Dollar Store Easter Mantel

Easter decorating ideas, budget decorating

 

I finally got my mantel decorated for Easter.  I decorated it with Dollar Store items. It’s nothing spectacular, but it feels like spring and the kids love the eggs and bunny.  To them that means Easter Bunny will be hoping down the bunny trail soon. Colored eggs, marshmallow peeps, baby chicks, chocolate bunnies, egg hunts and a family feast are forthcoming.  Excitement is in the air.

 

Easter budget decorating, spring decoratiing ideas Dollar Store decorating ideas

 

I made the wreath from Dollar Store Items last year.  You can check out My Frugal Easter Wreath here.  Additionally, I purchased the small buckets and plastic eggs from the Dollar Store.  The Spring sign is from Target’s bargain bins.  I actually purchased the buckets to house my herb plants this summer, however, I didn’t see the point of them just sitting around until summer.  I loved the color, and they matched the Spring sign from Target.

Also, I had planned to paint the sign white, but decided to leave everything as it was and use the painted white branches in the orange buckets to offset some of the bright colors. The branches had been used in my winter mantel scene previously.

 

frugal decorating, Easter decorating, Easter wreath ideas

 

Now to put everything together. I thought I would keep the Easter egg theme going in the wreath.  So, I decided to use the branches for egg trees.  Furthermore,  I also reuse the decorative grass from year to year.  When Easter is over, I just scoop it up and put it in a grocery bag to store.  I placed a layer over the mantel. Than I placed the Dollar Store gravel that I had used for another project in the pails and arranged the branches.  They were perfect for making the egg trees.

 

Easter egg trees, egg trees

 

I used ribbon to hang the eggs on the branches/twigs. I have yards of ribbon stored away to hang the eggs. You can use twine, yard or whatever you have on hand. I cut pieces about 6 inches long and hot glued them onto the eggs. Make sure you’re happy with the length, you will bending it in half to glue onto the egg. Glue one end to the egg and than glue the other end to the piece on the egg. Note: I tried using craft glue, it didn’t work very well.  I love my hot glue gun. The scattered flowers fall off a wreath.  Rather than gun them back on, I saved them with good intentions. Glad I did, because they make a great accent to the spring mantel.

 

Easter Bunny, Easter decorating ideas

 

I picked up this adorable bunny at Michael’s for 50% off.  Bargains at 70% off are usually what I wait for, but they only had one so I grabbed it.  Isn’t it adorable?  I plan to fill the bucket, a Goodwill find for $1.25, with bunny treats. Stay tuned for that post.  What are some of your favorite Easter decorating items?

 

 

 

Tips For A Successful Easter Egg Hunt

 

easter egg hunt idea

Let the Easter egg hunts begin!  It takes time and organizational skills to put together a successful and budget friendly Easter egg hunt.  We have a few tips that will ensure you’re an eggcellent hostess.  And the children will have a great time if you follow these 4 easy steps:

  1. Plan For A Day Of Shopping – First, you will need to plan time to shop for your items.  Make sure you leave sufficient time just in case you have to make another trip for additional or forgotten items.  
  2. Make a List of Items Needed–    Second, decide how many tables and other areas you will be decorating.  How will the Easter egg hunt be conducted.  How many plastic eggs will be needed?  Furthermore, will you be dying eggs?  How many baskets/buckets will be needed for the children, how much decorative grass, signs etc.  Making a list ensures that you don’t forget anything while shopping.  It also reduces stress and eliminates additional trips to the store.  Use that time for preparation.  Head to the Dollar Store for your decorations. The table clothes, tableware, plastic eggs and just about everything else you will need for your Easter Egg Hunt can be found there.  You can use your saving on delicious food/treats.

    egg hunt ideas

  3. Decide What Games You Will Play – Next, will you be playing games?  Will the games be for younger, older and family or one or the other?  I would suggest that you narrow it down to 2 – 3 games.  However, you will need to decide if they will be played before or after the egg hunt.
  4. Decide What Food/Treats You Will Serve –   Will you be serving a hot meal, finger foods or just take home treats? You will need know to know how much food to purchase.  So, try to calculate how many guests will be coming.  You will need to make a grocery store list.

    egg hunt ideas

  5.  Decide How Your Hunt Will Be Conducted – What are the rules of the egg hunt?  For example, will you have different age groups?  If so, will you color code the eggs and have the smaller children looks for pink and blue eggs and the older kids other colors?  Will you divide the hunting areas in age group areas?  Deciding the rules up front will help you decide what items you will need and how many.
  6. Preparation Time –  Last, prepare as many items as you can the day/night before. This includes food, filling the eggs, personalizing baskets or buckets, decorating.  Whatever you can do, do it.  Not having enough time for preparation and activities can be stressful. Most importantly, invited guests shouldn’t suffer because of your lack of planning.

Finally, the big day has arrived.  So, be sure to greet your guests and keep things moving.  Don’t forget yourself, have a good time too.   And be sure to thank guests for coming.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9 Kid’s Easter Breakfast Ideas

kids Easter Breakfast ideas

 

Easter is around the corner! My grandchildren will be visiting, and I wanted to celebrate Easter Sunday with a fun breakfast. I decided to search out Easter Bunny breakfast ideas and thought I would share my roundup.

I’m not the most artistic person, so I searched for ideas that I could create without too much of a struggle. Here’s what I found: 

1.  Pancake Bunny 1 – First, I found this adorable little guy at Crafty Morning. Simple to make, 3 pancakes of various sizes and a little whipped cream.

2.  Pancake Bunny 2 – Found this bunny on I Heart Publix. Number 2 and Number 8 are the same bunny, except different ingredients were used. Be creative, use what your family will eat.

3.  Pancake Bunny 3 – Next, I found this bunny on Fun Kitchen and My Three Sons. This is a crafty blogger who loves to bake. If baking is your thing, you should connect with her.

4.  Peeping Chicks – Found this chick on Fun Kitchen and My Three Sons. My grandchildren love scrambled eggs, so this is perfect. You will need kitchen shears to shape the pancakes.

5.  Pancake Bunny 4 – In addition to the other great ideas, I found this bunny on Taste of Home. I love this bunny. It’s at the top of my list to make during the Easter holiday minus the coconut. Don’t think I can get the grandchildren to eat it.

6.  Bunny Bread – Also, I found this idea on Sweet and Salty.   Adorable, but you will have to translate the blog to English or create your own vision. The bunny was so cute, I just had to share.

7. Flower Pot Pancakes –  Amazingly, I found this adorable flowerpot and flowers on Jim’s Pancakes. This site is amazing. The blogger specializes in kid’s pancake ideas.  Amazingly, there’s turtles, crabs, pancakes shaped like bacon and eggs and the list goes on.  So, be sure to check out this blog for creative ideas.

8. Pancake Bunny 5 –  So, this is the same bunny as number 2.  However, the ingredients have been changed.

9. Bunny Biscuits My grandson loves biscuits for breakfast.  I found the image on Pinterest, but I’m unable to locate it now to give you the URL to the site.  However, it uses refrigerated biscuits, half of a cherry, raisins, and slivered almonds.

Also, use a whole biscuit for the head and another cut in half for the ears. I’m going to just use raisins with the slivered almonds, I think chocolate chips will work too.  Bake according to the directions.

Finally, I hope you enjoyed my kids Easter breakfast ideas.  We hope you found an Easter breakfast idea that has inspired you.  Additionally, my grandchildren love fun breakfast treats, and I love making them smile.  Dishes like this create wonderful memories.