FRUIT BASKET, CRAFT BASKET, EASTER BASKET!! SUPER SIMPLE!!

I bought a bunch of new Christmas lights for our tree this year and they came in these great sturdy boxes.  Instead of throwing them away, I made a bunch of baskets!

(my lights are stored in our Christmas storage containers)

These are great for crafts, gifts, holding eggs (See my instruct able on 6-Pack Egg Carrier), and I think they would make perfect Easter Baskets!

Step 1: SUPPLIES

• Sturdy Cardboard Box
• Box Cutter or Scissors
• Glue
• Duct Tape

Step 2:

• I used the box that our Christmas Tree lights came in.
• I cut it in half.
• Duct Taped them together at the cut ends.
• Glued the sides together
• Taped the bottoms together.
• You can also decorate the outside of the box to make it prettier OR cover with Duct Tape to make it stronger!

Step 3: MAKE a CARRYING HANDLE

• Cut about a length of Duct Tape as wide as your basket plus another six inches.  If you want a longer handle, cut a longer piece of Duct Tape.
• Hold it sticky side up.
• Cut notches about 1/3 of the way in from the side.  They should be a handles width apart and you should have about 2 inches on each side.
• Hold the ends of the tape down (I use my toes, very useful things they are!) and fold the middle to the center up to the notches.
• Flip around.
• Cut notches across from the notches on the other side.
• Hold the ends of the tape down and fold the middle to the center up to the notches.
• This is the handle.
• Place the sticky side of one end of the hand at the center of one side of your basket and the other sticky end to the other side of the basket.

Step 4: Decorate As You Please!

I covered the outside of one of my baskets with calendar photos of doors that I liked in Italy!

You can also put in toilet paper rolls and smaller boxes to keep pens and pencils and other crafts supplies from falling to the bottom of the box.