Greetings lovely friends & readers
On my bench today, Roses Remember Me & Heaven Scent, both gifted when Mum passed away. I picked these yesterday as tight buds & by this morning they have opened.
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| This variety are the mini bell peppers which I grew this year for a change |
Last weekend I picked all my peppers & pulled the plants out, along with the rest of my Basil which had gone to seed. I dug over my veggie garden with a tray of worm castings, lime & 2 bags of compost. According to my moon calendar, Tuesday 24th - 31st is very good planting time for anything that produces above ground & I plan to plant my brassicas this weekend.
I pulled out my black scabiosa a couple of weeks ago & pressed some of the remaining flower heads as well as saved lots of seeds. I made some envelopes using scrapbooking paper, filled them with seeds & added the pressed flower - these are to be tucked into gifts.
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When I went to purchase Easter bags for the Grandchildren this year I was shocked to see a price tag of $9.99, which I refuse to pay.
I had some brown kraft bags which are 20 cents each at the supermarket so I cut out rabbit shapes using scrapbooking paper & tied their initials onto the bags - just perfect & the cost was zero.
I have filled them with a large Egg each & an Easter activity book. I will also do baking for the families. The price of chocolate is very expensive here at the moment.
I decided to do an Easter table last week as my outdoor table needed a good scrub down. I just used decor from previous Easters & kept it very simple this year.
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The topiary rabbit ears that I made in * this post * was looking very brown & bare so I pulled off what I could, then glued on some fresh green moss, which I had in my stash. It looked much better & I am trying to remembering to spritz it with water every few days.
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This red cyclamen was in a plastic pot but I planted it in Mums old concrete urn. Less is More I kept telling myself ... & I did remove quite a few items.
A couple of hours after I'd finished it I came outside to find an Easter Bunny had taken up residence there .... of the ginger variety (!!) 😉🐈
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I'd been trying to catch up with my friend Dee for awhile now so I invited her to afternoon tea last Tuesday. I'd seen these simple egg pockets on Instagram - go * here * for the tutorial - I drew my egg shape & sewed it up using this Paris fabric I had (Dee is French). I filled my pocket with an easter serviette, chocs & a wooden bunny ornament. I thought it looked so sweet on the white plate.
I made a batch of simple chocolate cupcakes with frosting & I added a choccy egg to the tops. These honestly turned out so delicious that I had to send the remainder home with Dee for her teenage sons, otherwise they would have ended up in my mouth (!!) 😑
Dee presented me with this stunning Easter basket, handmade by herself. I just adored it ... filled with potting mix & some miniature white violas planted in it, along with eggs & rabbits 💓💓
Be still my beating heart.
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| Dee just used a thrifted basket that she had in her stash |
Some faux eggs tucked in but the ones in the "broken egg" are edible - how spoilt was I !!??
It's sitting on my dining table where I can enjoy it & I am trying to remembering to spritz the plants & moss with water.
My Easter treat-to-myself this year was the purchase of these delightful vintage egg cups off Trademe, an auction site here in New Zealand. I just loved them & think they will be NOT packed away when the Easter decor is. Look at that darling pink lamb . . . .
Wishing you all a most wonderful weekend dear friends,
I have more to share but I will save it for another post ... it's my turn to host the craft girls on Monday for an Easter craft so I will be back after that to share with you all,
Sending much love & friendship out to you all,
Hello Julie, what a lovely post - your friend made you such a pretty gift and yours to her was fabulous, I love the French bunny fabric you used, I would love to make tea towels like those! and all your creative ideas are so clever - especially the paper Easter bags for the grandchildren. I have my family for roast dinner this Easter and have been wondering whether I should add a little decoration to the house, you have certainly inspired me! Chocolate is expensive here too and much of it not very nice quality but I think an Easter egg is a must - my favourite is Cadbury cream eggs (do you have those?). the sweet sticky 'egg' fondant filling is just wonderful :) Betty
ReplyDeleteHi Julie ,
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely Easter post, Loved all your Easter trimmings , I love Easter the best .
Yes every thing is now far to much money , I do the same with the brown bags , I save all my cards and then cut up to put on bags and I make tags . I love Chocolate I use to work at Cadburys years ago .
But here the price as hit the roof, Like many other things .
My motto is don't buy it if it goes up , if everyone did the same they would have to lower the price again .
Have a lovely time Hugs June.
It all looks just beautifully Easterish Julie. The 'egg' gift you made for Dee is lovely and the basket she brought you just gorgeous. Those little egg cups are delightful. Enjoy your craft day. xx
ReplyDeleteEaster? Oh! My goodness! Easter? Must'nt forget the
ReplyDeletekids next door, all four of them, though l will get them
prezzies, and not eggs...as they'll get loads of eggs..! :).
Oh! And about a month ago, l saw on line, Orchid seeds,
on eBay...just £4.99..(11.55).. free P&P...three weeks free
delivery from China...
They arrived last Monday, followed the instructions, planted
them out in a flat tray, there were loads of them, did'nt realize
how small they were..? There supposed to start germinating
5-7 days...so, we'll see...! I say a prayer over them, every day...?
Love 'ALL' the Easter things Julie...Especially the gift from Dee...
That is quite lovely, hope you've got it in pride of place...?
I have three favourite times of year, Christmas, Easter, and
my Burfday...! :O).
I've left the best till last...Ah! Miss Pippi...Bless!x Look at that
little 'pink' tongue...HaHa! I think she's well away with the fairies.
One for the Furry Three Folder me thinks...! :O).
