Happy Hoppy Easter - Peep Out

Fun with making watercolor Easter greeting cards!  Paper used was Bristol Smooth, which helped make fun edges.

5" x 3 1/2"

7 1/2" x 5 1/2"

8" x 5 1/4"

4 1/2" x 3 1/2"

Thursday Tea Time - Pays to check out the Target Easter aisles

This week - Celestial Seasonings Chocolate Caramel Herbal Tea and Red Velvet Rooibos Tea

Cost:  $4.99 at Target, $2.49 on clearance if you can find it.  $6.99
Number of tea bags: 20
Caffeine:  No
Type of tea:   Herbal / Rooibos
Steeping time:  5 minutes
Mix ins:  Cream or Natural Bliss.
Fragrance:   Like salted caramel!  And cream cheese frosted red velvet cake!
Ingredients:  Chocolate Caramel - Roasted Carob, Roasted Chicory, Natural Chocolate and Caramel Flavors with other Natural Flavors, Milk Thistle, Cinnamon and Sea Salt.

Red Velvet - Rooibos and Natural Red Velvet Flavor with Other Natural Flavors.

Opinion:   At first I was attracted by the tin/box (of course!) -- which is a great size and measures 6" x 2 3/4" x 3 3/4" -- and hadn't much hope for the flavor, but I was surprised.  It wasn't too sweet and had a nice balance.  I didn't really taste the chocolate as much as I did the caramel.   However, I can practically smell and taste the cream cheese frosting of a red velvet cake.  They really nailed it!.
Both make for a great after-dinner tea.  And yes, I did find these on the aisle end cap in Target's Easter section!    But good news!  You can still buy both online - click here  And as of yesterday, I saw the Chocolate Caramel on the grocery clearance shelves for $2.49.
Rating:  3.75 (Chocolate Caramel and 4.25 (Red Velvet)

Happy Easter!

Qor watercolors -- Dioxazine Purple, Green Gold, Sap Green, Brown Oxide, Burnt Sienna and leftover previous combo of Raw Umber and Indigo for the tail and eyes.

Peep-itude

Strathmore Mixed Media Visual Journal, 5 1/2" x 8"

Evening sketching and watercoloring last night, a nice way to end the day.  Qor watercolors.

Friday Flashback - Jelly Bean Fabric and Bunnies

I like how the tops of his ears have blue jelly bean extensions!
Serendipitous, I just noticed it.

Tight squeeze in a 5" x 7" frame, so you can
get an idea how big they are.
Feel free to enlarge or reduce them

Very versatile bunny appliqués from the 1991 Burda Easter issue.  I originally made and posted these in March, 2008

The top bunny made an appearance later for the Chinese New Year of the Rabbit in 2011.

-- And I'm still working through the yards and yards and yards of jelly bean fabric I bought over 20 years ago.  I can carbon-date it back at least that far because it was used in my daughter's Easter dress when she was 3.

Truly magical year for Texas wildflowers at the ranch.
A mislabeled rye grass seed bag had wildflower seed instead!

Seriously, I think I bought at least 10 yards back in the day when Wal-Mart had $1/yard fabric.

Jelly beans and bunnies and bluebonnet photos never go out of style.

Happy Easter!

This Easter Day. . .

I love vintage cards, so hard to choose just one!
(And especially the daffodils!)

Happy Easter!

From our Peep nest to yours!

Peep Toes

S'more Peeps Please

The "secret" ingredient!

Alas, this was my last package, but what a send off to the Peeping season.  These bunny Peeps lent themselves quite nicely and pinkly.    All you need is a package of Peeps, a package of graham crackers, Ghirardelli brownie mix, and a touch of sprinkles.

Step 1 - Line a square baker with graham crackers.  The non-stick rubber ones work great for this recipe.

Step 2 - Prepare brownie mix according to directions, spread half over graham crackers and place Peeps on top

Step 3 - Spread remaining brownie mix on top of Peeps

Step 4 - Crush/crumb extra graham crackers and sprinkle on top (colored sprinkles optional),  and bake according to brownie mix directions

Happy Easter!

Eggstraspecial

I bought this bag of wool-covered eggs as soon as Target set out their Easter goodies. A little pricey at $8, but to me they looked more expensive than that. And with two different sizes, ideas were just bumping around in my mind. I thought I could either display them in a bowl, glue onto a wreath or, slightly squishing the bag, thread them onto a garland. I decided to go with the latter. (And yes, I kept that 11" pink ribbon for another time, another use)

I must have bought 20 yards of this lace trim years ago, probably 20 years ago. It was a great sale at Jo-Ann's -- 10 cents a yard. I definitely have gotten my money and many projects from it. I should have bought more! The Bohn Rubber Pullers saved my fingers and sanity trying to push and pull the needle through - Aha! Surprise! Plastic shell underneath the wool covering.



Next year I could unthread them and repurpose for another decorating craft project...display in a bowl, glue onto a wreath. . . An $8 Easter egg investment definitely well spent.

Today's Costco Find!

Cemoi milk chocolate, from France! $11.99. So pretty!
Oh Costco, how you tempt us?! Easter isn't until April 8!
(I have hidden this in the pantry. . .)

Happy Hello Kitty Easter!

Found at HEB for 99 cents each!

Manufactured by Frankford Candy Item #70844

Here's what's inside!

Eggstraordinary!

This is what you get when you use the Classic Paas Easter Egg kit with brown organic eggs!
(Except for the upper right blue and purple ones)

And forget to add the water to the dye cups. These are dyed with straight tablet + vinegar. The dye works A LOT faster, too!

Here's what happens when you think you've stirred and completely (not!) dissolved the purple!

And finally, an old favorite -- Project Peepway!

From 2008 -- Project Peepway
Happy Easter everyone!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

Photo credit Merissa Cherie

Peeps Show IV

Check out The Washington Post's "Peeps Show IV" Peep diorama contest entries -- the winner is a take on the movie, "Up"

http://ow.ly/1tf7s

There is even an iPhone/iPod Touch app! "The Washington Post Peeps Show" For only 99 cents, you can see over 130 top photos from all four years, commentary from the creators, share your favorites online and more.

Dark Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Peeps!

Happy Easter, indeed! These are just yummy! New for Easter 2010 (I heard there's also a milk chocolate version), I like them even better than Hershey's chocolate covered marshmallow eggs. The dark chocolate is rich and the marshmallow puffy and creamy. 79 cents at Walgreens.

Coming in at 120 calories, 3g fat (2g sat fat), 0g trans fat, 5 mg sodium, 21g total carb, 11g sugar...but Iron weighs in at 6% Daily Value!

Thank goodness, one's enough to satisfy. But I want to see lots in my Easter basket!

Happy Easter!

My cool and clever friend, Monica, sent me this Easter greeting!