Happy Easter

At the Cross by Hillsong Oh Lord You’ve searched me You know my way Even when I fail You I know You love me Your holy presence Surrounding me In every season I know You love me I know You love me At the cross I bow my knee Where Your blood was shed for me There’s no greater love than this You have overcome the grave Your glory fills the highest place What can separate me now You go before me You shield my way Your hand upholds me I know You love me You tore the veil You made a way When You said that it is done And when the earth fades Falls from my eyes And You stand before me I know You love me I know You love me I wish you all a blessed Easter. Love, Molly

Easter Party Part 2: Fun With Friends

Adorable Penelope Rose enjoying some yummy treatsThe scavenger hunt was a hit!

The girls each picked out a pastel cross to decorate. First, they covered it with mod podge, then they sprinkled it with sugary glitter and embellished it with paper flowers and a little banner that said "Easter Blessings"

The girls' crosses came out so beautiful.

We can't wait to do it again next year!

Easter Party Part 1: The Table

The party was a success! Over the next couple of days I will share pictures from the big day. We all had so much fun. After the last guest left, Lilly said, "Mommy can we have another Easter party next year?" We definitely have to make this an annual event!

Frugal Favors for the Easter Party

Our Easter party is quickly approaching. Today I finished wrapping up the favors. I bought candy necklace kits at Walmart for $3.00 for a pack of 8! They were wrapped in cheap-o wrappers so I decided to repackage them. I used bright pink polka dot cellophane bags I also picked up at Walmart for $1.88 for a pack of 6 (they are made by Wilton to wrap lollipops with) I put the candy beads, candy bunny charm and elastic string into the little bags, tied them up with white ribbon (included in the package of cello bags) and finished them off with stick-on felt daisies I bought this year at Hobby Lobby. I piled them in an Easter pail that I love. It is Target circa 2007 :)

Girly Easter Party Update

I mentioned in a previous post that Lilly and I are hosting a girly Easter party. Here are the invitations I made. This week I am working on getting the items together for the scavenger hunt the girls will be doing in the yard. Each guest will be given a list of items to find hidden around the yard. Some of the items include...

a bouquet of daffodils

a glittery butterfly clip

(Lilly and I made these using a "Creatology" foam kit from Michaels) an egg shaped like a bunny and a carrot filled with candy

(found these cute candy holders at the Dollar Tree)a fluffy baby chick

(a variety of yummy colors can be found a Hobby Lobby)

There will be bonus finds too! For instance, the girl who finds a cross hidden in her egg will get a special prize.

Lilly and I are having so much fun getting things ready for the big day. I will be posting the favors and craft projects soon, so come back and visit! Love, Molly

Our Easter Tree is Up!

I had the most fun putting my Easter tree together this year. I retired my little Easter tree (actually Lilly adopted it for her room). I can't stop buying glittery butterflies, birds and eggs so I had to upsize.

I used oak leaf branches I found in the woods behind my house. I spray painted them a light green. Then, I mixed in some arificial blossoming branches from Michael's. I was really pleased with how natural they look . I tucked in a little nest I made at the base of the tree. I made the robin's eggs last year using this tutorial.

I bought this ornament on a trip to Austria my husband and I took back in 2001 during the Easter season. I just adore the little love chicks (cuddling at the bottom right) and the daisies.

This beautiful swan is my newest addition to my tree. It was made by artist Heidi Wallingford. The minute I saw it at the Marie Event, I knew it had to be mine :)

I bought this egg a few weeks ago while visiting the historic town of Micanopy. I just think it is amazing! It came from a magical little place called "The Shop". My Mimi used to take me there to shop for holiday decorations when I was little. If you live in Florida or are visiting the Ocala/Gainesville area you must visit downtown Micanopy. It is a lovely little street lined with antique and gift shops.

I am in full party planning mode getting ready for Lilly's Easter girly tea party. More to come on that soon! Enjoy your day!~Molly

Easter Party Invitations

Next month Lilly and I are throwing an Easter Party. It is going to be a girly girl party complete with tea, lemonade, cupcakes and glitter! We are going to eat, craft and go on a spring time scavenger hunt. I will be posting my party projects and plans in the weeks ahead. This weekend I created the invitations. I used a vintage Easter card image that I found at "Two Crazy Crafters". The minute I saw it I knew it was exactly what I wanted for the cards. I printed the lambs, cut them out and then glued them to hot pink blank cards. Next, I embellished them with small silk and paper posies and sugary glitter. Finally, I made little banners out of paper labels and toothpicks. I wrote the girls' names on them and used hot glue to affix them to the card. I think it looks like the little lamb is proudly inviting each guest personally.

