Homemade Easter Decorations

Craft Project: Easter Bunny Garland

This craft is a great idea to supplement your home decor for Easter.

Approximate Time: 60 mins.

Supplies:

• scrapbook papers
• die-cut and paper flowers
• buttons
• rickrack ribbons
• 1/4" satin ribbons
• pencil
• glue stick
• hot glue
• scissors

Instructions:

Use the bunny template to trace onto different scrapbook papers. Cut out each piece. Repeat the process for number of bunnies desired.

Use glue stick to adhere paper flowers and rickrack ribbons. Use a dot of hot glue to adhere buttons.

Glue paper bunnies onto 3/8" pink satin ribbon.

By Maricel from Fairfax, VA

"Quilted" Easter Eggs

This fun craft is ideal for your Easter decoration. It looks like a quilted egg, but really is fabric pushed into a Styrofoam egg. They can be hung on an Easter tree or anywhere in your home.

Approximate Time: about 40 minutes.

Supplies:

• Styrofoam eggs approx. 4x3 inches
• small print pastel fabric cut in assorted sizes (see photo)
• matching 1/4 inch wide ribbon about 1/2 yard
• 1 inch pearl headed pins
• a butter knife
• cool temp glue gun and stick

Instructions:

1. Using the butter knife poke each piece of fabric into the Styrofoam egg coming close to the edge of the fabric, but not too close. Tuck the edges in firmly.
2. Do this randomly all over the egg. This creates the "quilted" look.
3. When egg is completely covered stick a pearl pin in the center of each "quilt".
4. Using the ribbon, make loops, leaving one loop longer for hanging.
5. Hot glue the loops to the top of the egg centering so the longer loop is in the center.

I made 6 all of different pastel prints. Have fun.

By Janet from Long Island, NY

Easter Egg Curtain

Peter Rabbit will be delighted when he sees your windows on Easter morning and the youngsters will have a ball helping make this fun craft.

Approximate Time:

Supplies:

• fabric scraps
• double stiff Inter-Fuse
• iron
• thread or string
• scissors

Instructions:

1. Decide on an egg size and draw an egg pattern onto a piece of paper or cardboard and cut it out.

2. Inter-Fuse has a melting substance on both sides so all you have to do is make sandwiches with it in the middle and two fabrics on both sides.

3. Make sure your fabrics are right side out and fuse together. They don't have to be the same fabric; the fused pieces just need to be big enough to trace your egg pattern onto.

4. After you get your fabric and interfacing fused trace your egg pattern onto the fabric. Cut them out just inside your traced line.



5. Hang the curtain from a piece of thread from tacks in the window frame behind your blinds so when you pull the blinds or move them they won't hit your "egg curtain".

6. Put the string up over one tack, thread various lengths of knotted string over the main hanging string until you have enough to attach the eggs to.

7. Staple the eggs to the other end of the strings. After you get all of your eggs stapled on you can slide them up or down the string and they will hold. Double some up when you feel like it at various lengths.

8. Cut the extra string off at the bottom of the eggs and your "egg curtain" is ready for Peter Rabbit.

Why not make the shape of a rabbit or chick and slip onto one of the strings for fun. Let the kids help cut out the eggs, after all no two eggs are the same shape.

You could do the same thing with blown eggs and yarn of different colors, just tie a knot in the yarn on the bottom of the egg. A long needle made from wire will direct your yarn through the egg.

Craft Project: Easter Bonnet Wreath

Bits and pieces of inexpensive craft items can be used to create an eye-catching Easter wreath for your front door.

Approximate Time: 1 hour

Supplies:

• cardboard
• cellophane grass or shredded paper
• tacky glue and scissors
• craft foam
• colored plastic eggs
• crafting odds and ends, scraps of fabric trim scraps, pom poms, small bows, puff paint
• wide ribbon or a large bow
• piece of string or yarn

Instructions:

1. Draw and cut a wreath shape from cardboard. I used the side of a cardboard box. Spread glue over the surface of the wreath shape and press cellophane grass or shredded paper into the glue. The circle I started with to make the wreath measured 13 inches across, and I cut a 6 1/4 inch circle from the middle to make the hole.
2. Cut 3 inch circles from scraps of craft foam. I used decorative edging shears to cut these, but any scissors will work.
3. Glue half of a colored egg to the center of each circle to create your hat shape and decorate your hat shapes with craft odds and ends.
4. Glue the little hats around the surface of your wreath, leaving space for the bow.
5. Make a large ribbon bow and glue it to the wreath. I used 3 yards of wide, wired ribbon to make mine, but you can use what you have on hand or use a pre-made bow.
6. Make a loop from a piece of string or yarn and glue one end of the loop to the back of the wreath to make a hanger.

