Holiday Crafts & Ideas Blog

Today is egg decorating day, and I’ve decided to do mine as place settings for tomorrow’s dinner. No pretty ribbon or onion-skin dyed designs, this year I’m making mine into the faces of my family, as a guessing game for who will sit where. Blue eyes and long curly dark hair for my niece Madeleine, long blonde locks and green eyes for my niece Marianne, straight dark hair and blue eyes for my niece Alice, and so on. Ha! Can’t wait to see everyone’s reaction. I’ll try and post some pictures afterward.

After egg decorating I’ll be indulging in a marathon of The Vicar of Dibley, the brilliant British show starring Dawn French that ran a few years ago. My mother has the boxed DVD set, and I borrowed it from her just for this time of year. Lots of giggles in a completely endearing way—perfect for the season.

Whatever you do today and tomorrow, I hope you enjoy the light-hearted spirit of Easter-tide!

P.S. Tune back in for next month’s Mother’s Day blog.

Construction paper is one of the best inventions ever, and very under-rated. Think back to all your school-day holiday crafts, and construction paper, I’m sure, played a huge part. If you need a quick craft idea to keep the kids busy before Sunday dinner, you can make construction paper nests for Easter eggs, some paper chains in pastel colours to decorate doorways and mantels, or some fun paper lanterns to hang over the table. Choose yellow, orange, purple and pink sheets of construction paper, and fold them in half. Cut equal strips, starting in from the folded side, all the way across. Unfold the paper and form into a tube, with the folded strips now standing vertically. Glue edges in place and top with some pretty gingham or polka-dotted ribbon. Add a strip over the top to create a handle. They’re so light you can hang them from a string or some fishing wire right over your table! Instant Easter decoration, and you’ve just kept your kids occupied for at least half an hour.

P.S. I went for Dufflet’s special Easter vanilla layer cake!

My co-worker Karina (a huge Barack Obama fan btw) mentioned today that she wished we could have outdoor egg hunts like the one they have on the lawn of the White House in Washington. Our weather (especially lately!) is not conducive to outdoor egg hunts, although I do know people who have done it. I have friends that organize a neighbourhood egg hunt on their street, no matter how cold the weather is. Of course, they also go on a 2-km hike with their kids every weekend, rain, snow, sleet or shine. I, for one, don’t want to get frostbite trying to loosen frozen eggs from the ground. For me, indoors is definitely better.

The problem at my house is that my husband is tall (6′3″), while I’m a diminutive 5′ or so. When we hide eggs, he always goes for spots way above my sightline, so if he doesn’t give my son the right clues, those suckers can hang around, undetected, for months. 

Tips for hiding eggs:

1. Place eggs at a reasonable height for all the kids.

2. Count the number of eggs you put out, and make sure they’re all accounted for at the end.

3. If you’re hiding chocolate eggs, watch your pets don’t get them first. Baking chocolate is toxic to dogs.

4. Use chocolate or hard-boiled or artificial eggs instead of raw ones (obviously, a bit of a no-brainer). You don’t want little hands dropping raw eggs on your carpet.

5. For littlest children, keep your hunt to one or two rooms, and not more than 10 eggs, so the tots don’t run out of steam (or interest) before all the eggs are found. Older kids can go all through the house.

6. Make sure everyone has a basket to put their eggs in!

Have fun!

I think I did a bad thing today—but it’s going to be so good! My sister Judith and I decided that we would splurge on an Easter cake for this Sunday’s dinner instead of making dessert ourselves. We’re getting a cake from Dufflet’s, the yummy scrummy bakery here in Toronto. The question is: What kind should we get? Dufflet’s is offering a special Easter menu with a few different options, including carrot cake, of course, as well as Strawberry Lemon Mascarpone cake and a vanilla layer cake decorated with confetti and little sugar bunnies. Then there’s the main menu, featuring Caramel Dacquoise, Chocolate Raspberry Truffle, White Chocolate Mousse and a Pink Velvet Cake. What to buy, what to buy…

The cutest baby birds ever!

In the most recent issue of Country Living magazine (April, I think…), there was the sweetest little Easter chick, knitted from a pattern available at KnitWhits. They have a bunch of Easter-related kits for eggs, owls and other birds, as well as adorable purses, hats—even bikinis. If you’re a super-fast knitter you can still get one done before this weekend. Take a look at www.knitwhits.com. I ordered the bramble owl and the baby birds but I might not get them finished until next year’s Easter!

Have you considered your menu yet? Ham, salad, asparagus, an angel cake or something chocolate-y for dessert? I’m thinking of a nice risotto this year. My sister has a great recipe for one with cauliflower and cheese and bacon. Yum! Get on it if you haven’t planned your meal, because remember, the stores are closed on Friday so you’re losing a day to shop. 

While you’re at the grocery store, don’t forget to pick up an Easter lily or another spring flower to set the scene!

So, lazy Sunday, one week before Easter day. I’ve blown out so many eggs I’m a bit dizzy, but it’ll be worth it when I decorate them tomorrow. Which brings me to the first thing I love this Easter:

1. Martha Stewart Crafts Egg Dress-up Kit

Does anyone do it better than Martha? This little kit makes 12 decorating eggs, and includes everything you need to create little carrot tops, bunnies, birds and chicks. So sweet!

