An Easy Easter Cake

Here is a great way to dress up an ordinary Cake for an extraordinary Easter celebration! I found this Raspberry-Lemon Easter Cake recipe over at Food Network. The cake itself sounds delicious but I really fell in love with the way that the cake was decorated. So simple. So easy. So cute!



Whether you make a cake from scratch or buy one from your local bakery, you can easily create an equally adorable Easter Cake. For the sugar cookie embellishments, either make your own bunny and Easter Egg sugar cookies at home OR purchase ready-made cookies at your local store (I have already seen these at Target sold as Easter Cookie Decorating kits). Simply arrange the cookies around your cake and add a little color with chocolate covered almonds, M&M's, or any other colorful candy that you can find. Place on a pretty little plate, stand back, and admire. It really was that easy!

{Party Inspiration} Easter Brunch

Need some FABULOUS Easter Brunch inspiration for this year's celebration? Beka and Kimberly of Philadelphia-based Styled put together three completely different Easter Brunch tables for an Easter shoot (photographed by Marie Labbancz) by mixing and matching just a few different elements. I love all of the results that they came up with!







Did you notice the "nest-like" chargers used on one of the tables? How about the strawberry containers to hold the little chick favors? Or the candy robbin's eggs as favors? I love all of the color combinations and the versatility of each element used. So many wonderful ideas! Thanks girls!

{Crafty Ideas} Pottery Barn Kids Inspired Easter Yard Sign

I always get so excited when a new Pottery Barn Kids catalog shows up in my mailbox. Not only do I love their products, but their catalog serves as a great resource for decorating inspiration and ideas. Their latest issue features all of their fabulous Easter decor. Among my favorites are these Easter Yard Signs:

So cute, right? I decided that these would be a great accessory for this year's Easter party that I am planning but I really didn't want to spend $49 on a yard sign. So, I decided to make my own.

Here's what you will need:

- 1 Painter's Canvas (I used an 8 x 10 just because that is what I had at home)
- Assorted Paint colors
- Paint brushes
- 1 Wooden Stake
- Staple Gun
- Assorted Stencils if desired

Instructions: Be creative and have fun! Let go of your fear of "messing" up. Unless you are artistically gifted in drawing/painting (I am NOT), it probably won't be "perfect". If you want perfect, pay $49 for the Pottery Barn Kids version. This would also be a fun craft for you kids to help out with.

- I began by painting the entire canvas light blue. I did coats, allowing each to dry about 15 minutes in between.
- I just painted everything by hand. If you want, you can purchase stencils to guide you and the end result may look a little less crafty ;)
- Once my sign was complete, I used a staple gun to attach the painted canvas to the wooden stake.

The entire project took me under 1 hour to complete and cost next to nothing (I think about $4 total!). These painted canvasas are great for birthday parties and other holidays as well. Be creative and have fun!

{Crafty Ideas} A Little Easter Fun!

If you weren't already in the mood to start bringing out those little bunnies and baskets, you will be after you see the recently featured Easter Craft Ideas from Country Living. I am especially fond of these two:

Play it by Ear: To stitch up one of these kid-friendly accessories, you’ll need a child-size headband ($3.99; drugstore.com) and 11⁄2 yards of 1⁄2-inch-wide double- fold bias tape. (For a range of prints, from $9.50 for three yards, visit etsy.com/shop/pollydangernotions.)

1: Cut an 181⁄2- inch-long piece of bias tape. Hem the cut ends under 1⁄2 inch on each side, then stitch together the long side to form a casing. Fold the casing in half so that the ends touch and use a straight pin to mark the fold’s center.

2: Feed an extra-thick, 12-inch-long pipe cleaner through one end of the casing, stopping at the pin. Feed a second pipe cleaner through the casing’s other end until it, too, meets the pin; remove pin. Bring the casing’s open ends toward each other and twist the exposed pipe cleaners together to form a rabbit ear shape. Repeat steps one and two to make a second ear.

3: Cut a piece of bias tape the length of the headband, plus one extra inch. Wrap the tape over the headband, then use pins to mark the two spots where you want to attach the ears (use the photo at left for guidance).

4: Remove the tape from the headband and stitch the long side together, from the pins out to both ends of the tape; stitch these ends closed, and remove pins. Twist the ears’ pipe-cleaner ends around the headband in the desired spots, then slide each end of the headband into the casing. Use a needle and thread to slip-stitch the tape around and between the ears closed.

Feather your nest with papier-mâché: Take a page from the grade-school activity book with these delicate candy dishes, made using shredded brown lunch bags and sheets from an old dictionary.


1. Tightly cover a small bowl with plastic wrap, then flip the bowl upside down on wax paper. In another container, mix equal parts water and clear glue.

2. Dip handfuls of shredded paper into the glue mixture, then immediately lay them on the bowl until it’s covered.

3. Lightly press dry paper strips along the outside to create a “nesty” look.

4. Let dry for 12 hours; carefully pull the wrap off the bowl and away from the nest.

Visit Country Living to view these craft ideas and others as well.