By Marie from West Dundee, IL

Craft Project: Easter Wreath

A cheery and easy wreath to welcome guests for Easter Sunday.

Approximate Time: 20 minutes

Supplies:

• 7 eggs
• Lifesavers
• spring fabric scraps
• spring pipe cleaners
• 3 feet of soft wire
• florist tape
• wire cutters
• cutouts for decorating eggs
• tacky glue
• decoupage

Instructions:

Carefully prick a hole about 1/8 inch across in both ends of the eggs. Wiggle a toothpick around inside the egg to break the yolk so it will blow out easily. Place one end of the egg over a bowl and blow on the other end to empty the raw egg. Run warm water into the egg and shake to clean the egg, another option is to add a teaspoon or so of white vinegar to clean the inside of the egg. Shake out all of the liquid and let dry overnight. Repeat with all eggs.

String the eggs on wire, I use aluminum wire, adding a Lifesaver in-between each egg. Twist the ends of the wire together forming a circle to hang your wreath with.

Cut three 6 inch pieces of wire and make a small circle in one end, lay these aside. With your scraps of fabric, roughly cut out six 4 inch circles, use pinking shears (if you have them). Layer two wrong sides together and push a 6 inch piece of your wire through the center. Gather the fabric around the wire and use your florist tape to secure the fabric, continue wrapping down the stem of wire. Repeat with all three "flowers."

Gather the flowers and wrap them together then with the base of your flowers close to the bottom of your twisted wire wrap your flowers around the wire at the top of your wreath. Bring the bottom of the stems down to the center of the wreath and wrap them separately around a pencil to curl.

I cut pictures from one of my fabrics and used decoupage to secure them to the eggs, but you could decorate them as you wish.

By LATRTATR from Loup City, NE

Craft Project: Felt And Ribbon Eggs

With some firm felt, paint, and ribbon, you can make multiple egg decorations all at the same time.

Approximate Time: 1 hour

Supplies:

• stiff felt in either pink, yellow, etc.
• Scribbles paint in pastel colors, but not the same as the felt
• pastel ribbon
• tacky glue
• scissors
• Options: small pastel buttons, hole punch, and pin backs

Instructions:

1. With the felt flat on the table, use an egg shape to trace them in a row.

2. IMPORTANT: Do the top of the egg for the first, then the bottom on the top, and mix and match them like that for the length of the row.
   What this does is makes every other egg the same and they don't all look alike.
3. DO NOT MAKE MY MISTAKE. I used felt markers to draw the lines, and it came through some of the yellow ribbon. If you are good with lines, you really don't even need them. If not, measure down the side of the felt and just go from one mark on the left to the same mark on the right.

4. Put some tacky glue on the lines, and put the ribbon down. Do all the ribbons at the same time. I used the tacky glue bottle like a rolling pin and that helped to get the ribbon down onto the felt.
5. When the ribbons are done, I turned the felt upside down and laid some books on it for about 15 minutes.
6. When the ribbon is set, get a good handle on the proper pressure on the glue. That is why I suggested buttons, as the paint can be tricky. If you are good at it, just make the dots across the open spaces between the ribbon.
7. They require about 30 minutes to dry. You can make a sample dot next to the egg shape so you can test that one.
8. You can do some fancy paint or button work on the ribbons, too. You can see that I did this on the yellow because the felt pen came through, even with two layers of yellow. Live and learn.
9. When all is dried, cut the shapes out and either use them like a hanger and use a hole punch to loop ribbon and hang from windows, or other high places. You can make them smaller and put pin backs on them, as well.

N-JOY!

Easter Egg Mosaic

These Easter eggs are very easy to make.

