Potato-Print Basket

HERE'S A FUN and inexpensive way to give an old basket new life. First, dampen the basket with a wet sponge, and use a water-based acrylic paint to cover the entire outside of the basket with one color. Let the basket dry completely before printing on it. Meanwhile, cut a big potato in half. To create a flower design, use a pencil to lightly etch a petal shape onto the cut surface of a potato half. Carve out the petal by cutting straight down around the design about 1/2 inch deep, and then cutting away the excess potato from around the outside of the petal, leaving the raised petal design. Carve out a leaf design on the other potato half. Put some paint onto a paper plate and dip the petal stamp into the paint. Test the print on a piece of paper. Rotate the potato stamp for a flower with many petals. Print as many flowers as you like around the basket. (Dip the potato into paint as necessary.) Use the leaf stamp and a different color to add leaves to the flower designs. To finish, paint some green stems onto the flowers using a small brush.