Thursday, April 20, 2017

Casual Easter Dinner

Our home was very casual this Easter. 
These faux Iris set in an antique ironstone pitcher set the tone in the living room. 
The vintage swans needlepoint was a thrift store pick-up 
and given to my husband for an anniversary. Swans mate for life, I thought apropos.


After the egg hunt everyone was hungry.
I carried the deviled eggs and veggie tray to the porch and went to grab my camera. 


Alas, I was too slow----LOL. 


This was the vintage Tulip Time platter I used. Really a pretty serving piece.



On the kitchen island we set up a casual dinner buffet, 
so everyone could sit inside or
 on the breezy back porch. 

We had originally planned for thirteen friends and family. 
which doesn't work for setting our table formal.
My kitchen just isn't that large anymore. 


Menu: Ham, Asparagus, Radish-Cauliflower-Pea Salad, Spring Greens, Copper-penny Carrots, 
Hash-brown Potato bake, Rolls, crunchy homemade Dill Pickles, and of course deserts.


Time got away from me this week, and the food went out quickly.


These are called bullet rolls and made at the local market, delicious.





Rice Crispy Treat Bunnies and candy eggs were the informal centerpiece and a take-home.


I used my NEW Nordic Ware bunny pan.  One cup of treat mix, made the perfect size bunny.


Our table filled quickly--while some of the fellas migrating to the porch.



They really are the perfect size. One batch of the treat recipe made the 6 bunnies in the pan.



Bunnies from a garland smiled as we ate. This was made from Target bargain bins---at the front of the store. Three or four stiff felt bunnies for $1.00. I added pom-pom tails and ribbons. 


A very quick and inexpensive decoration. Two 10-foot garlands came to about $12.00 total.




Now desert, homemade carrot cake, with a bit of cream cheese frosting. The cake recipe is heavy on pineapple, grated carrots, raisins, and coconut. I tried to make as little frosting as possible.


I time cheated and used the frosting tubes for decorating. I'm far from an expert. 

A Daffodil blossom added more color.

My guests brought Strawberry Jello Pretzel Torte and Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake-everything disappeared so quickly, I didn't get pictures of those.


On the island, the antique enamel fish poacher was filled with tulips, grass, and two treat bunnies.



We used dollar store desert paper plates. They were wonderful with yellow and green napkins, 
my go-to colors for Spring.



The tulips were fancy---ruffle edged ones in a pot from Home Depot. They have the best 
plants in our area and reasonable. 


I'll plant them under the maple tree by our front stairs. Really lovely.

Hope your Easter was Wonderful! 


Thanks always for visiting. 
I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.
 Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 
Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

I will be sharing at these fine Parties!








Sandi






Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Easter Egg Hunters


 Our Easter morning was soggy. 
We had five hours of pouring rain in the middle of the night. 
The front lawn was a sponge, and the backyard a quagmire. 

Do we do the egg hunt and where? 

The weather this last month has been awful,
 we've only been home for two decent days in the last two weeks to do yard work.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

At 9AM, I threw a few flowers on the table on the front porch 
and put my greenhouse geranium and 
rosemary pot out.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Thank Goodness, Sunshine peeked out.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Not much for spring decor.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com


A watering can purse filled with white tulips, some of the petunias have already blown away.



http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Hubby stuck our Easter bunny into the winter burned lawn.


http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Grandma didn't get the NEW Easter dress sewn---bad blogger, bad Grandma.
but, Off to the hunt. By noon the wind had dried off the front lawn.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Just as well, skinny jeans are perfect for the 'wet' and messy yard.



http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Taking pictures of kids dashing about the yard results in lots of blurs, and unposed chaos.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

She's really fast!


http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com


 See the umbrella above her  head hanging in the tree.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Two other family friends joined the Grand.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

The twins are at that magic age of almost leaving childhood at 12.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

The eggs, etc.were labeled with names----making the girls all work together. 
The Grand has learnedher letters and her name.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Most elusive were the hanging umbrellas. The kids had to be prompted by the adults.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

In a few minutes it's all over---quite a haul. 

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Examining the booty.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

We save the eggs to use from year to year, a GREEN thing to do. 
I throw them in a net bag and into the dishwasher. 


http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

When does Easter come again, Gramma?

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

"When is it going to rain again, Gramma?"

I guess the umbrellas were a hit.

Hope you all had a Happy Easter!


Thanks always for visiting. 
I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.
 Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 
Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

I will be sharing at these fine Parties!


Sandi