Supplies

All you need is:

• heavy piece of cardboard cut in the shape of an egg
• construction paper to cover the cardboard
• yarn to cover the outside edges of the egg and a small piece of yarn for the hanger on the back.
  I used yarn that was all different colors.
• eggshells rinsed out well with HOT water and dried, color them the same way as you color regular Easter eggs, with boiling water, vinegar, and food coloring (brown eggs work well, too). After coloring make sure to let them dry well

Directions:

1. Start by cutting out your cardboard in the shape of an egg.
2. Cover with a piece of construction paper. You could use hot glue or Elmer's. If you use Elmer's you have to let it dry before you glue on your eggshells.
3. Then hot glue on the yarn around the outside of the egg. You have to do a little at a time because the glue dries so quickly. Hot glue on the small piece of yarn to the back of your egg for the hanger.
4. Then you can make a design on the front of your egg. Smear a little Elmer's glue on the front of your egg and glue on the eggshells. You don't have to cover the egg entirely with the shells. Make sure to let some spaces in between the eggshells so it looks like mosaic tile.

If you want to keep some eggshells white it might be a good idea to boil your eggshells so you don't get sick.

Start saving your eggshells now so you can make these before Easter!

By luv2craft from Normalville, PA

Craft Project: Easter Bunny Fabric Wind Sock

Create a cute bunny windsock for your outside trees or porch to twirl in the breeze.

Approximate Time: 20-30 minutes

Supplies:

• fabric strips various lengths that are 2-3 inches wide (cotton is best)
• thick polyester batting fabric (like a polyester blanket made from any color)
• sewing machine
• polyfill fiber
• scissors
• ribbon for hanging
• fabric glue (for eyes with buttons for no sew)
• embellishments for bunnies face such as buttons, ribbons, etc.

Instructions:

1. Cut out an oval face and bunny ears from the polyester thick fabric you will need one each of the ears and 2 for the face. I buy polyester blankets at Wal-Mart for $5 in any color as my thick polyester fabric for his face and ears. I use that blanket time and again for all my craft needs where a thick stable but soft batting is needed.

2. Place your bunny ears slightly inside the bunny top head sandwiching the ears inside the 2 face pieces. Now stitch around the complete face circle, but leave a bottom section open to fill with polyfill fiber. Do not fill at this time, but still leave open for now. Also stitch around the bunny's ears outer edge as detail. I used a pretty dark pink thread and gave it a zigzag stitch.

3. Now cut strips of cotton fabric into 2-3 inch wide pieces at different lengths. You can leave these with raw selvage edges, but I like to serger stitch around my outer edges and taper my ends off at a point on the ends. But you can leave straight across if you like on the bottoms of each strip. I like my strips to be different sizes you can have them all one length if you desire, but I like mine to have both shorter and longer lengths so it looks like he has shoulders and a bit of a collar. I used a combination of solid colors and a cute bunny print as well for my strips.

4. Place your strips (I used 9 strips) slightly inside the bunny's bottom chin where you still have your opening. The head has already been filled with polyfill fiber. Turn your strips facing each other on both the front and back sides (so you see just the right sides of the fabric strips). Now after you have slightly placed your strips in a bunch up into the bunny's bottom face, sew up that opening on your machine with whatever stitch you prefer.
5. Now take a very long piece of ribbon and loop it and sew it onto the back top center ear section of the bunny's head. This will be your hanger for the tree limb or nail hook outside so it can twirl.
6. Add any facial expressions to your bunny on one or both sides, using any number of embellishments like buttons, ribbons, etc.
7. The reason I told you to stitch the bunny's outer ears is because it gives them added strength to hold up and not flop so much. You can also sew on pipe cleaners to the ears to give even more stability and beauty.
8. I used fabric glue to put on my eyes and nose so the damp weather or hot sun will not let them loosen like hot glue will. That way I can wash it too as needed.

Hang up, watch it twirl and enjoy.

By Julie from TN

My Easter Bonnet (Spring Decor)

This craft makes a lovely Easter and spring decoration for your front door.

