Wednesday Wonder: Some Easter/Spring Ideas

 

Hello dear Friends 🌸

Do you have your Easter countdown on? Mine is a-ticking away over here. I've been tweaking my menu, and making my grocery and to-do lists and getting all set. 

Even though it's gray out today. And the forecast is calling for potentially 7 or 8 inches of snow by Friday (nope that's not an April fool...but our real forecast). Easter Sunday has a glorious forecast of sun and mid 40's. I will take that all day! ☀️🐰

Since I have Easter on my mind, and I was looking at some of my pinterest boards for inspiration...I thought I would share some of my finds with you too. In case you were wanting some added inspiration for the weekend ahead as well. But first, here's a look at my sleepy babies today. It is kind of a gray and good for a nap kind of day. Can you see  why I like to keep the recliner covered with a blanket? Less fur stuck in there. Lol

However, there's no time to rest. Easter is practically here! :) 

So here are a few fun ideas. If you want more in-depth info like the recipes etc - you can find all of these on my "Spring/Easter" pinterest board, and then click on the links directly. And a few of the salad recipes are under my "salads" board.  You can find my pinterest page if you click here.

First up, how about some fun decorating inspiration:

inexpensive hack to get free paint samples and cut out in egg shape for a cute garland

rustic but cute and inexpensive too 

love the idea of filling an old small trunk or case like this

i love how this wreath is simple, yet stunning

Now that we have things looking pretty, how's about we get it smelling pretty too. Love the idea of a Spring simmer pot. 

Now maybe it's time to create some fun appetizers to share with guests?

how cute are these peep and chick cookie cutters? (you could cut cheese and salami in these shapes too)

and I love the idea of decorating a crudite platter with a chocolate bunny or bunny decoration

Or have a Spring tea party and do the crudite in little teacups

And I think Springtime just sings for light pastas and salads as main dishes, don't you?

a light pasta filled with seasonal veggies and parm - perfect!

or create a seasonal salad or steamed veggies and use this vinaigrette 

maybe elevate a leftover Easter ham sandwich into this?

mmmm - more fun tea party ideas

And of course, we need to end with a sweet treat:

bunny topped pretzels or butterfly topped cupcakes...yes please!

be still my heart - look at these sweet teapot chocolate covered strawberries

or even enjoy Spring flavor sweets with your breakfast coffee

There are so many fun Spring and Easter ideas out there once you start looking. Do you have any favorites??

xoxo

Wednesday Wonder: Spring Fairies

 

Hello Friends and happy mid week to you ☀️

The sun is shining away in the northwoods and my mantra continues to be the same..."melt snow melt" 😂

Our dining room has these built-ins where I keep some extra sets of dishes (chinaware, gravy boats, glasses, Christmas dishes, some linens etc). But I love the cubbies to display some dishes, family pics, and pottery... and of course my maximalist nature of seasonal decorations. Lol

But besides some very Easter-y things, I have also displayed a few fairy decorations in there. I meant to share them more around St. Paddy's Day, as I put them out kind of for that. However, I think they still fit the Spring vibe and all the dreaming I'm doing on planting flowers the fairy pots to come. 🌸

So I thought I'd give you a close up peek on how the fairies are slowly coming back for the season. 

Shhh though....visit quietly as this sweet fairy and her owl are having a nice afternoon nap. And I see another fairy stepped away from her desk where she was enjoying some letter writing. I love her little acorn cup of tea. 

LOVE the little ladybug :) 

I hope you still believe and hold a little fairy magic in your hearts. 😉✨

Blessings always.

xoxo

Wordless Wednesday

 

Wordless Wednesday: Holiday Peeks

 

*my Mom painted her! 

Wednesday Wonder: October Five Senses

 

Hello lovely Friends ~ 

It's October - yay!! 🎃🍁🧡

I couldn't agree more! This is the best month of all in my opinion. Cozy season truly begins. It starts getting so colorful outside. It's a time of year we usually go exploring and hiking pretty places the most. It's chillier, but not too cold. Not to mention it's birthday month for my Hubby and me! I'm so ready for all of the cozy ahead. 😍

So today I thought I'd indulge in a 5 senses post to share all the Autumn goodness around me at this moment. 

