Rainbow and Pot of Gold Baskets

A couple years ago we made some super cute fabric Easter baskets using balloons. I made these every Easter with my first graders and it was a fun tradition to continue at home with our boys. I thought it would be fun to make a miniature version in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, so we made these adorable Rainbow and Pot of Gold Baskets!

The only problem was, I couldn’t get the water balloons to inflate, so we had to use water in the water balloons. This made it a little bit more delicate of a process, but the boys stood up to the challenge! :)

Here’s what you’ll need: Water balloons (we use this pumping station), Mod Podge (or regular school glue), a paintbrush, gold fabric, cups to hold the balloons upright, pinking shears, and rainbow ribbon.

1. Fill your balloons with water and place them on a cup to hold them upright.

2. Cut your gold fabric into small squares with your pinking shears (ours were about 1 inch or less).

3. Cover your balloon with Mod Podge (or school glue) using a paintbrush. Be very generous with the amount you use. The more you use, the stronger the basket will be.

4. Place the fabric squares on top of the Mod Podge, staggering the pieces so as not to leave any holes.

5. Cover the top of the fabric with a thick layer of Mod Podge (or glue). Again, be very generous.

6. Let dry overnight…

…the Mod Podge will dry clear. Make sure the balloons are completely dry before proceeding to the next step.

7. Very carefully drain a hole in the balloon. We used the edge of a paperclip to poke a small hole in the top of the balloon while holding it upside down. Do whatever you can to ensure that the basket doesn’t get wet. But even if it does, just pat it dry with a paper towel and let it dry again (speaking from our experience). :)