Wednesday, April 6, 2011

 Picnic Easter Baskets

I was at Target the other day… childless!  It was awesome!  I actually had a minute to browse without yelling various threats at my son.  I think I even caught myself skipping now and again. 
So this is what I came home with…
Kitchen towels, melamine salad plates, a pack of 4 cloth napkins and placemats… that all match!
And this is what I made with all of it…
Last year for Easter instead of getting regular baskets for easter I bought my girls baskets to go on their bikes.  
At the time I had high hopes of making cute basket liners but ran out of time.  
So this year, after my Target treasure hunt, they became not only fabulous bike baskets, but picnic baskets as well!  They will be so thrilled to pack up a little picnic in their basket and ride down to the park.
    I can't wait until easter! 
I'm so excited to strap these onto their bikes!  
I turned the placemats I found into picnic caddy's.
They are a piece of cake to make!  Here's how…
Press your placemat,  then fold one end up… you can pick how high you'd like to go.  Press again.

Now I can't leave it as is… I had to add a little eyelet trim (I adore eyelet).  Simply cut a piece a bit longer than the width of your placemat.  You want to attach it along the top of your folded edge.  Wrap the trim around the corner, tuck it in a bit to keep the raw edge from showing.  Pin… and then pin it all along the top of the fold.  Then wrap it around the next corner the same way and pin again.  Sew it on.
Now to add a ribbon, this will tie your caddy together.  Cut a long piece of ribbon.  Fold it in half.  Decide where you'd like it to go (I recommend middleish) and pin.  
Now you'll sew around the entire lower fold of your placemat.  Start by lifting the trim up, so you start sewing underneath it.  But also make sure where it wraps around stays tucked under your fold, sandwiched between the top and bottom folds of your placemat.  
Sew all along the bottom fold.  Finished it will look like this…
Right now it's just one big pocket.  Now to make little compartments for each of your picnic necessities. 
Lay them out on your placemat in the order you'd like them in.  
I'm using a... 
*Napkin
*Straw
*Small Garbage Bag 
(I know, it sounds random, but I just had these visions of my girls coming home from a picnic and leaving a half eaten sandwich, orange peels, chocolate bars etc... in the bottom of their bike basket to mold and rot in the hot garage.  I'd at least like to have it in a garbage or plastic baggie). 
*Flatware
(I got these darling disposable forks and spoons from Amazon.  I didn't get the knives, but now I think I'm going to snag some).
After laying them out you'll want to make marks on our placemat to determine how big each compartment will be.  Using a tape measure, determine how big of a space you need for the napkin.  For me it was 5.5 inches.  (Then I placed a pin… don't do this.  I realized after doing this it was silly… because I'd have a tough time sewing through pins going lengthwise).  Instead make a mark.  I just used a pencil.  Make a few marks of your desired length (again 5.5 for me) over from the edge down the front.  Then I repeated the process with the straw and the trash bag.  
Then with the remaining space make three compartments for the flatware.  Measure what space is left, divided it by three to make these compartments even steven.  Then make marks accordingly.  So at the end it should look like this…
(The marks are light… but they are there). 
Then pin your trim up and out of the way.
Then simply sew along each line of marks.
Your end product will look like this.  
Then fill your caddy with your picnic essentials.
Roll it up, tie the ribbon around, make a bow.  Trim the ribbon down to the length you are happy with and add fray check to the edges.
And you are done!
You could add some cute picnic stuff to the basket for easter.  Sunglasses, sunhat, sandwich holder, fabric lunch bag, water bottle, sunscreen.  For younger kids felt food would be darling for pretend picnics!  If you go to etsy and search for felt food, you will find a bunch of yummy collections.  If you are feeling super ambitious and want to make your own, do your search for felt food patterns.  There are some seriously out of control oh-so-cute options!  Another ambitious project would be a picnic blanket.  
Simply Adorbs!


The fabulous Lindi from Love The Day has designed absolutely gorgeous easter printables.  And they would sooooo match these baskets.  Check her blog out here



LOVE THE DAY and find her printable here…  Easter Party Printables. 

56 comments:

  1. WHAT? YOUR FABULOUSNESS is ridonkulous. really. it hurts my brain to think of how creative you are. :)

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  2. You are the MOST clever ever... Love this!

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  3. Oh my gosh, these are the CUTEST things I have EVER seen! Why oh, why can't there be a Target HEEEERE!

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  4. Those baskets are the cutest things I have ever ever ever seen!
    LOVE them!
    xo
    Following your blog...big time!
    I'm learning to SEW! xo

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  5. Hi ANj!
    When I popped over I totally did not even know this was you!
    Of course I had to follow the pics on FBook of those adorable baskets with the RUFFLES!!!!!!!!
    Of course YOU would be the one making these!
    Everything you make is so ADORABLE!
    LOVE your style!
    Hugs!
    xo

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  6. SO SO SO adorable! :) What a great gift! Thanks for sharing!

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  7. Genial y bonito! gracias por enseñarnos ha hacerlo.

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  8. Those are gorgeous! So beautiful. :)

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  9. Anj, you never cease to amaze me. Your girls are so very lucky.

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  10. So cute! Very nice-- I am pinning them on Pinterest. You're getting to be a regular on my Pinterest boards. :)

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  11. how cute! totally makes me wish i lived in riding distance of some place to picnic! thanks for sharing! :)

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  12. I watched your video on create. Loved it! You are such a talented lady. I wish you lived next door to me.

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  13. So, I was going through my reader,and thought this was the cutest thing. I looked to see who did it, and of course it was you! How DARLING! I love this. Your girls are so lucky!

    <3

    Risa

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  14. WOW! Found your blog through Stephanie Howell's blog and man...she wasn't kidding...you are amazing! Love this idea!!

