Easter basket

I love that I finally have an excuse to be crafty and spend my time creating fun things for Caroline. Her Easter basket this year is filled with some stuff store bought, and some stuff hand made. I picked up her felt bucket at Target in the bargain aisle.

I just thought the little chick shape - with that fabulous tuft of hair! - was priceless, and I love that it's lightweight and would be easy for her to carry. Inside, I picked up a finger puppet board book. We already have one about Thanksgiving that features a turkey - and she loves it. So when I saw the lamb version, into the cart it went!

I also picked up some rubber ducks. In our swim class, Caroline loves moving her "scoops" and going after the rubber ducks in the pool. So I thought she would love having her own duckies for bath time.

But, I also decided to make Caroline something for her Easter basket this year. I made her a sock rabbit, which is kinda like a sock monkey, only with longer ears. The legs are a bit lengthy too, since I used tall socks, so this must be a sock jack rabbit, of sorts.

The face ended up being a bit crooked, but I am telling myself that Caroline won't notice.

I wanted to make her a rabbit for this past Christmas, but honestly, I just couldn't get my rear in gear. Plus, you've seen my schedule, so it's taken me weeks to just get this finished. I would work on it for an hour here, an hour there. I'd do the hand sewing while catching up on my DVR.

I got the idea for a sock monkey from Darby's post here. I like the arms on her bunny a bit better, so I think if I had to do it again, I would make the arms skinny and long, so they matched the legs. I adapted this sock monkey tutorial, and added a yarn cotton tail. The monkey tutorial obviously didn't cover the bunny ears, so I kinda winged that one. I lined the inside of the ears with white fabric I had lying around, and I think they turned out okay.

So even though this "Christmas" gift is a bit late, I did finish it and the timing seems very appropriate with the impending holiday. I guess it was meant to be and perhaps my tardiness didn't get the best of me. Hopefully Caroline will love her goodies this year; I will let you know how they go over.

Happy Easter everyone!