Easter Mantels and Rabbit Garlands

Thank you so much for your lovely comments on my photography post! It did take a while to put together but I enjoyed writing it so much. Part two is almost ready and I hope to post it soon.

Anyway, Easter. I didn't intend to post today but I spent such a time faffing around with Easter decorations this afternoon, and made such a cute garland that took about two minutes (no, really!) that I knew that I wanted to share it with you lot because you would all totally get why a rabbit garland over my mantel made me so very happy. I realised with mild panic today that I was not at all Easter Ready, not one bit, and so I dug out the boxes of decorations from under the bed and got to work. Don't you think that opening boxes of decorations is one of the nicest things to do in the world? Christmas or Easter, it's so fun to see what is hiding amongst the tissue paper. I mean, I packed that box, so in theory I know what it contains, but there is still a pleasant feeling of surprise and recognition when I pick up and look at each item.

Like, oh hello Easter Egg garland, I forgot how much I like you!

I made this garland three or four years ago by cutting acrylic crafting felt into egg shapes (I used a cookie cutter), then I drew on a pattern with fading ink pen and stitched over the design with embroidery thread. I then attached both halves together with blanket stitch and stuffed them and threaded them onto a length of ribbon. This did not take two minutes, this took about two weeks. But I think I appreciate this garland all the more because it's only on display for a fortnight each year.

My Danish egg cup family are filled with wooden eggs, borrowed from the Bella's shop. The eggs are a bit small, giving them a funny cone-head look.

We never have an Easter tree as such, but I do keep some pussy willow in a vase in the living room and I like to decorate this each spring. 

The leaves are from a pattern in an old edition of Mollie Makes and you can read about when and how I made them here, if you wish. Again, I like them all the more because they only come out annually.

But the decoration which made me most happy today was my little rabbit garland. I just love the white against the grey with the repeating pattern and the shadows it makes. Mostly I love it's simplicity.

I bought this big box of foam stickers in Hobbycraft at the weekend. We've already made cards so heavy with stickers that a first class stamp probably wont be sufficient.

 I simply left the stickers unpeeled - so that they are not sticky - and attached them to a length of string with mini pegs, also from Hobbycraft I think. It was one of those crafting-with-the-kids activities where we all pretend it's done by them but really we know that I am going to re-do it afterwards, making sure the rabbits are evenly spaced.

You could make a really colourful one with the glittery egg stickers, or peg your own fabric or cardboard creations onto string or ribbon. Anything really. And then we can save the garland until next year of just dismantle it, putting the stickers back in the tub and re-using the pegs. I can see this is something I'm going to have a lot of fun with in future!

Edited to add: The little bird boxes are from a pattern here.