Easter!

Old-Tyme Easter Basket

Putting out an Easter basket is a traditional Easter activity that kids love. You can make special baskets for your kids that look like they were handed down from their grandparents. Baskets are relatively inexpensive and can be found in all shapes and sizes. Be sure to pick one that has smooth wooden surfaces that can be painted and stenciled.

Level: Moderately easy
Time involved: Two to three hours
Materials:

• Basket
• Fine-grain sandpaper
• Dry sponge
• Purple and white craft paints
• Foam plate
• Paintbrushes
• Disposable cup
• Easter stencils
• Masking tape
• Stencil paint
• Stencil brush
• Pink and purple crepe paper (optional)
• Crimper (optional)

1. Lightly sand the basket to rough up a surface for the paint. Brush off any particles with a dry sponge.
2. Paint the entire basket inside and out with purple craft paint. Allow the basket to dry.
   
3. Mix about 1/3 cup white craft paint in a disposable cup with 6 tablespoons water. Brush the paint mixture on top of the purple paint. The purple paint should show through the white coating. If the white paint is too thick, add a little water; if too thin, add more white paint.
4. Using a wet sponge, rub some of the white paint off in places to allow more of the purple to show through. Allow the white coat to dry.
   
5. Tape the Easter stencils around the top rim of the basket (or on the handle if thick enough) and fill in the stencils with the appropriate color of stencil paint. You might want to make bunnies, Easter eggs, and flowers in a pattern. Allow the stencils to dry.
   
6. If desired, fill basket with crepe paper. Or you could use a paper crimper to make basket filler out of matching colors of crepe paper.