 SEE:

When I look out my windows now I see more color everyday. I love how many of the lower shrubbery below the trees, and lower parts by the bay, turn a crimson color. And then there is all the golden goodness on the trees above. We have a lot of birch trees in our backyard and others that turn a pretty yellow. When the wind blows through them they shimmer in the prettiest way. Until they can't hold on any longer and slowly drift to the ground. I never tire of this show that shares its splendor every year. 

I also see another little painting I just finished. I've been working on my shading more - which I have found difficult with watercolor. I have an Aunt coming to visit soon and I'm going to give this one to her ...along with a few Fall goodies. :) 

I also see my Fall decorations around the house and it brings me such joy! It's my favorite time to decorate (with Christmas as a very close second)

FEEL:

I feel Ruby's soft fur, as she just went to the salon...er, groomer yesterday. 😉 She's such a pretty girl. When she gets shaggier she feels so wooly - more like a sheep! Ha! But when she gets shaved down her fur is so soft underneath. She's an old girl now. Almost 14 years. 🙈 And she has quite a few old lady lumps and bumps I also feel when I pet her. She may be older but she still runs and plays like a puppy. She can't hear or see as well, but it hasn't slowed her down. Plus, she's my snuggler and I love it! 

HEAR:

As I was sitting and painting and then petting on Ruby I was listening to an Autumn playlist I created on Amazon music through our Alexa Echo. Here are some of the songs to give you an idea of the vibe. I love lots of oldies and lots of songs or music that makes me feel in a Fall mood:

* EVA CASSIDY:

- Fields of gold

-Songbird

*ED SHEERAN:

-Autumn Leaves

-The Hills of Aberfeldy

-his Autumn variations album

*NAT KING COLE:

-Autumn Leaves

-Tis Autumn

-Love

*Music from the PRIDE & PREJUDICE SOUNDTRACK

*TAYLOR SWIFT:

- Cardigan

-Exile

*ELLA FITZGERALD & LOUIS ARMSTRONG:

-Autumn in New York

*FRANK SINATRA:

- Witchcraft

-I'll Be Seeing You

*Soundtrack to THE GREAT PUMPKIN CHARLIE BROWN

....Lots more but this gives you a good idea 🧡

TASTE:

I just made myself a cup of creamy spicy chai tea. I love how it's sweet but also has that bite of spice to it with exotic cardamom & zippy cinnamon. I'm enjoying it in my Fall mug that is big and chunky and perfect for Autumn bevvies. 😋 

I'm enjoying it with a little healthier version pumpkin spice cookie. The cookie is soft and perfectly dip-able in my chai. 

To make the cookie simply blend a 15 oz can of pumpkin with a standard spice cake mix. Mix them until they are well blended. Add chocolate and butterscotch chips if you wish (I added just a little). And extra cinnamon or spices if you like. Then with a tablespoon scoop out cookies onto non-stick cookie sheets. Bake at 350* for 16-18 minutes. 

Or if you don't want to add chocolate chips once cookies are cooled you could dip them in a powdered sugar glaze of about 1&1/4 c. of powdered sugar blended with 3 tbsp of milk. Whisk well and can add some vanilla or cinnamon for flavor too. Then dunk the tops of the spiced cookies in the glaze and let set. They are made with no eggs or oil so less fat and so a few less calories. Store in an airtight container. They will be soft. 

SMELL:

And finally, what I'm smelling is this wonderful blend in the diffuser. I keep it in our tv room but it perfumes the whole main part of our home. I like that this diffuser is a pretty glass one (I found it on amazon) - and I can set it for anywhere from 1 to 6 hours and it changes colors as it works. This is a blend I found on pinterest as you can see from the "recipe" below. It truly does have a magical scent. It has a spicy sweet herbal-ness to it that makes me think of the woods in Autumn. It would be a really good Halloween scent and I think I used to have a witchy Halloween candle once that smelled a lot like it. 

Thank for sharing in these little Autumn moments with me Friends. Are you an October lover too? What's your favorite of your 5 senses during the Fall season?