Easter Baskets (Part I)

I'll admit I was a tad over-excited about the prospect of making egg-box Easter Baskets with my two children today. The egg boxes had already been saved up (six of them), the recycling box raided for cardboard (to make handles), and I'd set out Spring coloured paints. And there I should have stopped. Let them attach the handles to the boxes and paint away. That would have easily been enough for today.

But no, my over-zealous heart took over my practical head and I just couldn't help myself. Out came the shredded tissue paper to cushion the beautiful jewel-like foil wrapped chocolate eggs, the eggs themselves of course, the lengths of rafia ribbon and the assorted stickers to adorn the finished baskets. I really should know better.

And of course it was all too much for them. Why couldn't they put the eggs in and the stickers on the boxes straight away, they wanted to know. They grumbled about the idea of painting when they usually like it. The stickers went on clothes, the chocolate in mouths. Oh dear.

In the end I had to abandon the project. I changed tack entirely, drawing their attention to the car boxes. I explained I needed help sorting them as some were broken. They totally went for it, thank goodness, rediscovering some vehicles that had been lost in the boxes for months, then sorting them by team (colour) as the photograph shows. With the saving grace of distraction on my side I could stash away the Easter goodies - just leaving out the paints and egg-boxes.

I was so pleased when they at last agreed to paint their boxes. These are now drying out very nicely. Phew.

Easter Basket Project (Part II) will continue tomorrow; tissue paper and chocolate eggs in, stickers and ribbon on. I'll let you know how it goes.