diy Valentine's Day Basket

Hot Air Balloon Basket

Supplies

Hot Air Balloon Basket

As a kid, we all looked forward to February 14th to bring our nicely decorate box and to share the valetines we'd spent so long agonizing over: Fun Dip or stickers, Camp Rock or kitties. But as we grew older, treating ourselves to an extra five chocolate truffles on Valentine's Day slowly replaced the excitement and time spent for this fun classroom activity. But this Valentine's Day, maybe you want to throwback a little bit and make a basket. Get some friends together and have a contest for the best box or basket! I was inspired by My List of Lists hot air balloon basket! Follow these steps below, and you might just blow them out of the park.

*Supplies:

- Balloon

- Construction paper

- Ribbon

- Decorative fringe/border

- 4 bendy straws

*Note: Choose whatever colors you please, but I'd recommend matching the ribbon with the balloon and the construction paper with the bendy straws to make your basket more cohesive.

Tools:

- Paper cutter

- Scissors

- Hot glue

- Tacky glue

Estimated Time Required for Completion: 1 hour

Steps:

1. Blow up your balloon with a small to medium amount of air.

2. Stretch your bendy straws out, and pull off a piece of 4 in clear tape. Put the bendy part of the straw at the knot of the balloon and tape the shorter part of the straw to the body of the balloon. Repeat with each straw with several inches in between each straw to ensure somewhat even spacing between each straw.

3. Use your paper cutter to trim your sheet to be about 4-5 in by 11 in. This will serve to cover up your bendy straws and tape.

4. Pull off 3 in pieces of clear double-sided tape and place along long edge of the strip. Leave space in between in piece of tape. Place onto balloon.

5. Fire up your hot glue gun and place your decorative fringe or border along the bottom edge of the paper strip.

6. Use excess construction paper to cut mini triangles. Use Tacky glue to secure onto body of balloon to achieve a more abstract and whimsical look.

7. Place straws into the crevices between the wicker weaves of the basket. Use masking tape to secure.

8. Take your ribbon and measure the distance around your basket with it. Cut the appropriate length to wrap the piece of ribbon completely around. Be sure to have both ends of the ribbon meet in the center of the basket's front side.

9. Take another piece of ribbon and tie a bow. Use your hot glue gun to place the bow right where the ends of the other piece of ribbon met.

10. Voila! Your basket is ready for the races!

Did you try out this Hot Air Balloon basket? Tell me about it in the comments!

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