Crate Easter Baskets/Centerpiece

Adjusting to an empty nest isn’t always easy, especially during the holidays when fun traditions sort of just stop. I miss my nightgown-clad little girls searching for Easter baskets on Easter morning. And so, even though they are grown, until they have families of their own, I’ve decided to continue the tradition of putting together an Easter basket for each of them.

easter-vignette

My girls share my love of chocolate (it’s a girl thing, right?) and eclectic style so this year, I went with a DIY rustic crate-inspired Easter basket.

easter-basket-crates

Materials:

  • Small unfinished crates
  • TransTint dye (dark mission brown)
  • Stamps/ink  
  • Wide burlap ribbon
  • Spanish moss
  • Filler: Lindt chocolates

Tutorial:

I started with staining my crates using a TransTint dye and let dry.

staining-crates-transtint-dye

Next, using stamps and ink, I labeled each of the crates with “farmers market, “recycle” and an established date. “Herbs” would have been cute too.

stamped-crates

Then I lined the sides with burlap ribbon.

burlap-crate-lining

I recycled some brown paper packaging material for the bottom of the crates and topped with Spanish moss.

paper-moss-topper

Garden Markers: I painted two wooden garden markers (Michaels) with chalkboard paint, wrapped the sticks with washi tape and added a bow.

chalkboard-garden-markers

Then filled the baskets with Lindt chocolatates {love those little foil-wrapped chocolate bugs, critters, lambs, chicks and carrots} and other little treasures.

lindt-easter-candy

Rather than hide them this year, I’m using them as a centerpiece.

diy-easter-crate

As always, there’s attending an Easter service at church, hosting Easter dinner and a family Easter egg hunt too. Do you have an Easter tradition to share?

diy-easter-crates-centerpiece

 

*This post was sponsored by Lindt who provided Lindt products and a Michael’s gift card to complete this project. Lindt also partners with Autism Speaks and is donating 10 ¢ for every Lindt Gold Bunny purchased in the US to Autism Speaks. See more about Lindt products at LindtGoldBunny.com.

Spring-Thing-Party

I’m joining the “It’s a Spring Thing” party with Kim at Design Thoughts today. She’s hosting this week’s party and sharing one of her spring cleaning/organizing projects  with her awesome bar makeover…

bar-makeover-design thoughts

Paper Mache Easter Egg craft

A day with freezing rain isn’t my ideal spring day, but it is still officially winter. Spring. In like a lion, right? ::groan::

Fortunately, this dip-dyed {painted} paper mache Easter egg craft is a cheerful easy DIY project which aided in averting my eye from the cold, gloom and sleet outside.

painted-dip-dyed-eggs

I don’t think you really need a tutorial. But, since writing up a “how to” is what I love to do, I’m going to tell you what I did anyway. 😉

painted-dip-dyed-paper-mache-easter-egg-tutorial

Materials:

  • Paper mache eggs
  • FrogTape
  • DecoArt Americana acrylic craft paints

Wrap FrogTape around the paper mache egg to create a faux dipped line. Using my fingernail, I rubbed the edge of the tape to activate the Paint Block Technology to prevent paint from seeping underneath the tape, to create a crisp clean line.

FrogTape-on-paper-mache-easter-egg

Then I simply painted the bottom of my paper mache eggs using different spring-inspired colors:

painted-paper-mache-egg

Pull away/remove FrogTape while paint is still wet. It’s a little tricky! After I was done, I thought: “I should have used a set of tongs or something to get a better grip on my egg.” #hindsight

removing-FrogTape

Allow paint to dry. (I just set mine on the cellophane paper mache egg packaging.)

Decorate!

dip-dyed-painted-paper-mache-easter-eggs

Do you decorate with Easter eggs {faux or real} this time of year?

Spring-Thing-Party

Joining Lana over at Making a House a Home for “It’s a Spring Thing” linky party where she shares her sweet little DIY playhouse for her little guy.

diy-play-house by Making a House a Home

There’s another It’s a Spring Thing link party too! Fun! I’m joining the party by linking up with my best blog girlfriends too.

Spring-Thing-Linky-Party-Button

What are you working on? You’re invited to link up & share!
Joining the party with Amanda too!
Weekend Bloggy Reading

This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my own experience.

 FrogTape Blog Squad

Affiliate links for project materials:

Spring Decorating

Five days until spring officially arrives but who’s counting? This girl! I’ve been ready since January. Not to mention, Easter Sunday is only a little over 2 weeks away too and we’re hosting. So, time to start decorating, starting with the dining room and a little Easter vignette…

chocolate-easter-vignette

easter-buffet

I dusted off my DIY Pottery Barn inspired Happy Easter eggs from two years ago for the occasion and put together a centerpiece…

pottery-barn-knock-off-easter-centerpiece

DIY Pottery Barn inspired decorative Easter eggs tutorial

Pottery-Barn-Happy-Easter-eggs-knock-off

Just reading the message on my DIY spring sign makes me think of spring sunshine.

DIY-spring-sign

and an indoor fairy garden in a miniature greenhouse has me just itching to see green outdoors…

fairy-garden

Okay. It’s my birthday today, so let’s have a party! 🙂 It’s my turn to host the Countdown to Spring party. Last on the list, but that means it’s nearly spring!

countdown to spring

I’ve had so much fun collaborating with My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Sand & Sisal, Domestically Speaking and It’s So Very Cheri. Did you see their spring projects too? Check them out!

countdown-to-spring-collage

Are you decorating for spring or Easter or even St. Patrick’s Day? Let’s see your spring goodies!  Link up your spring décor, mantels, recipes, crafts… you name it… as long as it’s spring related, please share!