able to make money from home so that I can start to really enjoy all the things I love to do and maybe even encorporate those things into helping me earn money.
I don't know, but I thank The Lord for being with me thru my whole life, even when I didn't think He cared. I believe that's when He cared the most. He never stopped helping me.

Pictures from this morning. Makenna and I went to the Trump Golf Club and walked along the pathways there. People were nice, weather was nice and I got to enjoy my time. What could be better than that?

My Makenna



The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in Him.
~Nahum 1:7 (NIV)