Unique Easter Basket

What You’ll Need:

• newspapers
• ball of string or crochet thread
• plastic bag
• glue
• food coloring
• medium sized balloon
• plastic cup
• glitter
• scissors
• plastic grass
• decorations

How to Make It:

1. Cover your work area with newspapers.

2. Put the ball of string or crochet thread in the plastic bag. Pour in about 1/2 cup of glue, colored with food coloring, if you'd like. Seal or twist the bag closed. Knead the bag with your hand to cover the string with glue.

3. Blow up the balloon. Tie it closed.

4. Open the bag just enough to pull out the end of the string. Wrap the balloon with the string, pulling out more from the bag as you need it. Wrap in different directions and cross the string over itself. When you’ve used all the string (or you’re satisfied with how much you’ve wrapped the balloon), tuck the end under a string wrap, using extra glue if needed to hold it in place.

5. Set the string-covered balloon on top of a plastic cup to hold the balloon upright as it dries. Sprinkle it with glitter. Let it dry overnight.

6. When the glue has completely dried, pop the balloon. Pull out and throw away the balloon pieces.

7. Cut out an opening in the front of the egg and put plastic grass inside. Add jelly beans, figurines, or figures cut from old Easter cards. Decorate the outside of the string egg by gluing on fabric, ribbon, beads, or dried flowers. Or, instead, cut away the top sides of the egg to make a basket.

8. Tip: If the egg won’t stand upright, place it on a decorated ring cut from a cardboard cylinder or oatmeal container.