Easter Wrapup

It's already been almost a week since Easter so I figure it's time for a recap.  I made this basket from Martha Stewart's instructions for a pussy willow nest and then bent some stems into a handle and added a flower arrangement

made up of lilac

lily of the valley

and hellebores.

They all smelled so amazing together.

The basket actually took quite a while!

After starting with some older pussy willow branches that I tried soaking to soften them, I got some new ones instead and they were much easier.  Just a few little touchups...

and it was finally done.

There were some little pieces for leftovers, which I always love

and a little arrangement for another room.

Then time to use these candies, stickers and confetti 

for another Martha Stewart project:

crepe paper carrots.  And an egg-shaped strawberry lemonade cake with JELL-O beans.  

Such different size strawberries!

Confession: there was a cake toppling on the way to the party, but my Mom's Easter bread stayed intact until after the egg hunt

but Mila slept through dinner.

Hop To It!

I am waaaay too hopped up on Easter ideas and Cadbury Eggs to focus today (sorry for the bad pun, but I was up til 2 a.m. last night wrapping these crepe paper carrots from Martha Stewart -- they all have treats inside!)  I've got about 48 hours before my family's Easter celebration so I'll be a busy bunny.  Here's a round-up of only some of the amazing things I've seen on the web today, 

wish I had time for them all!  

[by Ali-Bee's Bake Shop, seen on The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle 

from a Facebook post by Glorious Treats] 

-- phew, just want everyone to have credit!

Gorgeous upon gorgeous egg cookies from Alison of Ali-Bee's Bake Shop: these are all done BY HAND with a pastry bag and brush embroidery.  No stencil, no cookie press, just sunning.  My fave is the flowered one in the middle on the right, wow.

[by Stephaine Jessica Lau on All About Ami seen on Craftzine 

from a tweet by Whip Up retweeted by The Long Thread] 

-- really I just love how ideas are passed along

I so heart the expression on the faces of these amigurumi bunnies and the fabric that lines their ears. It's been a while since I did any crocheting, hmmm, maybe it's time to dig into the yarn stash.

[by Stitch Craft Creations seen on Pure Joy Events]

I haven't tried felting before, but this makes me want to!  I love the colors and the little chick peeping out.  Cute egg crate too.  

[from Southern Living also seen on Pure Joy Events]

I think these beautiful eggs are just the right shade and the speckles are very pretty.  Last year I dyed my eggs a little too dark since I went out to take a walk while they were in their little bath.  
Ah well, it was a really pretty day.

[by Nikki, In Stitches on the Pure Joy Events roundup]
Nikki says these are simple, but I'm so impressed.  Need a lotta patience here, but they're very interesting.

Hey, did you know you can print out this "Kawaii Easter Kit" from Creative Mamma for free?!  I already printed her Spring To Do List and even though I haven't crossed everything off, it's too adorable to take down from my cork board.

[from Martha Stewart Living]
And I started this Martha Stewart pussy willow nest last night, but the stems I had are a little dry since I got them a while ago.  
Have to find some that are more bendy.

Phew, ok, I think that's enough just for now.  Gotta get some lunch and finish the work day so I can power through tonight: floral arrangements, strawberry frosted egg cake (like the award-winning cupcakes!), cookies, jell-o eggs, etc. etc...
and maybe some laundry too...it's been a while.

Happy Easter prepping!

Easter Wrapup

Hope everyone had a Happy Bunny Day!  There sure are a lot of baby bunnies in this shop window.

and over at Amy's Bread there were bunny-shaped loaves for sale.

I remember all the years my Mom made this Easter bread out of sweet dough and candied fruit.  I loved the sprinkles and dyed eggs that covered the glaze on top.

She always had great Easter projects: a bunny cake, Easter egg tree, ducky lollipops, chocolate covered peanuts and raisins that we boxed up to give to grandparents, teachers and friends.  I wish I had pictures of all of it, but it's so much harder to sort through prints than to scroll through your digital photo library, but here's one.

This year I had a few projects in mind too.  I started out with 3 sizes of lace doilies from the amazing Boutross Imports in Brooklyn.  Mike and his mother Mary are so sweet that when they sent my package it had candy inside too!

Then I had to find containers that were about the right size to fit each one

because

with a little fabric stiffener they were going to wear them like litle bonnets.

not to make little hats, but when they dried they were little bowls!  Thanks to this Martha Stewart tutorial.

Next I needed to blow out some eggs, kinda messy!  I was really doing more of the pierce-egg-shake-rinse-with-water to get all the yolk out method, but eventually it worked.  The boyfriend tried not to be too horrified when he found this scene on Saturday morning.

and he was also patient enough to help me dye them on our way out the door to enjoy a beautiful, warm, sunny weekend.  This looks like an egg tree, or egg lollipops, but I was just trying to dry them.

Then I cut out designs from some pretty paper napkins

to decoupage the blown out eggs, thanks again to Martha. 

And the Easter Bunny, I mean boyfriend's daughter, left us some cute bunny cards this morning.

and we definitely have more than a few made out of chocolate in the house too.  Not sure those will last too long though...

Just In Time...

It's my 50th post and I finally finished a knitting project!  I can't even remember the last time I could say this, but today I completed my merino candle flame cowl from this pattern by Sarah E. White.  Yesterday I visited the Totallysuperdeluxe pop-up sale hosted by Jocelyn Joson in her husband's video studio in Soho and found out they have these every other month, cool! 

I bought the frosted glass buttons above and wasn't sure what I'd use them for until I was finishing up my cowl...

I started this at the beginning of the month with Organic Merino Wool DK from Sublime that I got at Gotham Fine Yarn in the Lower East Side and thought the buttons would be a nice, little touch.

I admit that I sometimes start more projects than I finish, so it was good to get one done just in time for what will hopefully be a spring warmup soon after not such a great weekend. 

I also bought some bright daffodils to cheer me up and put them on my beloved desk next to an Easter project I started.  Hmmm...still have to finish that hat for my Dad too...but gotta post this before it's tomorrow, right now it's 11:59 p.m....