Items you will need:

• 1 12 inch or whatever size you choose to work with, straw hat. Some have a rippled edging, or just round.
• choose the arrangement and color of silk flowers you want to decorate with
  Also, dried flowers are nice to work with.
• wide 2 1/2 inch ribbon for bow and decorating around the inner part of hat
  At least 3 feet.
• decoupage glue, or craft glue, one that dries clear
• package of decorated napkins, flowers or bright colors are nice
  Whatever you decide for decorating.
• a hot glue gun and refills of glue sticks

Instructions:

Start by pulling the layers of the napkins apart, usually two-ply. Cut up napkins into 4x4 inch squares. Layer your glue all over the outside rim of the hat, a good covering of glue. Place the napkins, print side up, in all different overlappings, until the entire brim is covered. Let this dry completely for a few hours.

While this is drying, you can be choosing what flowers you will decorate with. Decide what combination goes best, greens look very real. Silk baby's breath is nice to work with also. Cut the stems of each flower with only 3-4 inches of stem remaining.

When the hat is dry, go over the top of the napkins gently, using your finger tips, with another layer of glue until completely covered.

When this dries clear, the flowered napkins will show through beautifully. It leaves a lovely shine on the finish of the hat.

Now bend up one side only on the hat, bending it toward the round bump of the head of the hat, and staple it down in the center.

This gives you a pocket on each side of the hat to stuff with flowers.

Now, to decorate your hat, decide by practicing where all the flowers are to be. Then hot glue the stem of each flower individually, and stick it through the opening. Keep filling with flowers until your bonnet is filled to your desire.

The last thing I do, is measure the circumference of the head of the hat and cut a piece of ribbon and hot glue it around for the hat band.

Finally, make a bow, by just looping your ribbon over and over. When you're done, using thin wire, twist the wire around the center of the bow. Make sure you leave enough for the bow to trail. Cut each end of the trailing ribbon in a triangular fashion. Attach your bow to the middle of your bonnet. It makes a lovely Easter and spring decoration for your front door. Again, this sounds like a lot, but it takes as long for me to describe this as it does to actually make one! Enjoy!

~Happy spring to all~

Hugs,
By Jackie from Norton, MA

Craft Project: Jelly Bean Chicks

Create these cute chicks to hold jelly beans or other Easter candy. Give as gifts or add to your child's Easter basket.

Approximate Time: About 30 minutes

Supplies:

• 1/3 cup jelly beans or other candy
• plastic sandwich bag
• large yellow pom pom
• yellow craft foam
• wiggly eyes
• orange felt or craft foam
• chenille stem
• small pom poms
• craft glue
• scissors

Instructions:

1. Pour candy into sandwich bag. Gather candy (jelly beans work best) into one corner of the bag and twist chenille stem snugly around the bag.
2. Trim the top of the bag, above the chenille stem, to about 1/2 inch. Fan out the top of the bag and glue large yellow pom pom inside the fanned out top.
3. Cut 3 hearts from yellow foam. Glue 2 to bottom of bag for the feet.
4. Cut the third heart in half to form the chick's wings. Glue these to the sides of the bag (rounded side facing upward).
5. Glue wiggly eyes to front of pom pom head.
6. Cut a small triangle from orange felt or foam and glue just below eyes.
7. Using scissors, trim the chenille stem to about 2-3 inches each. Fold each side of the chenille stem in toward the center to resemble a bow tie. Glue small pom pom to center of bow tie.

By Rachel's Mom from Wilkesboro, NC

Easter Gingerbread House

We have always made gingerbread houses at Christmas time. I've had so much fun making them over the years that I decided to carry it over to Easter. Here is my first creation, the house of Mr. Easter Bunny himself.

By Jan Lee from L.I. NY

Easter Bunny from a Washcloth

This is a fairly easy craft to do this weekend, just in time for Easter. My niece showed me the one she had made and it was darling! A washcloth bunny.

You take a plain white washcloth and twist it, then form a "doughnut" shape. Keep two corners of the wash cloth free for "ears."

When you have the doughnut shape you want, take a rubber band and bind it tightly where the two ends of the washcloth meet.

Pull out the "free" corners of the washcloth so they stick out like ears. You're ready for the fun parts now.

Hot glue a cotton ball "tail" on the back, two googly eyes on the front, and then a pink pom pom below the eyes for a nose. In the middle of the doughnut shaped washcloth, you can stick one of those little paper "nut cups" and put some jelly beans in.