🎃 👻 🎃 👻 🎃 👻 🎃 👻 🎃 👻🎃 👻 🎃 👻 🎃 👻 🎃 👻
What lovely creative ideas. The best I could do was finishing Elderberry Bunny in time, and buying a pack of mini eggs for her basket!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much - I've just popped over to your blog & seen Elderberry Bunny & I think she is adorable ♥️
DeleteYour Easter offerings are delightful. The cakes looked delicious and so pretty with flowers alongside. Dee's gift to you was so pretty, and the violas will flower for a long time. i do like the vintage egg cups - a touch of nostalgia, which is lovely.
ReplyDeleteMiss Pip, I see your tongue but you've got short ears! Not too bunny like, just your usual helpful self. The roses look so beautiful and perfect. I can imagine the scent. Yep, someone putting choc candy down in front of me better stand back and watch their fingers. You two had a great visit and exchange. All things Easter and to think it will be here so early this year. I'm hoping that will be our Spring arrival finally. Torrential rain and storms all night last night with 1 1/2 inches of rain. Now today barely above freezing. Got the glass rain gauge in this morn before it froze. But I have green grass and my mini daffodils are past their prime. I see the large kind starting to bloom all about. And my grape hyacinths have 1 inch tall tight buds showing. Have fun with the crafty ladies and will look forward to seeing what you all come up with. And yes, things have really gotten out of hand with prices. Lynn and Precious XX
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely Easter-y/Spring-y post, Julie, with so much to enjoy! The gifts you gave and receive are wonderful and those cakes look delicious. Chocolate is my favourite treat and yes, prices have gone up here in the UK too. That was a great idea for the Easter bags and you are using your stash too. I need to use what I have more, rather than buy new, but there is so much out there and it's so tempting! We used to have egg cups like this when I was little - I remember chick and duck ones. I'm sure you'll all have a wonderful time crafting for Easter on Monday!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
Ellie
Love all your Easter decorating. The gifts given & received are beautiful. The vintage egg cups are delightful.The prices for everything is shocking. I usually by bags of bulk little eggs & fill cellophane bags for the grandies. This year for a change i've bought them mugs to fill with the little eggs. Even though i grabbed the eggs on sale they were still expensive. I make them other sweet treats too. Nice to see Miss Pip enjoying your decorating.
ReplyDeleteAll things Beautiful Julie! Love the Easter egg cups. Styling back in time never dates xx
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Sandy - I loved the egg cups too ... they're getting hard to come across now. Happy Weekend dear Sandy. xx ♥️
DeleteYour Easter decor is lovely....
ReplyDeleteHugz
Such lovely and thoughtful gifts for the children and your friend. I really like your Easter decorations. The egg cups are so very cute.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Oh Julie those roses are beautiful!! Do you have a scratch n' sniff screen option available? Nice going in the vege patch, it's good you have one of those moon calendar thingies, so helpful when a friend asks you "when's the best time to prune Julie" :) Fabulous use of the brown paper bags, it can be very easy to get a HUGE pile of those things! All is looking very Eastery at your place, Little Ginger Miss is licking her lips or is she poking her tongue at me?? The Vintage Egg Cups are super sweet, I think Mum used to have some just the same, will you turn them into mini pincushions like some people do?
ReplyDeleteGorgeous roses, my friend!
ReplyDeleteI just marvel at how clever you are with everything--from the pressed flowers and the seed packets, to the original Easter bags, your Easter table decor, and the gift for Dee. How do you come up with it all, and keep up with it all?!?
And I had to laugh at the ginger "Easter Bunny," with its tongue lolling.
Dee created a beautiful Easter basket for you.
And I can see exactly why you could not resist the adorable vintage egg cups.
Well, once again, I can't decide which part of this post I like the most. But definitely near the top of the list is that darling ginger bunny....err.. cat with that cute pink tongue sticking out!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, from Julie & the ginger bunny (cat) xx ♥️
DeleteJulie!! you are incredibly talented!!!! EVERYTHING looks so beautiful!!! Those bags are so awesome.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much dear Chrissie. The bags were a fun simple project to make up & I am so happy with them. xx
DeleteHmmmm, ginger chocolate Easter Bunny - sounds amazing :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous idea to make that wee egg shaped 'bag', and fill it with such pretty 'goodies' also
The egg cups are so gorgeous - I would keep them out all year also :) Love your Easter setting on the outside table.
I too have been 'emptying' my vegetable garden, apart from the dwarf beans, which are still producing. My broccoli 'stalled' and did not produce any lateral heads, so I pulled them all out too. It's not been a good year, overall, but I did have a wonderful crop of sweetcorn!
Blessings
Maxine
That's some pepper harvest! They look so healthy. I harvested some sweet pea pods last year from a friend's plants and sewed them in February. Lo and behold they've come on a treat but still too cold here to plant out. I'll put out a few Easter things soon if I can remember where I put them! Your Easter displays are adorable! Ps I posted a tiny parcel to my bestie in Auckland yesterday for her upcoming birthday and I couldn't believe the cost!! It weighed virtually nothing!xx
ReplyDeleteLovely post Julie, the roses are beautiful. You were very clever with the Easter bags, so much better than buying them! The outdoor table looks wonderful and the presents between you and Dee are fantastic. Love the ginger bunny with her tongue sticking out. You had a great crop of bell peppers from your garden.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a joyous Easter weekend! Teenage boys are very helpful to our diets, lol!! That ginger bunny with its tongue out is adorable ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much J.J. That "ginger bunny" is currently asleep on my sewing table - yes tongue still out (!!) 😉😸
DeleteI love your Easter display on your table Julie. The Egg pocket is so gorgeous and salivating over those chocolate treats. What a divine gift from De. I can see why you were thrilled. I too was taken aback by the price of Easter goodies this year. I managed to get some very cute Easter gift bags for $1 each but the chocolate goodness inside will be a bit light on.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter Julie xx