"Egg"cellent idea!

Several weeks ago Vivienne@the V Spot asked this question on her blog.

How do you like your eggs. . . scrambled, over easy. . . plastic?

Well that caught my attention. So I checked out what she had done with these plastic eggs that we all have rolling around our 'seasonal decor tote'. It was soooo neat. You will definitely want to check it out too. I followed her directions and this was the outcome.




I gathered up all my pretty colored plastic eggs. I had many that we had accumulated over the years, and one whole bag (purchased several years ago) that had never been opened.


I opened each egg, and ran a bead of glue around the edge of the opening and closed it up to dry.


I took them out to the garage and spray painted them with a primer paint. I painted mine in batches, as I was only using a small table to paint them on. Be careful, those little suckers roll around as you are spray painting them.



All painted with the primer paint.





Then I sprayed them with "Speckle Stone" paint.



Voila, you now have dozens of birds eggs to decorate with for Spring!







This is one of my grandmother old bread pans.






I'm joining Metamorphosis Monday over at Between naps on the Porch today. Hope you will pop over and see the many, MANY ideas!!!

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The Sammie story...

A couple weeks ago my sister and her family went to Florida for some vacation time.

As is true for any of us, planning vacation always includes delegating some responsibilities in order for our holiday time to be truly free from worrying about "home".

Well, my niece needed someone to take care of her little hamster, Sammie.

I don't quite know what it is about grandchildren - but they seem to be able to ask just about anything of their grandparents and receive a "yes" for the answer.

OF COURSE Grammie would hamstersit Sammie!! And, really, who could resist the wild fluffs and tufts of fur, the busy little nose and the cute little tongue and lips?
Not Grammie.

So the Dining Room table got cleared off for Sammie and all his housekeeping needs. Yes, I did say the Dining Room table - this is the newest thing in TableScaping!

Well, the long and the short of this Sammie story is that just three short days into the hamstersitting gig, it was all over. Sammie died. And, I'm NOT even kidding.

Oh my.
Poor Sammie.
He had no idea what I would have given him.
He had me in the palm of his... little paws.
Not that I could have changed Sammie's future, I'm not God.

Have you ever wondered if God ever thinks,
Poor Lisa. Poor [insert your name here].
She has no idea what she could have, in Me. If she would only ask.

I wonder how many blessings we miss because we never ask the One who CAN change our future?

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Baking the Easter Story

When our children were small, we made Empty Tomb Cookies. These are a great way to bring the resurrection part of Easter to life for kids. Begin the process of making these treats on the day before Easter. Read the scripture verse (or have your child read it) that goes along with each step in the recipe.



EMPTY TOMB COOKIES


What You Need:
1 cup whole pecans in a plastic sandwich bag (Optional - we never used them)
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 egg whites
1 pinch of salt
1 cup of sugar

a wooden spoon or wooden meat tenderizer mallet
mixing bowl
electric mixer
baking sheet
painter's or masking tape
Bible




How to Do It:
1. On the day before Easter, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

2. Read John 19:1-3: "Jesus was beaten for our sins..." Beat the nuts with the wooden spoon or mallet, then set aside.

3. Read John 19:28-30: Jesus drank something like vinegar; sniff the vinegar, take a little taste, then place the vinegar in the mixing bowl.

4. Read John 10:10-11: Egg whites symbolize Jesus' holy, sinless life; add the whites to the mixing bowl.

5. Read Luke 23:27: The women's tears were bitter; taste a few grains of salt, remember your own sins, then add the salt to the mixing bowl.

6. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16: Sweet salvation! Taste the sugar, then add it to the mixing bowl.

7. Mix the ingredients in the bowl with an electric mixer as your child reads Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3; mix for about 12-15minutes. The dough must be quite stiff.

8. Read Matthew 27:57-60: Fold the nuts (representing the rock placed over the tomb) into the dough.

9. Drop spoonfuls of the dough (using a knife and spoon) onto a cookie sheet. These mounds represent the rocky tomb Jesus was laid in.

10. Place the cookie sheet in the oven, and turn the oven off.

11. Read Matthew 27:65-66: Seal "the tomb" oven with two pieces of painter's or masking tape.

12. Read John 16:20 & 22, discuss, then go to bed.

13. On Easter morning (the very next day), read Matthew 28:1-9: Jesus is risen! Behold, the empty tomb! Unseal the oven door and remove the cookies. Break one in half - it is hollow inside. It is empty, just like Jesus' tomb.

***

RESURRECTION BUNS

This is another option to teaching the same story to children. This recipe is like a cinnamon bun.

• 1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 8 large marshmallows
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Separate crescent rolls into individual triangles.
3. In a small bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar.
4. Dip a marshmallow into melted butter, then roll in sugar mixture. Place marshmallow into the center of a dough triangle. Carefully wrap the dough around the marshmallow. Pinch the seams together tightly to seal in marshmallow as it melts. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat.
5. Bake in a preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
6. This "tomb" will also be empty when you open it and eat it.

He is Risen!
Celebrate with your children the fact that
our Saviour rose again
and is ALIVE today!!

This week I will be joining:
"Foodie Friday" at Designs by Gollum, for the first time!
Sweet Tooth Friday
"Seasonal Sunday" at The Tablescaper

Pop over and check these parties out.
You are sure to find recipes and seasonal inspiration GALORE!!!!

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Come on Spring - think you can...

I have a little, antique stand at the bottom of my stairs.

It always houses a seasonal decoration, or two, that make me smile. And in the case of Springtime 2011 - it's meant to cheer on the process.