Now you can give it to a neighbor for Easter. I hope my directions were clear enough. Happy Easter!

By Stacey from Orem, UT

Craft: Shiny Glam Easter Eggs

Plastic eggs made glam!

Approximate Time: 30 minutes

Supplies

• plastic Easter eggs
• crystal beads
• hot glue and gun

Instructions

Take plastic eggs and glue on crystal beads. Let dry, put in basket and enjoy.

By Sandy from Bluff City, TN

Craft Project: Egg Dioramas

These are adorable hanging above a table from a light fixture. They are eggs with tiny scenes inside.

Approximate Time: a couple days, for drying time

Supplies:

• Jumbo eggs
• Dye
• Shellac
• Sponge brush for shellac (unless spray-on variety is used)
• Moss
• Figurines
• Faceted and pony beads
• Fake flowers
• Ribbon
• Tiny flowers or pearls
• Hot glue gun
• Needlenose pliers
• Cuticle scissors
• Sharp scissors

Instructions:

1. Using real jumbo eggs, make a hole in the side with cuticle scissors, and drain the egg and let it dry.

2. Dye them and let dry.

3. Shellac, and let dry.

4. Place moss inside, and a cute figurine.

5. Decorate the edges of the hole with faceted beads or a pearl string and add poms and pony beads to the top and bottom.

6. Add flowers bows and a hanger.

By Lily from Elkhart, IN

Craft Project: Fabric Covered Easter Eggs

Fill a basket with these easy and pretty fabric-covered foam eggs.

Approximate Time: 2 hours

Supplies:

• a dozen 2 and 3/4 inch foam eggs
• lightweight cotton or cotton-blend fabrics (1/2 yard will do 12 eggs)
• narrow satin ribbon (12 inch per egg or 4 yards for a dozen eggs)
• 24 flat-headed straight pins
• white craft glue
• scissors

Instructions:

Cut fabric into half-inch wide strips. Vary the fabrics on each egg for an interesting look. Mix solids and prints as desired.

Choose your first fabric strip, apply a dot of glue to one end, and place it at the thick end of a foam egg. Pin it in place, right through the glued end. Wrap the strip long-ways around the egg several times, leaving blank spaces for another fabric. Continue wrapping vertically until you reach the end of the fabric strip. Glue in place at top of egg and cut off excess.

Repeat with a second fabric strip, and then a third. You will need about three 30 inch strips for each egg.

Make a figure-eight bow out of a 12 inch piece of ribbon and pin it into the egg where all the fabric strips ended.

Pile eggs in a basket or attach a ribbon loop and hang on an Easter tree.

By Patty from northwest PA

Craft Project: Eggshell Mosaic Easter Eggs

If you're looking for a fun craft that all the family can do at Easter, then why not try decorating some eggs with eggshell mosaic. All you need to do is to save some eggshells after cooking, paint them and break the segments into lots of little pieces to make your mosaic designs. Arrange your finished eggs to display in your home or give away as presents to family and friends.

Approximate Time: 30 minutes plus drying time

Supplies:

• eggs - plastic or wood
• clean eggshells
• acrylic paints
• a paintbrush
• non-toxic PVA glue

Instructions:

Firstly, paint an egg in a colour(s) of your choice. Use the paint fairly thickly, as if it is too thin, it will run on the round surface of the egg. It is also a good idea to paint your egg in stages to allow part of it to dry; this way you can hold it without putting your fingers on the wet painted part. Note: some craft stores sell egg-holders that hold an egg.

Wash a selection of eggshell segments in lukewarm soapy water. Let dry. Paint the inside of the pieces - the white membrane will hold the colour better than the porous outer shell. Leave the shells to dry thoroughly. Then, break the segments into pieces and start to glue each one on to your painted egg. How you design the mosaic is up to you - a central band of shells, cover half the egg or even decorate the whole, top and bottom. For children, a nice idea is to get them to draw their first name in pencil on the egg and stick shells to follow the individual letters; they will end up with their own personalised mosaic Easter egg.

To finish, place your mosaic eggs in a basket to decorate a room for the Easter festival, or put each egg in an eggcup and gift-wrap for a special Easter treat. Have fun!

