northstory + co.

How to make Easter Cards with Fabric Scraps

Easter and me get along in the following ways:

A) Our mutual affection for all the chocolate in the stores, especially my Cadbury cream eggs.

B) Egg decorating, which pretty much is standard fare the moment you have kids and revisit your childhood egg dyeing projects.

C) Eating good food, made with eggs.

 

Easter and me are kind of like me and pastels and patterns. You probably won’t catch me wearing any. Ever.

I don’t know why and it’s not like I dislike the holiday, it’s just not my favorite out there to inspire me to do crafts for. I am probably shooting myself in the foot by writing this because by next year maybe something will change and I’ll be all over some project for it.

But as I said, what I do love making and will make any excuse to make are cards. And I do Easter cards every year.

How to make Easter Cards with Fabric Scraps

These are this years.

I tend to re-use a lot of older materials from previous crafts. Two simple reasons for this.

  1. Reusing craft materials is always great for the environment.
  2. Craft supplies can cost a lot of money. 

So I try and work with what I’ve got. That doesn’t mean I don’t hoard fabric and craft materials though. Good luck getting me out of IKEA’s textiles department. You’d think I could sew or something.

First up, for the kids. Another appearance of the work socks I used on Valentine’s Cards I once made. Only this time as bunnies. Mixed in with some fabric from an old sleeper.

You never know when there’s going to be an egg shower.

That’s right I said socks. Those bunnies are old socks. Washed of course.

Then I went to my stash of IKEA fabrics to make some simple eggs. This is the FREDERIKA fabric.

Which of course has been discontinued. But Amazon has some surprisingly nice choices similar to this one:

And this is the ANNBETH fabric leftover from the DIY Bulletin Board.

I used my old IKEA KALAS plates (they’ve since changed the shape of them) to make a basket outline. Because sometimes it’s nice to leave the eggs white and make the baskets colorful.

I swear I do also do cards on white cardstock. But this is what happens when you have several 50% off coupons for Michael’s and ransack their supply of kraft paper cards and envelopes.

As for the glue? I usually use Mod Podge for any crafts because I find it dries clear, flat and much faster than school glue. Happy card making!

 

 

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29 Comments

  • Reply
    Stacey
    March 5, 2013 at 4:55 pm

    THESE MADE ME SO HOPPY!!!
    Love those little bunnies, Alex. I just burst into child-like giggles when I look at him. His little eyes peeking up and out. That is the cutest thing ever! Way to take the stuff you have and make them into the stuff we wanna have. These are so creative.

    I’m with you. I’m not an Easter girl… although I did hunt easter eggs at my parents house well into my 20’s. Why? Well, when you’re parents put $20 bills into the eggs you tend to show up for the egg hunt. H AHA HAH! Being 20 and poor makes you hunt Easter eggs. No shame! I still long for the hunt. Although like you.. it’s usually the chocolate that brings me the most joy. I bet your kids have a blast with this holiday. And yes, I officially give you the mother of the year award! You are an awesome mom. Have fun next week. Richie is out too. I hope he can accomplish something MAJOR!

    • Reply
      Alex@northstory
      March 6, 2013 at 10:45 am

      $20 bills in Easter Eggs? I think you need to organize an adult Easter party. That is the best version of an adult Easter game that I have ever heard.

  • Reply
    now at home mom
    March 5, 2013 at 10:20 pm

    Hi Alex! beautiful cards! I love them a lot! you have so many ideas and I like how you used a sleeper for fabric and love the FREDERIKA fabric too (I just wrapped a cork board with it); my favourite one is with the bunny and a read umbrella! 🙂 btw, I started laughing when I read the first part of your post; about the Cadbury cream egg homemade recipe; last weekend hubby and I, we tried one; we found it on Youtube, I will post about it soon, the eggs tasted great but they didn’t look great. Let’s just say, they didn’t look like eggs ha!ha! 🙂

    • Reply
      Alex@northstory
      March 6, 2013 at 10:46 am

      I love love love IKEA fabrics! For the price you pay and the quality you get, I try to stock up every time we go.

      Oh you made the eggs! Can’t wait to read about this!