Let me show you.



This guy sits on the floor right next to my little stand. He is working so hard all for a carrot... he obviously has never tasted a chocolate bunny! The heat vent behind him - I got that out of an old, abandoned farm house when I lived out west.




I put these up every Easter. They are my favorite egg cups - got them from the Superstore, years ago. Seriously, though, aren't they the cutest? They just make me giggle!





This beautiful bird house was a handmade gift from my brother-in-law and sister.
I LOVE handmade gifts (ummm... unless it's an afghan made out of phentex yarn).


And, should you come to visit me throughout the month of April, this little guy will greet you at the door. He is full of personality and is guaranteed to brighten your day. Oh yeah, his favorite color is yellow.

Happy Springtime, everyone.
Or, should I say, HOppy Springtime?!

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EasTeR TabLeScApe

Welcome to my dining room. My table is all set for Easter Brunch. I gave you a sneak peek yesterday with my table centerpiece. Today I will show you the table setting. Please come in.

I just love dishes. You could say it is an addiction. If I could just set the table and make everything pretty and the meal would magically appear, I would be so happy. Cooking is not one of my most favorite things. My family really wishes it was!! But that's ok, because I really wish cleaning up bedrooms was one of their favorite things. *wink*



The blue placemats are from the Dollarama, which is my second favorite place to shop. (Home Sense would be #1) The yellow plates I purchased in a dish set from Home Hardware many years ago. The cute little salad plates on top were a great find at my local grocery store. I purchased two sets of four in a super after season clearance sale last Spring. Each plate in the set has a different colored edge and paw prints, and a different bunny picture.





I have two of these place card holders. My mother bought them in a set of six on her honeymoon in 1958. She gave these to me several years ago. I can only assume that my sisters each got two as well. Won't I be opening a can of worms if they didn't!! ;0)



My sister gave me these napkin holders at my bridal shower. Aren't they cute. I think they just say, "Easter"!

These wine glasses were also given to me at my bridal shower. I've been using them for almost 26 years now.

This fella joined my pitcher collection a couple years ago. I found him at COSTCO.



I'm so very glad you could visit with me today in my dining room. Pop on over to Between Naps On The Porch and tell Susan I sent you. I am joining her "Tablescape Thursday" Party. You won't believe the fabulous tables you will see there!

You will also want to visit ""The Tablescaper" for Seasonal Sundays, and be inspired to prepare for the Easter Season. I'll be linking there for the first time!!

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Easter Centerpiece - My Version

A couple weeks ago, I shared an idea with you for an Easter centerpiece that I had seen Cathe Holden make, at Just Something I Made. Today I want to share with you, my version. All along I had been picturing daffodils from the Canadian Cancer Society in my centerpiece. So when hubby came home with two bundles for me recently, I knew I had to get my act together. (He's so sweet!) I did everything the same as Cathe, only my spoons were not all the same height. I put my favorite, large handled one in the front. Don't you love it? My spoons are all old ones that I received when a family member on my Dad's side passed away several years ago. I sure hope I can "unbend" them when I take this centerpiece apart. ;) I used elastic bands to keep the spoons in place, and then tied my ribbons around the jelly jar.

(I will show you my whole Easter table setting tomorrow.)

I used Farm Fresh Eggs for my centerpiece. My niece, Hannah, has over 50 laying hens, so she keeps me well supplied with fresh eggs. I sat the whole centerpiece on a special silver plate. It was given to my aunt (Mom's sister) when she retired from 34 years of service with the Halifax Regional School Board. I always enjoy using things that are special to me in my table decor. I like remembering the special people that I associate with those items. It is the next best thing to having them there with me! Edited to say: I heard from a friend last night who also took this idea and made it her own! I LOVE to hear that. Please, please, please leave me a comment if you try this out. It just makes my heart sing!!! This friend used eggs that she dyed pink, and pink silk peonies. Now wouldn't that be gorgeous! I'm joining Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life For TABLETOP TUESDAY. It is my very first time to join a blog party. Please go have a look at all the beautiful tabletops!! Inspiration Galore!! Thanks Marty for hosting this awesome party!

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Are you part of a team...?

Someone shared these "team" thoughts with me and some of my friends. I share them with you.
If you are part of any leadership team - read, learn, practise, soar.

From the book "A Leadership Teams Code of Conduct", by Hans Finzel:
1) Personal success is measured by the success of our team.

2) We will practise HOT communication: Honest, Open, Transparent. No secrets that could affect the team.

3) Each member of our team has a special gift that contributes to the whole group.

4) We will always speak positively of our teammates in public. They are safe with me even in their absence.

5) If I have a problem with a teammate, I go to her/him first.

6) When in doubt, I will give my teammate the benefit of the doubt.

7) We will pray for each member of our team, regularly.

8) We will support, in public, decisions we made in private. Even if we were not all 100% for it.

9) Confidences will remain safely inside our group. (if they don't the group begins to shut down)

10) Grace will be given, freely, when we encounter one another's faults.

Well... that should leave us with enough to think of for today, and tomorrow, and and and and.

blessings teamies!

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Some of my Favs...

Two unsuspecting friends.





I will never see a bicycle again, and not think of India.





A window on a flower museum we visited... just so bright and happy.




a rear view...




and... a front view - too cute!!


No two the same.





I thought this woman was absolutely beautiful. She read the Bible for us, so many times over the three days. She was, also, ONE of the FIVE women who took the final test for the NT Overview class.
I didn't get her name and I should have. A regret.





"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:15


More another day. Thanks for letting me share.

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