Still time to craft your May Day baskets!

This week has been a bit busy, what with trips to see my Dad and to visit my cousin who is in the nursing home area above my Dad. Yesterday was spent at our state's home school convention, the encouragement was refreshing and it is so lovely to connect and spend time with precious friends.

Today I decided we wouldn't do anything but our household tasks. Lydia has been asking all week when we will finish up the May Day baskets and I am glad to report they are quite done! I first started making these baskets and also the construction paper woven ones when I was in Campfire Girls in grammar school. They are great fun to make and a delight to hand out to unsuspecting folks. The cone with the paper flowers will be given to my "secret sister" tomorrow at church along with the Tasha Tudor illustrated book, The Secret Garden. We have a wonderful antiquarian bookstore near us and each week I pop in to see what is new. The owner knows my penchant for Tasha's books so he always puts them aside for me, just in case I don't have that one. Well, alot of times I purchase them anyway to use as gifts for my kindred spirits on the Take Peace Yahoo group I run. Or I give them as gifts to someone I know will love them, new moms get the most excited. Also, that day he had The Springs of Joy, another lovely book.

Tomorrow after church we will visit my Dad and cousin and give them each their own basket. My cousin is on the Alzheimer's ward and the people there are in various stages of the disease. There are many ladies that love when we stop and chat and we decided we will bring the rest of the baskets to bless them with. So many of these elderly have no one to talk with or visit them. I am always saddened just a bit to leave, as I push through the door to the ward , I turn, and there they are looking at me from wheelchairs and waving goodbye.

 I will cut more daffodils in the morning and perhaps stop and pick up a bouquet of daisies to embellish the little baskets. Maybe I will be able to get a few pictures of these lovely women and share them with you.

Would you like to put together a simple basket and paper flowers? Here are some directions to help you.

Lorraine has a wonderful tutorial for paper flowers, they are in picturial  too!  The flowers in my photo were made from a book by Klutz I had. Those are available from Barnes & Noble or most craft stores.  I have made the flowers Lorraine did and have embellished many a package with them to the receiver's delight! You could glue a green pipe cleaner or even a twig onto it to make a stem for the flowers.  If you don't have time for making flowers then just buy a bouquet and divide them up between your cones.

May Day Basket Cones

Use a square piece of paper, preferbaly heavy weight. I have used scrapbooking sheets in the photo above. My friend LaVonne was discussing these on our Tasha group this week and she suggested using wallpaper sample books. I have also used these, but find the scrapbooking sheets easier. Cut your squares in 8x8's or 7x7's, really however small or large you want them. Scallop two sides of the paper with scissors and fold into a cone shape. Secure with a dab of glue, hot works best and is fast.  I punched 6 holes about 1/2 " inch apart around the rim and threaded ribbon through, leaving a 10" tail for tying a loop to hang the basket from. You don't have to punch holes all away around if you don't want to, just make sure you punch a hole in back to hang your ribbon. You can make them as fancy or as simple as you like.

Fill with flowers and bless someone!

***Stop by tomorrow for a lovely May Day giveaway!