• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Bren Did

  • Tasty Recipes
    • Healthy Muffins
  • Green Cleaning
  • Natural Bath & Body
  • Easy Crafts & DIY
    • Fortune Tellers
    • Holiday Crafts
  • Free Printables
  • About
    • Policies & Disclosures
    • Contact
Home » How to Make May Day Baskets: Upcycled Craft Project

How to Make May Day Baskets: Upcycled Craft Project

Published February 28, 2020 Leave a Comment

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tom’s of Maine for SponsoredTweets. All opinions are 100% mine.

Tom’s of Maine and Target are celebrating Earth Month with the Less Waste Challenge.  I created these adorable upcycled May Day Baskets that you can use to spread cheer this spring!

Tom’s of Maine at Target upcycled basket

Tom’s of Maine at Target

Have you ever tried Tom’s of Maine products? I love buying their natural products because they are made with no artificial colors, no artificial flavors, no artificial fragrances, and no preservatives. Plus they are never tested on animals.

Target carries an assortment of Tom’s of Maine products including their exclusive fragrance-free bap soda and body wash for sensitive skin. You can also pick up their toothpaste, deodorant, and naturally scented soaps on your next shopping trip.

Another reason I like Tom’s of Maine? You can easily read about each of their ingredients on their website. I like to know what’s in my personal care products and love it when manufacturer’s make ingredients easy to find.

Try Tom’s of Maine with this Cartwheel offer!

Tom’s of Maine at Target products

#LessWasteChallenge

Tom’s of Maine challenged me to create an upcycled family-friendly craft project for Earth Month this April. I was excited to participate because I love reusing materials to create fun projects. (Check out my tin can lanterns and mummy votive holder.)

Tom’s of Maine’s goal with the Less Waste Challange is to inspire consumers to reduce 1 lb. of waste a week in 2017. You can join in on the upcycyling/recycling  fun by sharing your own fun crafts on social media with the hashtag #LessWasteChallange. Visit Toms of Maine’s website for more information.

Not crafty? That’s okay! You can send your Tom’s of Maine® packaging to be recycled through TerraCycle®. It’s a win for the environment either way.

 three may day baskets

Upcycled Crafts

I love using recycled materials to make crafts because it helps to keep waste out of landfills and can make the world a better place for our children.

Did I also mention they are FREE?!?!

Did you know that less than 2% of the total waste created in the United States is recycled and that cardboard/paper waste makes up 41% of the municipal solid waste in the United States?

It’s crazy!

With this information in mind I decided to make Simple May Day baskets using of Tom’s of Maine cardboard toothpaste packaging.

 may day basket hanging on door handle

What are May Day Baskets?

My mom taught us about May Day Baskets. When I was a child we loved giving May Day baskets and tried hard to catch a glimpse of friends leaving baskets for us.

May Day Baskets are not so common today, but in the 1800s and early 1900s they were a widespread tradition across the United States that marked the arrival of spring.

Children would fill a small paper  basket or cone with flowers, candy, or small presents  and hang it on the door of a friend of loved one. The person hanging the basket then knocks on the door and hurries away, leaving a sweet surprise for the person who answers the door.

It’s such a sweet symbol of friendship!

How to Make May Day Baskets

I used Tom’s of Maine toothpaste boxes to make simple woven baskets that fit in the palm of your hand. They are perfect for May Day or just a sweet surprise.

may day basket tutorial step 1-4

  1. Open the toothpaste box flat and cut in half.
  2. Reglue the box inside out (you should see the brown cardboard side).
  3. Cut the box into 1/2 inch strips, stop cutting about 1/8 inch from the bottom of the box.
  4. Cut another piece of lightweight card board into strips (use a tissue box or cereal box).

may day basket tutorial step 5-7

  1. Weave the strips of cardboard in and out of the box strips. Secure ends with glue.
  2. Continue weaving until the basket reaches your desired size. (I ussed four strips of cardboard.) Bend box strips toward the center of the basket and secure to the inside with glue.
  3. Use a 1/2 inch wide strip of cardboard that is about 8 inches long to make a handle.
  4. Fill with a bit of recycled paper and a small gift.

You can also add an upcycled gift tag to your May Day Basket. I made mine with recycled cardboard and a 1 inch craft punch. cardboard gift tags with market

I  hope you take the #LessWasteChallenge and try making an upcycled craft this spring. Visit Toms of Maine’s website for more information.

 

Like my easy crafts? Sign up for my newsletter below and never miss a thing! BrenDId

Visit Sponsors Site

Bren Did Newsletter Subscribers Get Access!

Success! Please check your email to confirm the Free Printable subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

We will use this to send you weekly emails from Bren Did with the latest printables, easy recipes, home care tips, and simple craft ideas. We will never share or sell your information. Powered by ConvertKit

More Posts You Will Enjoy

  • 13 Beautiful DIY Lanterns You’ll Want to Make By Recycling 13 Beautiful DIY Lanterns You’ll Want to Make By Recycling 
  • How to Make Paper Lanterns from Milk CartonsHow to Make Paper Lanterns from Milk Cartons
  • How to Make Snow Covered Pine Cones – An Ultimate GuideHow to Make Snow Covered Pine Cones – An Ultimate Guide
  • Cardboard Christmas DecorationsCardboard Christmas Decorations
  • 20 Truly Gorgeous Upcycled Home Décor Items20 Truly Gorgeous Upcycled Home Décor Items
  • Easy Upcycled Pet Treat ContainersEasy Upcycled Pet Treat Containers
Previous Post: « Silly Easter Joke Teller for Kids
Next Post: How to Make the Tastiest Teacher Appreciation Gift Ever »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

My projects have caused friends to mutter, "Of course you did!" I'll show you how you can too. (read more)
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Footer

Connect with Bren

Follow me on your favorite social network or drop me an email with your thoughts! Read more...

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Bren Did Copyright & Policies

©Bren Fey & Bren Did. All information should be used at your own discretion. All content/photos are property of blog owner. Use or duplication of materials without written permission is prohibited. Learn more at: Bren Did Policies & Disclosures

Reader Favorites

Healthy Oatmeal Muffins out of wrapper
Natural Homemade Laundry Detergent Question and Answer - Natural Homemade Laundry Detergent recipe is a popular posts that raises many questions, comments, and emails. Get answers to your questions about making non-toxic all natural laundry detergent and then try this green DIY recipe.
scrubbing grout
Want to naturally unclog a sink or clean a slow moving drain? Learn why you should not use baking soda and vinegar to clean your drains and what green solutions really work!
Fresh Lemon Homemade Dishwasher Detergent uses real lemons, salt and vinegar to make liquid dishwasher detergent. Learn more about this DIY recipe and its effectiveness.
These two easy recipes for laundry detergent liquid makes 14 loads of non-toxic laundry detergent for about $3.oo and rates an A on the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Healthy Cleaning scale. Learn the simple way to make liquid detergent in small batches.
Privacy Policy · BrenDid.com© 2013–2021 · As Seen In