Paint Your Own Easter Egg Cookies

I have wanted to do these for several years.  Finally, Easter is close enough to my spring break that I was able to take advantage of having a little bit more time in my schedule.  I found the edible paint pallets on Etsy and chose the Easter colors.  I found the plastic bristle paint brushes at Hobby Lobby, and I found all the ingredients for the cookies in my pantry.  Ha!  I didn't use the typical Royal Icing Recipe, but my favorite sugar cookie recipe.  I added Karo Syrup to the recipe so it would harden.

I packaged each cookie up in a small cellophane bag b/c I was shipping them, or packaging multiple in the Easter bags I snagged a few years back at Hallmark (I told you I had been planning this for awhile).  I also packaged the paint pallets in a smaller cellophane bag.  

Some of the cookies I boxed up and mailed to some of my younger pals, and then I packaged up the ones I plan to pass out to friend's kiddos in the bunny bags and included the paint brush.  

Carrot Sign

In today's edition of  'quarantine crafts' I picked up a board I had drawn a carrot shape on months ago and actually cut it out using a jigsaw.  I sanded it down, painted it, added a ribbon and a stick.  My plan was to make a bunch of these for Easter, but with everything going on-all I had was one inside of me willing to be made.  Plus, I'm out of wood like this lying out back.
      Never fear, I have more wood in my garage to make into random signs and crafts.  BUT....before that I have a basket of strange things (grill brushes, old records etc) that are getting a coat of paint first.

Easter Table-Shabby Chic

This Thursday...maybe even tomorrow (pending cancelations) I have a craft segment that will air on GMT.  I'll try to remember to post it on facebook later.  I was given a pretty broad brush, and supplies are harder to come by with so many stores closed and shipments being delayed, but I was able to get some curbside crafts via Michael's (Joann offers the same service).  I went with this shabby chic look for Easter.

 I made a little candy pouch after google a free template for a chocolate bunny and hot gluing the two sides together.  I left the bottom open, filled it with candy, then sealed it with glue.  These would be fun for table markers.

I saw a tutorial just like this via pizzazzerie last year and bought some shower rings for just this project....that I put off until now.  All you have to do to make these napkin rings is wrap a shower ring with twine (or fabric) and then pop the stick off a planter sticker and glue it to the front.  You could do this for any holiday (sea shell for summer?).  You can also use toilet paper rolls cut down for your ring, but these last longer.  Shower rings may be easier to find right now!  

Last up, I cracked eggs from the top, cleaned it,  placed a wick inside,  and poured in melted wax.  If you have candles with just a little wax left, you can also pour that into eggs b/c it doesn't take much wax and who wants to burn that last 1/4 of a candle?!  Another idea is to dye the shell (just don't boil them) to have a more colorful table.  

Since we are all quarantined, they asked me to Skype from home, but....there's June.  So, I asked if I could prerecord.  I had to sit to fit the table and myself into the horizontal shot using my iPhone, and my brother did the filming since he's currently quarantined at my house, so....basically-daytime Emmy?

Glazed Ham

I think I've mentioned a time or ten I'm cooking through the Pioneer Woman Holiday Cookbook.  No time restrictions, just as the reason arises.  Instead of retyping the recipe, I'm just adding a few tips I learn along the way, and I'm not planning to blog the 200 plus recipes, just my favorites.  These are the ones I know I'll make again (probably this Easter), and a few things I wanted to remember that didn't make the cookbook b/c it's probably more a 'Christy thing.'  Here is where the original recipe lives for this ham.  

Here are the two things I learned.  1.  When you are making the glaze-watch it closely!  Mine boiled up and over (thanks to that Dr Pepper) really quickly.  I turned my back for a second and.....hot mess on the stove that resurrected itself the next morning and involved the fire alarms b/c of the sticky glaze I didn't get off all the way.  2.  I also bought a precut ham and I still studded the top with the cloves.  I just poked them around as much as possible, and then I removed them after.  I'm not sure if you are supposed to, but....I did.  The ham came with it's own glaze pkt, but I tossed that.  It was a noticeably more delicious ham!

Easter Charcuterie

 How about a little Easter charcuterie?  I live near a Great American Harvest Bread Company that sells little bunny breads near Easter (not an add). I picked one up this weekend and then emptied out my fridge to make a themed lunch because cute lunches are better.

Nutella and strawberries, cucumbers and spicy dip, cheese, turkey, and butterfly crackers.  Boiled eggs and carrots would be a fun addition too, but....I'm working with what I have!

Brunch Basket

My pal Kelly loves brunch.  She had a tough year last year and I wanted to do a little something to acknowledge Easter as an adult, so I put together this basket for her with a 'brunch theme.'  I found the bacon and egg plastic eggs via Oriental trading, and the chick piñata at the 99 Cent Store.  I grabbed some egg shaped gummies at World Market, and a little can of Mimosa.  I started to get Champagne and Orange Juice, but....decided the can was cute.  I also grabbed pancake mix, granola, marmalade, and maple syrup and some traditional Easter chocolates etc.  So....useful and fun.  I TRY to do Easter basket type things for friends each year, but my wish and my time don't always connect, so.....one point for me last year.  We will see what I can work up this year!

