Favorite Easter and Spring make it yourself

March was a month of adventures in crafts from bunny burlap garland, egg shell flower cups, paint chip bunny garland, and distressed bird houses.  Not all were successful and some took several attempts.  Who knew there were so many colors and types of burlap.  Finally,  a sweet lady at Hancock Fabrics led me in the right direction after two hours of struggling at home with the wrong burlap.  I did however find a use for the messy burlap and a mason jar. In shopping I found some antique looking rabbits which look great on the mantel along with the distressed bird houses (worked on these to midnight one night because I am a perfectionist- really not a good combination for crafting - such sayin....)




Antique looking Rabbits - love these



Easter Egg cups from Target/ $1.00 each

 


use washed and dryed egg shells, acrylic paint and tacky glue.  The tacky glue strengthens the egg so it does not break apart so easily Add easter grass or moss and silk flowers





I loved how this turned out.  Begin with a mason jar, wrap burlpap (this was the first burlap I bought for the bunny garland - an absolute disaster for the garland)  around the jar and secure with tacky glue (yes, tacky glue is for everything), adhere felt ribbon or any ribbon or twine.  Add  twine to lip of jar and add flowers.  I always put pebbles in the bottom of a vase or jar as it  helps to hold the flowers in place.  The dogs were going crazy over the smell of the burlap - I could not keep them away from it

 



so pretty and inexpensive





This by far was my favorite.  Fun Fur really is fun.  The tighter you wrap the wreath
the better it looks.  Using decorative pearl stick pins secure the daisies into the styrofoam wreath
adhere butterflies using hot glue gun  and add  a little bird nest.  Used daisy ribbion to hang from the door



 
 





Bunny Burlap Banner - use tightly woven burlap, cotton balls, and pilk
felt for the nose.  I used the thin strips from the wider burlap as the bow and regular twine to hang the bunnies on--
hot glue the bunny to the twine.  I finally found a template for the bunny which was
easier to trace then draw freehand

 

 

 

Have a Wonderful Easter  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plush Memories - something real that lasts forever

Stuffed animals – we each had one or several and remember them well when asked.  They were our comforter in the night, a confidant and playmate for tea, pirates, dress-up and adventures.  They shared our lives as children and we could not imagine a day or going to sleep without them.

As we aged they were forgotten or replaced and carefully packed in a box to be stored in a remote area of the closet.  Years would go by before we would remember them or even open the box.  But when we did – childhood memories would flood our minds and tugs at the heart would emerge of long ago. We would hold in our hands a ragged and worn dear old friend.   Even in adulthood we cannot imagine parting with something so small yet significant.

My plush friend was a clown – a handmade sock clown with button eyes and patchwork material.  Sarah has a pink bunny that her daddy bought when she was two months old.  Bunny is everything to her.  She sleeps and travels with bunny and absolutely adores him.



 

Bunny and Clown

Courtney had Bugs – her favorite gift one Christmas.  She is now 24 and expecting her first child but Bugs is tucked safely away in a box in her old bedroom.  Jared's was a handcrafted Care Bear and Christopher a white lion.


Courtney and Bugs



Jared and Care Bear

Though we are grown and no longer require or need our beloved friend we will always remember with tenderness the security they provided and the love we felt when they were tucked beside us. This was and still is something real.

 What was your favorite stuffed animal?



Sarah with Bunny always right beside her

 

still....


 



 

 

Lorell's Banana Bread - The Best - Even I like it

My family loves banana bread which means there have been many loaves of banana bread made in my house.  I am not really a fan of anything with bananas in it -except for this recipe.  Give it a try- this is by far one of the best and I have made a lot of banana bread.

Start with ripe bananas and real butter - makes a difference.  The recipe calls for 2 cups of flour and this time I used 1 cup regular flour and 1 cup gluten free flour.  No one could tell any difference - next time will use all gluten free flour. 

Lorell's Banana Bread:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
4  ripe bananas
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
1/2 cups walnuts (optional)

Cream shortening.  Add sugar, eggs, bananas.  Add dry ingredients. Mix well. Bake at 300 for 1 hour 15 minutes.  Makes 1 loaf. 

purchased from Great Harvest Bread