Happy Easter - Spring Planter Box Centerpiece

I hope you have a blessed Easter Day.  We are lucky to be spending it again with family and realize what a treasure that is.  No completely decked out tablescape this year but I did create a centerpiece that I thought you'd like to see. It's been a while since I've dabbled in floral arranging but am pretty happy with how this turned out.

Easter 2011 Tulip and Hydrangea Planter box centerpiece - Cindy Rippe

The arrangement was inspired by the tablescape that I fell in love with at the International Housewares Show last month featuring Paula Deen's new dinnerware by Meyer. You can see a picture of it on her facebook page.

After finding a bargain on a flat of tulip plants ($4.00 at Lowes) and Hydrangea bushes (Michaels - 60% off) I was good to go!  Spring is my favorite time of year and the "New Life" theme worked out pretty well.

Afternoon Shadows on the centerpiece - Cindy Rippe

Dinner will be served buffet style with disposable dinnerware. We've all been going through some crazy, busy times around here and decided that easy cleanup would be the way to go for a change. (After my concerns about using disposable products I was reminded that they will be recycled)  I found these at Party City.  We'll use my stainless flatware instead of plastic and I chose the hand towels instead of napkins because of the way they are folded and the size is just a bit larger.  We'll alternate napkins and plates to make it easy for guests to pick them up in the buffet line.

Pretty Paisley Napkins and Leaf Green Plates from Party City - Cindy Rippe

Here's a link to last year's tablescape.  Enjoy!

From my house to yours: Happy Easter, Happy Spring, Happy Life!

Greatest man in history, named Jesus, had no servants, yet they called him Master. Had no degree, yet they called him Teacher. Had no medicines, yet they called him Healer. He had no army, yet kings feared Him. He won no military battles, yet he conquered the world. He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him. He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.

Blog Hopping this week with:

Take some time to visit these cute blogs too please.

Easter Egg Tree - Recycle last year's plastic eggs

Here's a fun project that uses the plastic eggs left over after Easter.  The candy's gone, you're tired of picking them up off of the floor and you know you'll want new, shiny and clean ones next year.  Gather up all the pieces and make ornaments for an outdoor Easter Egg Tree!

Larry and Elena's Easter Egg Tree - Cindy Rippe Art in Entertaining

I took this picture of my Brother and Sister In-Law's tree yesterday when we took Isabella by for a visit to "my Uncle Larry".  We always enjoy their Holiday Decorations and beautiful yard.

To make the Easter Egg ornaments for your own tree. You need a needle nosed pliers, wire that's thick enough to stay straight, yet easy to bend by hand and a thick needle or old ice pick and some glue.

Separate the eggs. 
1 - Heat the point of the needle (that you are holding with the pliers) over an open flame for a few seconds and press through the top of the egg to create a hole large enough for the wire to go through.
   - After you test the size, finish making all the holes.
   - Note: If you have a high speed Dremel drill that would work too.

2 - Cut the wire to 12" lengths. (or whatever length you'd like for your type of tree or bushes)

3 - Thread one end of the wire through the hole far enough to easily work on the tip.
   - Use the pliers to twist the end of the wire into a loop large enough to prevent it from slipping back out.     

4 - Bend the other end of the wire into a 2 inch loop and twist it to secure.  (see photo below)

5 - Add a touch of Aleene's Original Tacky Glue to the edge of the egg and snap the bottom piece in to place.  You can mix egg colors or match them as seen in the above photo.

Adjust wire loop as desired to fit tree branch - note that wire comes straight out of the top hole in egg.

The heavier gauge wire helps to prevent the eggs from flipping around and getting caught up in the branches during Spring weather.  The large loops make them easier to hang while you decorate and remove after Easter.

Save the ornaments and keep adding more each year and don't worry if some get separated or broken.  You'll have plenty of spare parts next year for repairs!  This could end up being a family tradition and the kids might not leave them lying around after the candy's gone.  (We'll...we can always hope, right?)

Romantic Homes Show and Tell Friday

I'm also linking to Craft Test Dummies Go Green Link Party,  Today's Cretaive Blog and Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop this week.  Check out all the fun projects!