Spring Wreath

I took this wreath recently to Good Morning, Texas.  It's currently my spring wreath, which replaced a wreath similar to this I made years ago with REAL eggs I blew out and cleaned.  They were beautiful, but they broke often.
A few years ago I discovered 'fake' hard boiled egg that you can get at Walmart, most craft stores, or (in my case) the 99 Cent Store.
I spray painted 3 1/2 dozen blue and flicked them with brown paint to look like Robin Eggs.  
I also grabbed some moss at the dollar store and I hot glued the moss and the eggs to a grapevine wreath and then added a bow.  Easy, and very cheap!

Nest Cookies

I usually try to post crafts before the holiday, but....I still don't have my act together.  I'm trying really hard to chill out on my scheduling, but it was another crazy spring.  So, all this to say, I'll post this here for next year.  If time is an issue this is SUCH an easy 'cookie' that I shared last week on Good Morning, Texas.  You can make these a little dainty and they would be super cut cupcake toppers as well.  The easiest version of this...
You take a handful of chow mein, melt some chocolate, stir the chow into the chocolate and toss until it's coated, and drop it on the wax paper.  I also popped some cadberry eggs on top to look like eggs before the chocolate hardened.  The chow is sold in most grocery stores near the Asian food section.  It really is such a tasty cookie and so simple....and adorable!

Easter Bouquet

I made this bouquet last week on the cheap.  Obviously, I went with the Easter theme, but this could be used for any holiday.  If you are using real flowers (which I was) and you want to be able to keep them in water, the key is to get a smaller vase to go inside the first that leaves just enough room for your candy.  In this case, I got both vases at the Dollar Tree.  I also added some peeps on sticks.

I used a fat/squat one on the show and a plastic Dixie Cup inside for those flowers (I just cut it down a bit so it didn't stick up over the vase).  If you grab a bouquet for 5 bucks from the store this can either be a fun table decoration, OR a fun hostess gift....just a thought!

Dollar Store Bunny Wreath

 I've really been into pink and white this Easter.  I recently saw a wreath like this online and knew just where to grab the pieces.

They sell foam wreaths and bunny ears at the dollar store.  You can also find boas there, but they aren't always in stock, so I used a coupon and got two for half off at the craft store.  

 I took the ears and stretched them around the foam and then taped them into place.

 I then taped the edge of the boa onto the foam wreath and started wrapping it around.

 It took two boas to cover the whole thing.  You could spray the foam white if you want to space out the boa a little more (but not see the green foam), but.....the point is-easy and adorable and it fits right into my current decor.

Bunny Garland

 I saw something like this on pinterest and I had to try it out.  I've been really into little yarn fuzzies lately.  On one side of my yarn balls I added ears with little pink insides.

 On the backside I added little cotton pompoms for tails.

 They can hang either way.

To make my yarn puffs I just looped a bunch of yarn around four fingers about twenty times.  The more you loop, the bigger your puff.  Use fewer fingers when looping to make smaller bunnies.  Lab puppies are optional.  

 I tied the middle and then cut the loops and started 'fluffing.'

 I left the yarn I used to tie the middle long until I tied it onto my twine.  That's when I trimmed it off.

I cut out little pieces of felt and glued those and the pompoms to the white puffs after I had tied them to the twine to make sure I got them in the right place.  

Easy Egg Gift Boxes

 I saw the idea to make little shabby chic egg containers here last year and decide to make these for place name tags for Easter.

I found some oval paper mache boxes at the craft store for less than a buck and I drew some designs with a white gel pen and then filled them up.  Easy and cute.

Cadberry Dip

 I LOVE Cadbury eggs.  A lot.  I discovered that they sell a chocolate bar with Cadbury filling down the bar of chocolate.  I bought as many as I had pounds at the time, and I don't understand why they don't sell them here.  Why?  I read about this time here and I had to give it a go.  I brought it to a work event and I think we all agreed it's a keeper.  So, if you love Cadbury Eggs....give it a go.

Cadbury Egg Dip

PRINT HERE

Ingredients:  9 Cadbury Eggs, 8 oz cream cheese (softened), 1/2 c. butter (softened), 1/4 c. brown sugar, 3/4 c. powdered sugar, 2 t vanilla, 1 t. salt, chocolate graham crackers
Instructions:
1.  With a beater, mix cream cheese, butter, brown sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until well blended.

 2.  Roughly chop up 8 of the eggs and stir them into the mix.  Place the 9th egg on top.

3.  Chill and serve with chocolate graham crackers.

Honey Bunny

 Last year I needed a gift for multiple mentees at work.  The mentors decided to divvy up the months so we could surprise them each month.  I started the year, and got another turn in March that I split with one of my teammates.  We decided to put little coffee drinks and breakfast in their box.  I saw this cute ideas for packaging up honey buns.

 I typed up the message and printed it on tan cardstock.  I cut the inner ear shape on pink paper and then glued it to white, and I trimmed out the earshape so that they would poke above the card.

I glued the whole thing together and then attached each card to some honey buns.  You can staple them directly to the package, or put each bun in a cellophane package and add some cute ribbon.

 Incidentally, had there been an extra one and had I eaten it-I would tell you that they are really delicious if you pop them in the microwave for 15 seconds.  I'm not saying that happened, but if it did-that would have been advice I gathered in my experimental study.