By Anne from Cheshire, UK

Craft: Ribbon Ties Easter Wreath

An easy way to decorate your grapevine wreaths for Easter are just to run a ribbon through it's vines and then just use plastic eggs and sandwich the ribbon between the egg and close (no glue needed). Add silk flowers and then choose two colors of ribbon, cut in 12 inch strips, and tie and knot off all over the wreath and let dangle. Fast, pretty look and no use of glue. Happy Easter!

By Julie from Greeneville, TN

Glitter Eggs

This is a quick and easy project you can make using bits and pieces of items you probably already have around the house. You can finish several, as described below, and hang them on a tree, or finish several without ribbons and flowers and use them to add to a table centerpiece or fill a bowl to set out as decoration.

Crafting Time: 20 - 30 minutes

What You Need:

• two or three ply decorative table napkins
• plastic eggs
• scissors
• white glue
• paint brush
• crystal glitter
• ribbon (optional)
• small silk flowers (optional)

Directions:

1. Pull the sheets (layers) of a napkin apart. You will use only the decorative sheet. Cut this sheet into small squares.
2. Use a brush to spread white glue over the surface of an egg, one section at a time. Lay the napkin squares onto the glue. Brush additional glue over the napkin squares to seal them onto the egg. Allow the glue to dry.
3. Brush white glue over the surface of the egg once again. This time, sprinkle crystal glitter over the glue. Allow the egg to dry again.
4. If desired, glue a ribbon loop and a few small silk flowers to one end of the egg.

By Marie from West Dundee, IL

Craft Project: Bunny Bag

This cute bunny bag can be used as a gift bag or table decor. Very inexpensive and easy to make!

Approximate Time: 30 minutes

Supplies:

• white lunch bag
• sheet of white paper
• pink marker
• pink pom pom or cotton ball 2 chenille stems
• 2 wiggly eyes or acrylic jewels
• 1/2 yard wired ribbon
• black marker
• floral wire
• scissors
• hot glue gun and glue sticks

Instructions:

1. Fringe top of bag by making 2 inch long cuts about every 1/4 inch along top edge of flattened bag.
2. Draw bunny teeth using black marker and white paper.
3. Cut 2 round cheeks from white paper and color with pink marker.
4. Glue teeth to center of bag about 3 inches from bottom.
5. For whiskers, cut each chenille stem into three 4-inch pieces. Glue in place just above teeth.
6. Glue large pom-pom or pink cotton swab on top of chenille stems.
7. Glue cheeks to bag.
8. For eyes, glue wiggly eyes or jewels to bag above nose.

If using as a gift bag, place gift in bag. If using as table decor, stuff bag with crumpled paper.

9. Twist top of bag closed; secure with wire just below fringe. Tie ribbon into a bow around bag, covering wire; trim ends.
10. Cut two ears from white paper and curl ends using blade of scissors. Glue each ear to each side of bag at fold.

By Mom of 1 from Wilkesboro, NC

Craft Project: Cute Bunny Magnet

My daughter created this cute little bunny magnet in no time. It would also be cute to wear as a pin. Simply glue a pin back to the back of the bunny's head instead of the magnetic strip.

Approximate Time: Less than 30 minutes

Supplies:

• white craft foam
• pink craft foam
• wiggly eyes
• small pink pom pom
• black marker
• piece of magnetic strip
• craft glue

Instructions:

Cut a 2-inch circle and 2 ears from the white craft foam. Cut 2 inner ears from the pink foam. Glue the inner ears to the white ears, then glue both ears to the head. Glue on wiggly eyes and a pom pom nose. Draw on a cute mouth. Glue a piece of magnetic strip to the back.

By Rachel's Mom from Wilkesboro, NC

Craft Project: Fabric Easter Corsage

A quick gift for that special teacher, aunt, or grandmother.

Approximate Time: 30 minutes

Supplies:

• six 4 inch circles of spring fabric
• three 6 inch pieces of heavy florist wire
• florist tape
• hot glue
• ribbon
• pipe cleaner

Instructions:

You will need to make three fabric flowers; each uses two pieces of fabric and one piece of wire.