CRAFT TEST DUMMIES - GO GREEN PARTY

TODAY'S CREATIVE BLOG - GET YOUR CRAFT ON

Daffodils and Easter Inspiration

I love spring!  The flowers and plants coming back to life after a long winter. The sunshine and promise of warmer weather.  Soft rain showers that seem to wash away the gloom of February and crazy March winds.

Daffodils - Multimedia on Bristol Vellum - copyright Cindy Rippe 2011

I've been spending much of my time lately designing, sketching and painting.  There aren't many new tablescapes right now but my Holiday and Seasonal designs (mostly botanical and inspirational) are destined for dinnerware, table linens and stationery.  In addition to teaching at National Conventions I've gone back to creating original designs for multimedia art (graphite, acrylic wash, pen and ink and colored pencil), painting on glass, ceramic and fabric.

So...along with celebrating Easter this month I guess I'm celebrating a rebirth of my own creativity.
Wish me luck!  It will be interesting to see which direction this blog takes us. Click "Follow" on the right side of this page to keep in touch.

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.”  – John 11:25-26

I'm joining the Designer Crafts Connection Blog Connection again this month.  You can go to the main page at 365 Days of Crafts Blog Hop or click on the Logo below. Click forward to go to the next Designer's post.  Keep clicking until you get back here and you will have seen all the wonderful Easter/Spring ideas.

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Easter Banners

Life's been a little strange lately. I have limited internet access and I've missed connecting with you all!

Since I won't have time to craft or write much until next week I wanted to share a few cute DIY Easter banners I found today while waiting for Isabella to wake up from her nap.

Isn't this adorable?  Looks like a fun family project from Holiday Snob.

Paper Plate Bunny Banner from Holiday Snob

And this Bunny Banner from Happy Clippings would be a great way to use some of my scrapbook paper stash.  Love the buttons on the tail!

Bunny Banner from Happy Clippings

And my favorite, from Jennie at Studio 1621 on Etsy.  Simple, elegant and the real reason I celebrate Easter!

He is Risen by Studio 1621

And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.  1 John 2:25 

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Easter Tablescape in Pink & Green

Our elegant Easter Tablescape this year was created on a budget with easy DIY projects. I thought it would be fun to share it, along with the other creative tablescapers, at Between Naps on the Porch for my first Tablescape Thursday.

Sarah originally wanted pink tulips in silver mint julep cups but they were hard to find and out of our price range.  We went with a pink and green theme and used what we had on hand (with a few changes of course!) and got lucky with a last minute clearance sale for the napkins. 

We were able to squeeze 14 at the table using folding chairs along the sides to save space.  I made the runner using $4.00 clearance fabric.  The edges were hemmed with iron on fusible web.  I had planned on making matching napkins but 1/2 price was too hard to resist so I bought them instead!  I'll make the napkins later with the extra fabric.

A $10.00 bunch of pink tulips from the grocery store tucked into Mom's soup tureen.

 

Here's a close up of the painted plates.  The napkins are folded in thirds and draped across the plate to carry the green over the edge of the table.  Sarah made the bird's nest cookies which were perfect to tuck into the salad bowls as a party favor.

                          

The butter dish and salt and pepper shakers gave us our touch of silver.  My white ceramic bowls and garden birds pulled the look together.  I like how the embossed pattern on the bird looks with the paisley print.

Yummy homemade dessert buffet.  The folding three tier server, extra napkins and more of the white ceramic accents.  Sarah made carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, lemon pound cake and chocolate ganache frosted cupcakes.

Painting plates for Easter

I have a set of glass plates that I decorate according to whatever party theme I'm working on.  It's cheaper than buying multiple sets of dinnerware and pretty easy to do!  I mix DecoArt Americana Acrylic paints with Sta-Flo liquid starch and sponge the mixture on the back. I prop each plate on a bowl after painting.

I did two coats on this set.  Of course, I thought I'd be really creative and paint white tulips on the front first.  Didn't work......they blended away when I started sponging.  I'll try something else next time.

I let them dry overnight before using.  I like to wipe the front of the plate off with a mild solution of vinegar and water to clean them since we'll be eating from them!  There's usually finger smudges and sometimes a little paint.  After the party is over I use a paper towel to wipe the paint off after soaking the plates in warm water for a few minutes.