      • Reply
        now at home mom
        March 6, 2013 at 1:23 pm

        Same here, I love, love, love IKEA fabrics! I wanted to put wallpaper in our dining room area (I don’t have a dining room) but I’m scared I won’t like it or will soon get bored with it, so instead I wrapped some IKEA fabric around plywood and created a small office area; don’t know if I will post this, it’s so simple but I now I finally have a small space for the piles of mail, anyway, don’t let me bore you with this; I choose this fabric for spring! & yeah! we tried a recipe found on youtube, they tasted great but they don’t look too much like eggs; you will see it from the pictures 🙂

  • Reply
    ScrapAndSalvage
    March 5, 2013 at 10:35 pm

    adorable, alex! you always come up with such fun, creative projects. and i love how your daughters love it, too. these turned out smashing and i want to collect one of each for my own! they would make a great wall display actually. LOVE the umbrella. can’t wait to see what st. patty’s day brings 😀

    • Reply
      Alex@northstory
      March 6, 2013 at 10:47 am

      It’s funny you mention St Patty’s Day b/c aside from the previous clover necklace I am doing….nothing. No wait I am doing a funny bit on it but the craft that I want to do with for that I can’t do until our clovers start growing in the backyard. That’s going to be a bit.

  • Reply
    Lauren @ The Thinking Closet
    March 6, 2013 at 2:08 am

    Ha ha, your thoughts on Easter are the equivalent on mine for St. Patty’s Day. I just failed to get inspired in the craft arena. So, I hear ya, sister.

    But can I say, I LOVE these cards…the colors, the textures, the fact that you used fabric on paper. And I’m all about re-using supplies and whittling down what we’ve got before going out and buying more. THAT takes creativity.

    • Reply
      Alex@northstory
      March 6, 2013 at 10:51 am

      Isn’t it funny how we all have our fav craft holidays? I don’t care if anyone else decorates their house entirely for Easter as long as it makes them happy. It’s just not my cup of tea.

      My husband to this day can’t understand my obsession with Halloween. He’s like really? Ghosts and monsters? I mean I already have my front porch decor in my head this year for this Fall’s Halloween. It’s like those people you watch on TLC who plan their Christmas light display a year in advance.

      You know this, craft supplies can run a pretty penny after some time and trying to sort out the next greatest material can be hard. Then the old stuff builds up and takes over your craft boxes and you wind up re-buying stuff you already had.

  • Reply
    Dorin
    March 6, 2013 at 8:42 am

    If I celebrated Easter I would definitely be making cards inspired by your designs–all those old baby sleepers!!!
    Anyhow, I’ll be busy eating cardboard crackers (aka: Matza) for Passover. No card making or chocolate egg hunts there….

    • Reply
      Alex@northstory
      March 6, 2013 at 10:51 am

      I will come over to your place for ANY food that you make. You are a phenomenal cook and baker!!

  • Reply
    Victoria • Restoring our Victorian
    March 6, 2013 at 11:11 am

    Easter… I think Martha Stewart has turned it from a fun, candy-overload, kid-holiday into a bizarre competition for who can make the craziest, most useless decorations. Every year her Easter issue BAFFLES me. Who needs to spend days draining yolks out of eggs and spinning sugar into bunnies?

    Your ideas are better! You should email her!!

    • Reply
      Alex@northstory
      March 9, 2013 at 4:26 pm

      It’s funny b/c I can go overboard for Halloween (which James teases me about) but he’s totally on board for Christmas. I just can’t do Easter. That is, I’ll do all the Easter stuff for my kids and their rooms but my living room, I can’t imagine a shrine to pastels in there. First of all it would clash with the red accent theme. Second of all…well…

      The yolk thing made me laugh. It reminded me of my mom when I was a kid teaching me how to blow the eggs out of the shells before boiling them with a pin hole at the bottom. In Poland it’s tradition to colour your eggs with onion skins to give them a brown hue then decorate them with razor blades or a sharp pin pointed utensil. They’re called Pisanki. My Grandpa and mom did these for hours. I think I tried once and was like soooooo…chocolate? Yes I as a kid did a craft using a razor blade. THey actually look really amazing but can you imagine the twitter uproar that would happen these days I ever tried that with my kids?