Put a small coil in one end of your wire then push the other end through your fabric circles wrong sides together. Gather them around the coil and using the florist tape secure them as you wind the tape down the wire. Repeat with all three wires, using two fabric circles for each. You could purchase ready-made stamens to glue in the centers or take pipe cleaner and make a coil to glue in the center. You could also purchase leaves, I cut mine from fabric and glued them in.

Now lay the three together one just higher than the next. Wrap the wires around each other so they hold together. Make a bow of ribbon or strip of coordinating ribbon and tie it just below the flowers. Curl the ends of the wire around a pencil, add two corsage pins in the back and you have an Easter gift ready to go.

By LATRTATR from Loup City, NE

Bunny Plant Poke

Create a cute bunny from a wooden spoon and insert it into a plant or bouquet of flowers at Easter.

Approximate Time: about 30 minutes

Supplies:

• wooden spoon
• white and pink acrylic paint
• foam brush or paint brush
• small tip paint brush
• pencil
• fine point black marker
• white chenille stem
• scissors
• ribbon scraps
• hot glue gun and glue sticks
• toothpick

Instructions:

1. Paint wooden spoon with white acrylic paint and allow to dry.

2. On the back side of the spoon, use a pencil to draw the bunny's face. I drew a small heart for the nose.

3. Then use a fine point marker and draw over the pencil lines for the face except for the nose.

4. Paint the nose pink and allow to dry. Use a toothpick and small amount of white acrylic paint to add a dot to each eye for highlights.

5. Cut a chenille stem in half, then cut one of the halves into two pieces. Save the other half for another project. Bend each of the two pieces to create bunny ears and glue to the back of the bunny's head.

6. Tie a small bow from a ribbon scrap and glue just below one ear. Use another small piece of ribbon to tie around the spoon handle (the bunny's neck).

7. Place bunny into a plant or vase of flowers.

By Rachel's Mom from Wilkesboro, NC

Craft: Bunny Hat Decoration

These bunny hats make cute door decorations for your home or office and can be assembled fairly quickly after the straw hat is painted. Instructions are for the white hat, but you can create a tan bunny by using tan spray paint, tan craft foam and brown chenille stems. The tan ones show up better on white or off-white doors.

Approximate Time 45 minutes

Supplies:

• white spray paint
• 10 or 14" straw hat
• white craft foam
• pink craft foam
• 1 inch pink pom-pom
• 2 white pom-poms or cotton balls
• 2 wiggle eyes
• 3 white chenille stems
• spring silk flowers
• spring ribbon
• wire
• hot glue gun and glue sticks
• scissors

Instructions:

In a well-ventilated area (or outside), spray paint hat with white spray paint. Allow to dry completely. Repeat with several more light coats until hat is completely covered. To make ears, cut two large pieces of white craft foam in the shape of ears. Then cut two smaller ears from the pink craft foam and glue to center of white ears. Glue ears to top, back side of hat. For whiskers, glue white chenille stems across center of hat. Once glue is dry, slightly bend chenille stems downward. For cheeks, glue white pom-poms or cotton balls to center of hat, covering the chenille stems. Glue small pink pom-pom (or pink cotton ball which can usually be found around Easter time) just above center of cheeks for nose. Glue wiggle eyes in place. Glue silk flowers to top of hat. Using ribbon and wire, make a multi-loop bow and glue to bottom center of hat.

By Mom of 1 from Wilkesboro, NC

Bunny Straw Hat Decoration

Here's an easy Easter decoration. A straw hat decorated to look like a bunny.

Materials Needed:

• straw hat any size
• foam - pink and white
• 2 cotton balls or white pompoms
• 1 pink pom pom
• wiggly eyes
• ribbon
• hot glue and gun

Directions:

Cut 2 bunny ears from white foam. Then cut 2 smaller pink ones and glue inside the white ones as in picture. Glue onto hat. Glue on wiggly eyes and pom poms as in picture

Fold ribbon and glue onto back of hat to hang up. If you want you can use small hats they are really cute and you can paint the hat white if you like.

By Sandy from Bluff City, Tn.

Craft: Bunny Pot

This is a oops bunny that got stuck in a flower pot hiding the eggs. I used a 4 inch flower pot, a 4 inch Styrofoam ball and a Styrofoam egg, with craft foam for the feet pads.

