Verve Project Parade: Eggstra Special

Happy Thursday everyone!

Today I decided to play along with the Verve Project Parade, "Eggstra Special". I wanted to do something *different*... not the usual bunnies etc. I wanted a way to give the true meaning of Easter, while still making something pretty and springy in nature. I came up with this design on my own. I don't know if anyone else has done this before, but there are so many "baskets" out there that it's quite possible it has been done, I just haven't seen any. I'm going to attempt to tell you what I did to make this in case you'd like to try it.

I cut two of the largest scalloped oval Nestabilities out of Papertrey Spring Moss CS. I also cut a 1" wide strip 6.25" long. This forms the body of the basket. I then cut an oval of K&Co. Embossed Vellum and attached to the front of one scalloped oval with vellum tape.

In the 1" wide strip I cut 2 slits with my Fiskars finger blade, about 3/4" from each end. I passed a piece of ribbon through these slits, punched a hole through paper and ribbon and inserted sparkly brads. For mine, I left enough ribbon to cover the brad and attach to the inside of the strip, giving a finished off look.

I applied a very tiny bead of Tombow Metal Glue to one edge of my 1" strip after determining the center point top and bottom of my ovals, and starting at the two top points, I pressed into place, making a rounded "u" shaped bottom. When I had that in place I ran another tiny bead of glue on the other edge of the strip and lining up my ovals, I attached the other oval, quickly standing basket up to be sure the front and back were lined up perfectly and stood without help.

Then I just decorated the front. I didn't want to hide too much of the gorgeous vellum, so I made a small oval sentiment panel, stamping on watercolor paper, with Memento Rick Cocoa, the sentiment from Clear Dollar Stamps called "In God's Hands". I lightly stamped a fern from See Dees Morsels Set "Flowers and Ferns" in River Rock. I matted this sentiment panel with a scalloped layer of Papertrey's Sweet Blush CS. For the cross I stamped Verve's Cross from "Jeremiah 29:11" set in Memento Rich Cocoa on watercolor paper and cut out. I decorated the cross with a strip of leaf ribbon, and one tiny quilled flower my SCS friend, MariLynn sent me. (MariLynn.... thank you soooo much!) Both the sentiment panel and the cross are popped up on dimensionals.

This basket stands on it's own as shown, but also looks nice hanging. Here's a couple more views.