  • Reply
    the home tome
    March 6, 2013 at 1:52 pm

    Digging that IKEA fabric! And the raining eggs – brilliant! I am a fan of Easter – just bc it seems to nicely signal the onset of spring…You have inspired me – I don’t have any homemade decorations and no projects on deck but I think I’ll go spelunking in the basement and find my fake egg wreath and a few other decorations…

    • Reply
      Alex@northstory
      March 9, 2013 at 4:37 pm

      I love IKEA fabrics. I am such a huge fan of them.

      If you love Easter go decorate to your hearts content! I’m serious. I am a huge proponent of people doing what makes them happy in their homes even if it’s not cool or mainstream or you know what I mean. I am sure people look at some of the crafts I did for Halloween and think really you couldn’t just go buy some decorations. My Grandpa would spend hours endlessly decorating eggs. You’ve got to do what brings you enjoyment. We still have mountains of snow on the ground here and all I want to do now is garden. I am like let’s get on the trellises and garden expansion and planting and making planters and oh my Lord…

  • Reply
    Leah
    March 6, 2013 at 4:37 pm

    You are the craft paper card QUEEN. I love these – the bunny is beyond cute and your leftover fabric is spot on.

    Eh, I’m not a huge fan of Easter either but if there’s chocolate involved, I’m in. 😉

    • Reply
      Alex@northstory
      March 9, 2013 at 4:39 pm

      I nominate that you need make some seriously kick ass chocolate treat to share with those of us who are baking er…cooking challenged!

  • Reply
    Danielle
    March 7, 2013 at 1:19 am

    Way to go, Alex! These are really fun and festive. I love the IKEA fabric ones; the colors are bright and perfect for spring. All the variations are so cute too. You are inspiring me to get to making some cards soon. My valentine’s cards were a bust so maybe something for spring. 🙂

    • Reply
      Alex@northstory
      March 9, 2013 at 4:44 pm

      How about this, I’ll make you some cards if you paint the purple wall in my daughter’s room…

  • Reply
    Stacey
    March 7, 2013 at 5:31 pm

    I think it was just a way for my parents to get their adult kids to visit! HA HA!

  • Reply
    Sam @ Thrive 360 Living
    March 8, 2013 at 9:20 pm

    Haha, I’m cracking up reading your post because I feel the same way about Easter. Although I’m pretty inspired now that I’ve seen your amazing cards. I seriously love all of them! Pinning them immediately for inspiration and to get me into the Easter spirit.

    • Reply
      Alex@northstory
      March 9, 2013 at 4:48 pm

      Next year – b/c this years onion bins have been cleared out of onion skins for easter – I’ll do a nice old school tutorial on how my mom coloured the eggs for Easter when I was a kid. If I do any Easter craft on here it’s going to be b/c my kids begged me to do something. March Break is next week and I totally forgot so now I am screwed and basically put myself into a craft making corner.

      I should try doing the rocks you made! They’re amazing!

  • Reply
    katiegolds
    March 11, 2013 at 3:59 am

    Those are so cute! My fave is the bunny. Pinning to the Monday Funday pin board!

    • Reply
      Alex@northstory
      March 12, 2013 at 4:53 pm

      Sweet!! Thank you!! 🙂

  • Reply
    Crystal @ Sew Creative
    March 19, 2014 at 10:12 pm

    Oh my goodness I love these! Such a fun project to make with crafty kids.

  • Reply
    Katie @ Made to be a Momma
    March 21, 2014 at 10:01 pm

    These are so adorable!

  • Reply
    Laurie @ Vin'yet Etc.
    March 23, 2014 at 4:34 pm

    These are adorable! I kinda figured you didn’t like Easter much when it was threatening to be spring and you said on FB… if I see one bunny post I am unfollowing. That made me laugh and laugh! LOVE it! your humour, not Easter!

    • Reply
      Alex
      March 23, 2014 at 6:34 pm

      Lol! I still can’t figure out what it is that doesn’t make me want to decorate for Easter though this year I am way more into decorating for Spring b/c of this long brutally cold winter. Flowers are good. Plants are great!!

  • Reply
    AmyDavies
    April 1, 2017 at 2:38 am

    It’s so cute. I love to diy Easter photo cards on AmoLink with music. It’s also super fun. Lol

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