Easter fun

I didn't have very high expectations of Easter this year. It was due to be sandwiched between a week having our parking area landscaped at home, and a trip to see family and friends up north. Both obviously were cancelled and I was struggling with the disappointment and the feeling that Easter would just be a none-event.

However, I sort of got my creative mojo back (briefly!!).

On Good Friday I made palm crosses from some of the Cornish palm fronds in my garden. (That took some dredging through memory banks of elderly ladies at church whizzing them up on Palm Sunday). I was rather pleased with them and wished I'd thought of it earlier so I could have sent them to relatives that might have liked them. 

I also started baking a chocolate simnel cake from the Sainsbury's magazine, recipe here. It is a great recipe and I would bake it again... with a deeper tin and cutting the baking time by 15 minutes! My cake exploded out of the tin, sploodged down the side and then started to burn. With a bit of sneaky trimming the cake was saved but I did wonder at this stage whether it was worth making the marzipan and icing. I'm so glad I did though - when it was  finished it not only looked the part, it even tasted good!

Saturday also saw me trying my first Easter wreath.

I rustled up an old Christmas wreath base (there are about 5 in my shed as I struggle with single use plastic - here was a chance to reuse!!) and covered it in moss, tying it on with twine. 

The moss came from our lawn - our lawn is 60% moss, 15% clover, 15% daisies and 10% grass, so we have an abundant supply. I was accompanied by a Blackbird (whose nest building need was obviously greater than mine) and a Robin who I suspect was just nosey.

Then a collection of greenery and flowers was picked, added and ta-dah a wreath appeared! I used a skewer/stick to make holes for some of the more tender stems as they weren't strong enough to push through the moss.

I added some foiled eggs and bunnies and put a candle in the centre and it has graced the table all week (even the choccy bits have survived - very unlike the post-teens to miss chocolate)

Globetrotting twin and I enjoyed putting together an Easter tree too - another first for us. 

Crocheted flowers, pearlescent bells (from way back when I was designing my very first M+S Christmas - 2003 maybe?), bows and felt eggs all dredged up from the stash that is the spare bedroom cupboard!

So the Easter weekend was the most productive I've been since the start of this lockdown, though I have to say I've rather stalled again now. I think it's something to do with a deadline - an 'it's now or never' sort of thing. When time is limitless then why do it now?

Anyway - I plan to try and set myself some deadlines to get things moving, but perhaps not today. Today it is raining on and off, which the garden is loving and the family not so much. We are talking about a walk but the rain isn't encouraging however stir crazy we feel.

I took this photo on Easter Sunday night after a jolly roast dinner and far too much chocolate with the family. It looked so cosy, peaceful and still with the Easter candle burning brightly.

So I wish you and your families light and love this Easter (even if it is rather after the event) and I hope you are finding moments of peace and quiet in your days.

xx💙💙💙xx