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  15. oh wow! how adorable!!! you inspire me!

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  16. I was going to say that this was the cutest thing I have ever seen...and then I saw your girls lemonade stand. I have decided everything you do is the cutest thing ever!

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  17. I saw these on pinterest and had to come check it out. They are Dah-rling {ok so I can't type with and accent. Love the basket liners too!

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  18. This is too precious! And that they strap to the bikes! How cool! AHHH! I'm floored by your creativity! Those are fabulous!

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  19. Hi, Anj! I liked veru much this post and I'll try to make one like this. Then (depends the result...rsrsr...) I tell you.Kiss: Carol
    www.blogcarolcarneiro.blogspot.com

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  20. What a fabulous Easter idea. Forget the chocolate, I want a fancy picnic basket...and one that can attach to my beach cruiser no doubt.

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  21. This is fabulous!!
    http://www.lovelycraftyhome.com

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  22. Oh my goodness! Who are you??? You are ridiculously fabulous! Definitely a new follower! And I think I'll spend the next hour or so just searching your blog!

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  23. Anonymous4/10/2011

    Such cute baskets! Thank you for showing us how to make that cute silverware carrier

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  24. I adore this idea. So cute!!!

    I shared it on my TT&J facebook page and stumbled it :)

    xoxox
    Jen

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  25. Of course you just quickly came up with this! So amazing! Where did you find those baskets? Holly would LOVE that for her bike. You surviving with all you have to get done every day?

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  26. That is the cutest thing ever! Love the baskets!

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  27. Love these! Thanks for sharing such a cuuuute idea! And thank you for stopping by my blog to say hello!

    Hana
    the MomTog Diaries

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  28. Those are sooo stinkin' CUTE!!! Such a good idea to use placemats and cloth napkins! I think I'm going to have to go check out Target now :) Great JoB! :)

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  29. Wow! So cute and useful! I love it...the colors make me want Spring to really come to my neck of the woods even faster!

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  30. LOVE THIS so much, I kind of want to go to Target now...okay when do I not want to do go Target. Sigh, I have napping babies.

    BUT seriously this is on my to do list now!

    Just Another Day in Paradise

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  31. I must share this with my readers this week! Anj, I just have to say your blog is FABULOUS!!

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  32. Wow your baskets are so cute! I love the fabrics you chose, adorable

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  33. Super cute! Now I want one!LOL

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  34. Nice to meet ya via blog land. I am going to share you and your idea on my craft blog with my readers. Love this! Thanks, Theresa

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  35. Anonymous4/14/2011

    New Follower! LOVE the easter baskets. I'm gonna have to make me one of these for my daughter!!

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  36. New FOllower!!! LOVE this! Wish I had a Target! :(
    Any chance you have a tutorial for the baskets too?? :D

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  37. I'm loving everything on your blog :) It is beautiful! I am wondering if I can share/feature some of your projects to share w/ my readers in my "what the cuteness- round up"
    So glad I found you :)

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  38. That is so cute. Love the idea. I get sick of filling a basket with useless little trinkets or toys that last a day (because I secretly toss them and pretend they just got lost in the sea of other useless trinkets scattered about)!

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  39. I have to say that your awesomeness is reaching ridiculous proportions here Anj. ;) I LOVE these!!! They are so fun and flirty!
    I featured them today in my Crush of the Week post! http://bit.ly/fDzze8

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  40. I linked over to this from Ucreate and this totally made me hit the follow button! This is just easy enough for someone with little talent like me to be able to do and amazing enough to awe anyone who sees it! Can't wait to make one! Thank you for sharing your genious

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  41. These are FABULOUS!! I've been sewing lots of fold-up pocket-y organizer things, but this is something new. LOVE this idea!!!
    craft-interrupted.blogspot.com

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  42. gosh, this is such a great project. i don't know if my sewing skills are up to it but i think these are so useful!

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  43. You've done it again Darlin'! Love you to bits and pieces.

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  44. I love this project.....i just bought a cute picnic basket at walmart and i painted it a really pretty sea glass blue color....i'm off to find placemats to match!!! thank you so much for the inspiration....

    hugs, cindy

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  45. Lovelyy!! Thank you for sharing!

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  46. cutest baskets ever! Thanks for the inspiration.

    Taylor
    www.maryjanesandgaloshes.com

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  47. Hello,
    I don´t understand English very well... I´m sorry!
    I would like to offer an award in appreciation for your tutorials and wish you beautiful things in the experiences you are living. Greetings, Rosa
    http://mininyabonita.blogspot.com/2011/05/6-premio.html

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  48. LOVE! My daughters and I love to go on picnics and this is the perfect tutorial to girly up our baskets. Thank you for sharing!

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  49. Wow I love this! Now google following, please pop by, Karima x
    www.karimascrafts.com

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  50. You are amazing! I'm so glad I found your blog! I think I'm in love with you, ha ha. You are so creative. Thanks for all the tutorials! My daughters will love all these new, beautiful crafts I'm going to make. Thanks for sharing your amazingness!!!

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  51. This is so adorable, showed my 12 year old daughter (she's the true crafty one in our house) and she started making comments like, that'd be great for holding pencils and other school supplies, or how about as an apron...so needless to say, I'll be off looking for so cute placemats this week! Thanks for sharing!

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  52. Hello Anj, I like this idea so much that I posted it in my blog. If you would like to take a peak the link is http://catarinaregina.blogspot.com/2012/01/piquenique-com-estilo-thats-so-cute.html

    Wishing you a wonderful Sunday.

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  53. I'm gonna link one of your pictures in by post next Thursday for a Polka-dots-blog-hop.
    Have a blessed Sunday!
    Love from Italy
    CK

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  54. SELL THEM!!! So we can buy one :)

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