2. Classic Little Golden Books

They’re the perfect vintage-style addition to a young person’s Easter basket. The reissue of some of our favourite childhood stories with their distinctive artwork and gold spines is fabulous. I stock up at Wal-mart when I see them and they end up being a present for both child and parent!  I’m giving two away this holiday, to a friend’s little girl. The Kitten Who Thought He Was a Mouse, and, of course, The Little Red Hen.

3. Artisanal Hot-Cross Buns

I bought Ace Bakery’s version, and they are divine. Sort of halfway between scone and hot-cross bun. Too bad there’s only six in the package…

4. Easter Lilies

There’s absolutely nothing like the delicate fragrance of one of these beauties to bring spring celebrations to mind. Choose the ones that aren’t quite in bloom and they’ll be perfectly perfect on Easter morning, filling the house with a heavenly scent. (Remember, though, they’re toxic to cats if eaten, so be careful with them.)

5. Fred Astaire

The classic movie Easter Parade is sure to be playing this week, and I have to say, I still love watching Fred Astaire. Christmas may belong to Bing Crosby and Jimmy Stewart, but I think spring and Fred go hand-in-hand. Most of my favourite Fred Astaire movies are on in the spring—Funny Face, Royal Wedding, The Gay Divorcée, Top Hat, You Were Never Lovelier—they all seem to have that carefree feeling.

Whatever you do this week, take time to enjoy one of the little pleasures that make the most of the season!

I’m glad I have children in my family. Easter is a holiday to indulge in giving all kinds of trinkets in the prettiest spring shades (without spending Christmas-sized $$), and having fun making decorations for the table. At my house, my son also receives a basket from the Easter bunny—although these days its usually filled with Lego. But this year I’m going to do a little something for everyone at the dinner table, and it won’t include chocolate.

Have a knitter in the family? Add a skein of pretty yarn. An avid reader? The newest paperback will be a hit. Salt water taffy, in all its lovely pastel colours, will look amazing thrown in. Some stickers for a crafter, some labels for the person who loves to make preserves. A tiny book of Sudoku puzzles for the frequent traveller. It doesn’t have to be big, or expensive—indeed, for Easter it shouldn’t be—but it is nice to know that someone is thinking about you. Wrap it all with pretty vintage ribbon and you’ve got a perfect table favour or hostess gift!

Toronto’s One of a Kind Show opened yesterday, and I went along to the media preview to see what’s new. If you haven’t been, I advise you to check it out. There’s so much fun stuff there: really pretty artwork, yummy food, creative jewellery, beautiful clothing, and it’s all handcrafted. If you’re looking for an Easter gift or a new outfit, it’s well worth the trip. Two of my favourites for pretty spring clothes are honeybea design hive and studio fresh. There was tons of sweet dresses, skirts and tops made with vintage fabrics and the like. It’s on until April 5 at the Direct Energy Centre. Have fun!

I’m a big fan of a long, low centrepiece on the special occasion dinner table, and this year I’ve decided you can never underestimate the power of grass. Look outside right now and all you see is brown, yellow, muddy groundcover (I know, I know, we’re lucky it’s not still snow). But I was surfing through some websites today and saw some images of grass, and right away I felt as though inspiration had entered the room. Immediately I thought of summer, and heatwaves, and bright colours, and walking in bare feet.

I think some pots of grass would make a fantastic centrepiece this Easter. You could do individual pots at each place setting, or lined up in a row down the table, or even do just one long tray of grass. If you start growing it now, it will be a good height by Easter Sunday. Sprouts or ferns would also work well. You can nestle in some eggs and chicks, or add a few crocus or lily of the valley to the mix for interest. Voilà, you’re done!

I’m not sure it’s totally due to its proximity to spring that I fall more in love with the Easter holidays each year. Of course, the arrival of spring lifts the heart and the spirit, but as a separate entity, Easter has its own charms. I love the idea of pastel colours mingling with fragrant spring flowers like hyacinth, lily of the valley, tulips and crocus. I love the idea of a fresh new season of sunshine and warmth. I love the idea of the return of yummy traditional foods for the holidays like ham and asparagus. And who doesn’t love a good Easter egg hunt, bunnies, and chocolate?

As a child we always had an egg hunt at home, and there were always five Easter baskets lined up on the piano in the morning, one for each of my sisters and me. They each contained a new skipping rope, a chocolate bunny and a new pair of socks. Hot cross buns were on the breakfast menu, and I remember most Easters we went to my grandparents’ house for a dinner of ham and scalloped potatoes (I now have the Corningware dish my grandmother made her potatoes in, and it will grace my table this year).

These days Easter is a more informal holiday, but don’t let it go unheralded. So start thinking about ways to glam up your rooms, and stock up on some eggs to decorate. First up, I’m thinking about a colour scheme for this year. What do you think about pale orange, yellow and pink? I’d also love to know some fun ideas for decorating eggs. What’s your tradition?