I can't wait to show you my next project! Have a great week ! Love, Molly

He Is Risen!

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." Matthew 28:1-10

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Have a blessed Easter~Molly

"Spring Captured"

I have always loved miniatures, things under glass, and SPRING! This weekend I combined all of these loves and "captured spring" in a jar!

It was really simple to make and I will tell you how I did it. You will need: -a glass jar with a lid out of your recycling bin -moss or paper grass -spring miniatures of your choice -spray paint -ribbon -scraps of paper -small flowers -and of course a hot glue gun :) How to put it together:

1-Clean the jar and remove the label with warm water, a scrubbing sponge and some goo gone (not the most fun part of the project :)

2-spray paint the lid in the color of your choice ( I used a light green)

3-use hot glue to affix paper grass (or moss) to the bottom of the jar

4-use hot glue to affix your miniatures to the bottom (the egg with the bunny I used is from Joann's) you might need to use long tweezers to place your miniature.

5-place small flowers around in the grass, I didn't glue mine down, I just tucked them in

6-cut a small piece of scrapbooking paper or other decorative paper to use as a background, tuck it in at the back of the jar, I didn't glue this either

7-make a little flag out of a tooth pick and scrap of paper, use a small dot of hot glue to keep it secure

8-place the lid back on, hot glue a ribbon around the rim and then top the jar with a scrap of decorative paper, I trimmed mine with scalloped scissors and hot glued it on to make it look more finished.

I hope you have fun making your own "spring captured" project. If you make one email me a picture at mollyknox@hotmail.com I would love to see what you do!

~Molly

A Look Back

I went back and looked at some pictures from Easter at our house last year. I wasn't blogging then so I thought I would post some pictures to share with you. This is the centerpiece I did for our dining room table. We had the whole family here for lunch after church. Doug and I love hosting the holidays at our home. I love this topiary. I grew it and formed it and kept it for a couple of years but it died this year :( I have to start another one. This picture makes me miss it. The pansy table cloth was my Granny Dot's from the 1950's. She used it for her bridge table I'm sure. I picked up the flowers from Micheal's last year. They are silk but they look SO real! I made these little chenille stem baskets for each place setting. The tutorial is from Martha of course. Easter wouldn't be complete without an Easter Bonnet! I made the one below for Lilly. I bought the hat for $1 at Target in the dollar spot and added some ribbon and silk flowers to embellish. She wore it for like 2 seconds so I don't have any great shots or her modeling it, but it looked cute hanging on her little chair.

I hope ya'll are having as much fun as I am fluffing your nests for Easter.

Have a blessed weekend~Molly

Our Easter Tree

Our Easter tree is up in all its spring finery...

The delicious glittered eggs below were my Mimi's. She was a lovely and special lady with some lovely and special holiday treasures. I love looking at her beautiful decorations and remembering them in her home when I was growing up. She really fostered my love of holiday decorating. I miss her dearly but cherish the memories I have of us decorating for all of the holidays together.

Our Kitchen Decked out for Easter

This weekend I searched the depths of the garage for my Easter decorations. I love uncovering the bright and cheerful spring colors. It is like opening a box of saltwater taffy. All of the pastels, glitter, chicks and eggs make me a happy girl. One of my favorite treasures are a set of vintage chicks in their original package that I found in my Mimi's Easter stash (pictured at left). Aren't they so much fun? Below is a picture of my kitchen ready for spring! I thrifted the vintage table cloth a couple of weeks ago.

The centerpiece is comprised of a metal tray I picked up while thrifting with my mom a few weeks ago, a candle holder/hurricane from Michael's new Paris collection, a vintage tole candlestick, vintage crochet napkin holder, a bunny and chicks from Home Goods, and a thrifted metal basket with blue robins eggs I made using this tutorial. The birdcage in my kitchen window with more of my robins eggs in a nest I made from grapevine with wire and long dead grass from the empty lot behind my house :)

Bunnies I made using this tutorial over at Martha's. I made them 3 years ago for Lilly's 1st Easter. The juice glasses are Martha Stewart from Macy's last spring. The candy egg holders and chicks were my Mimi's.

I thrifted this beauty years ago. This momma bird has to be one of my favorite thrifting finds ever. I also thrifted the vintage doily with yellow roses and all of the vintage glasses.

My lily chandelier dressed for spring in vintage paper lanterns I won on ebay. Aren't the roses on the bottom sweet? I want to leave them up all year!

I'm signing off now. I've gotta go do my lesson plans for the week. I'll be back soon to share more thrifty goodness and Easter in my Dining room! Love and Blessings~Molly