Marilyn Gossett Designs: A Tisket, A Tasket, A Smoothfoam Easter Basket! It is also a Bonnet!

Easter is just around the corner! Remember dressing up for church and putting on your Sunday best? My mom used to wear hats to church, especially on special days. I always looked forward to a new Spring dress and patent leather shoes. I grew up in the 50's and 60's. Those days are now considered to be "vintage" to the younger generations.

Smoothfoam has added some half spheres to their line. Our designers were having fun with them at the CHA Tradeshow, putting them on their heads and dreaming about the glorious head gear they could create. Thus came our Easter Bonnets on Parade Blog Hop!

My daughter Lauren is an aesthetician. When she was in school, she got a mannequin head. The mannequin started out as a girl....then after a time got a hair cut and a mustache. The mannequin is now known as "Marv", and has graced the top of her Christmas tree adorned with all cat decorations.....well, I digress......

Here is a little addition to Marv's bonnet. A clue of what is to come. First, let me take you through some steps it took to create this lovely bonnet.

I gathered the following supplies:

One 6" x 1" thick Smoothfoam disc
One 8" Smoothfoam hollow dome
DecoArt Americana Paints: Khaki Tan, Olive Green
Paintbrush
Paper flowers, die cut or purchased (1/2" - 1-1/2")
Scalloped die-cut paper circles, 1-3/4" (paper punch or die-cut machine)
one yard pink Rosette Trim *Optional
Wooden skewers
Disposable plastic containers, paper plates
Glue gun

Directions:

1. Paint the inside of the dome Khaki Tan using the skewer for a handle. Paint the entire disk the same color. Let dry.

2. Paint the outside of the dome Olive Green. Let dry.

3. Place a dollop of glue in the middle of the disk. Center and adhere the bottom of the sphere to the disk. Push a skewer through both. trim the excess skewer (above the Smoothfoam).

4. Glue the flowers to the outside, top rim of the sphere. I adhered three flowers at a time and then filled in the spots that needed it. The largest flower had a green scalloped circle glued to the back.

5. Invert the sphere (like a hat), and adhere the scalloped circles all around the sides of the Smoothfoam disk, slightly overlapping the side edges. Turn upright (like a basket) and adhere the paper flowers around the bottom edges as shown in the photo given.

6. *Optional: Adhere the rosebud trim to the top of the open sphere. Adhere around middle of the scalloped circles (above the paper flowers).

Once this beauty is finished, you will have a bonny bonnet for Easter. But, Easter is only one day! There has to be another way to behold this wondrous sight after the Holiday is over! Surprise! Turn the hat upside down, add some shreds, eggs, a cute Easter critter, and Voila'! You have a cute Spring basket!

Can you see that the chick's feathers look a little slicked back? My cat was licking it when I walked in the room. Wishful thinking, I guess! Here she is, looking all innocent. She is my studio cat and hangs out with me every day.