Paint your flower pot. Glue the ball into it. Cut the egg in half and glue on for feet. Glue on the feet pads and pom pom tail.

By craftmomo from San Marcos

Craft Project: Towel Easter Bunny

It's time to get our Easter decorations out! Here is an easy bunny to make with your children or grandchildren.

Approximate Time Half hour

Supplies:

• One Washcloth
• Wiggle eyes
• 2 pom poms
• two rubber bands or
• some thread

Instructions:

Step 1: Lay washcloth like a diamond.

Step 2: Roll each half to the center making sure the "fuzzy" side of the washcloth is going to be on the outside.

Step 3: Bring both rolls together like a stack.

Step 4: Apply rubber band or thread with enough room to ensure a plastic egg will fit in.

Step 5: Apply rubberband or thread with enough room to make the face. You will want to make sure what is left makes cute ears.

Step 6: Hot glue pom pom to back for tail and one to face for nose. Add the wiggle eyes and pop the plastic egg in place.

Enjoy!

By Tedebear from San Jose CA

Egg Flowers

Turn your plastic eggs into blooms. Create several for a unique table centerpiece.

Approximate Time: About 30 minutes

Supplies:

• cardboard tube
• green craft foam
• assorted colors of craft foam
• hot glue gun and glue sticks
• pencil
• scissors
• plastic eggs
• plastic sandwich bags
• uncooked rice or beans

Instructions:

1. For each flower, draw and cut two flower shapes from two different colors of craft foam. I used pink and purple. (The flower designs are approximately 6 inches in diameter.) You can search the Internet for flower patterns and enlarge them as necessary.

2. Trace the end of the cardboard tube onto the center of each flower, then cut out the circle.
3. To make the flower stem, cut a piece of green craft foam to fit around cardboard tube. Glue green foam to tube.
4. Push the foam covered stem through the holes in the foam petals, as shown in photo.
5. Glue an egg in place for the flower center.
6. For added stability, you can place a sealed sandwich bag of uncooked rice or beans inside the stem to anchor it.

By Rachel's Mom from Wilkesboro, NC

Yo Yo Chicks and Bunnies

These little creatures will bring delight to an Easter basket or table decoration. They are made of fabric circles called yo yo's. I just added some pom poms, jiggle eyes, etc. It was a fun project.

Approximate Time: each one took about 30 minutes.

Supplies:

For Chick:

• small yellow print cotton fabric
• 1 1/2 inch yellow pom pom white for bunny
• piece of orange foam sheet
• 2 tiny black beads
• 8 inch narrow yellow ribbon
• needle and thread
• low temp glue gun and sticks
• compass
• cardboard

For Bunny:

• white cotton fabric
• piece of white foam sheet
• two small jiggle eyes
• small pink pom pom
• 2 small white pom poms
• piece of bumpy white chenille pipe cleaner
• 8 inch narrow pastel ribbon
• small wooden or plastic painted egg
• needle and thread
• low temp glue gun and sticks
• compass
• cardboard

Instructions:

1. With a compass, make circles on cardboard of the following sizes in inches: 6 1/2, 6, 5 1/2, 5.
2. Cut circles out and use as templates on fabric cutting one circle of 6 1/2 inches, 2 circles of 6 and 5 1/2 inches, and one of 5 inches. You will have 6 circles.

3. Sew each circle about 1/4 inch around the edge with a basting stitch, pull up, and gather thus forming a yo yo. Tack thread in the middle to secure gathering. Do this with all circles.

4. Now starting with the 6 1/2 inch yo yo in the middle, stack the other circles over and under the big yo yo (gathered side up) ending with a 5 1/2 inch yo yo on the bottom and the 5 inch yo yo on top. Run a double thread up through the center of the yo yo stack and secure.
5. Now you are ready to assemble the chick or bunny. Using the photo as a guide assemble the head using the 1 1/2 inch pom pom.
6. Glue eyes in place and add a diamond shape beak and jagged feet cut from orange foam sheet or white feet for the bunny. Glue the small pink pom pom for the bunny nose. Attach pipe cleaner ears to top of bunny head. Attach head to the top yo yo with glue. Attach small white pom poms for bunny arms and attach painted egg. Tie bows around neck.


By Jan Lee from L.I. NY