Scrapbuster No. 2 & Challenge Submission: Anthropologie Inspired Hot Air Balloon

 

There are a few catalogues that I actually look forward to receiving (and do not immediately put in the recycle bin). My two favorites are Anthropologie & Pottery Barn Kids. When these show up in the mailbox, I go through them and cut out the pictures of my favorite things … things I’d want to make, or buy, or design ideas to use! I steal the little girls’ glue stick from time to time and paste the “keepers” into a notebook I keep with all my notes on future projects, etc.

As Scrapbuster month was approaching … I ran for my notebook because 31 projects in 31 days is a lot – even if I only account for half of them.

I came across this picture from Anthropologie …

photo from Anthropologie

…and decided to give it a whirl!

It’s kind of the mother load of Scrapbuster projects, with scraps of fabric, thread, buttons, beads, rick rack & scrapbook paper! If you want to make one too, here’s what I did.

Materials:

• Fabric Scraps (4 different fabrics; about 6” x 12” of each one)
• Polyfill Stuffing
• Regular Sewing Supplies
• Embroidery Thread
• Buttons
• Mod Podge
• Cardboard from cereal box, etc.
• Scraps of Scrapbook Paper
• Random Beads
• Ruler
• Rick Rac Scraps

Step 1. Make fabric ball. I’ve never made a fabric ball before, so I was at a bit of a loss in trying to figure it out. And frankly with all the projects looming around me, I didn’t have the energy to try and figure it out … SO, I turned to The Purl Bee! They have a great write up / tutorial with clear instructions & templates to make fabric beach balls. Here’s the link.

I made the “small” beach ball and left off the circles that would go on each end (don’t need those for a hot air balloon)! I think this ball is SO CUTE that I may make more of just these – another great scrapbuster!

Step 2. Make cardboard basket. In the interest of full scrapbusting, I used a leftover Triscuit box and cut it down. I wanted a 2” x 2” basket, so I cut a shape like this with the little tabs to use to connect the four sides. Each cube is 2" x 2".

Use your bone folder and a ruler to get nice creases for the cube.

Squeeze it all together!

Like this ...and Mod Podge those tabs

Step 3. Make basket liner using scrapbook paper. Cut out shape as pictured (it's just like the Cardboard box part). Use Mod Podge to attach to the cardboard basket. Don’t Mod Podge the “top” or showing side of the liner.

^^ Clip and let dry. ^^

This is the kind of Mod Podge I used...

See the inner liner - NOT Mod Podged ...

Step 4. Make basket outside lining using more scrapbook paper. Cut out shape as pictured. Mod podge around cardboard basket. Mod podge the outside as well to make more sturdy.

This is what you'd want to cut for the outer liner ... each square is a 2 x 2 cube.

tuck & wrap

Mod Podge all sides

Clip & Sit

Put it on a bottle o wine to dry

Step 5. Connect Basket to Ball. I used a sewing needle to punch little holes in the top of the 4 corners of the basket. You are going to use these holes to attach the basket to the ball. We’ll use 4 separate pieces of thread to make sure the lengths are about the same. Thread the ‘knotted end’ from the INSIDE of the basket and then attach to base of fabric ball – I made a little stitch where two fabrics connect. Leave a long tail & cut thread. Repeat for other three corners.

Now, holding the fabric ball up, adjust the four hanging threads such that they are all approximately the same length and the basket sits level. Once that’s done, tie off the threads and make knots (do not worry, we’ll cover those up with rick rack and buttons).

 

Step 6. Attach hanging thread / beads to top of ball. Use embroidery thread doubled over for this.

Step 7. Embellish! I added rick rack around the base of the hot air balloon for decoration and to cover up the threads we created in Step 5. (I attached the rick rack with my trusty old Fabritac.) Also added rick rack to upper section of hot air balloon ... and to top of basket.

Then, I added buttons over those 4 points (wher we attached the basket to the balloon)… knot the thread under the button and then stuff the remaining thread into the center of the fabric ball; then pull the needle out again, pull thread taut, and then clip the thread very close to the fabric ball – and it’ll “suck” back in there and be gone!

Step 8. Hang up and enjoy! Mine’s going in the little ones room…she wants it!