"Eggcellent" Easter

I suppose friends and family appreciate the decorating that I do. My neighbor commented, "Aren't you going to decorate our hallway for Easter? When I opened the door the other morning I thought for sure you would have made it look pretty". Hehehe hadn't really planned on decorating the hallway. But okay why not. So I got creative with some Crayola Construction Paper. I made Easter Bunny ears for the hallway window. Simple, easy and yet adorable. And best of all a decoration for in the hall and out the window.

I still had the pretty blue garland from the Shoe Shindig so I left that up. And tied a bunny headband to the railing. And on our apartment door, I rehung last year's green basket with the little white stuffed bunny rabbit.

I spent more time on decorating the outside. I found two inexpensive large sets of plastic Easter Eggs at our local CVS pharmacy.  As I had ExtraCare Bucks this made the eggs not just inexpensive, but free. Free is always Fabulous! I always have ribbon. I love that our local dollar store sells huge rolls for just a dollar. Purchase once and decorate forever. I wove the ribbon (you need to fold it in half - rather a pain by the way) through the small holes in the plastic Easter Eggs. I created two garlands of Easter Eggs. One was used to decorate each side of the front steps.  

Last year I found a blow up Easter Bunny in the clearance bin after the holiday. I thankfully found it again in time for this Easter. I admit I love those blowup Easter Bunnies. They remind me of one that my Aunt Joanne gave me when I was a small child. The thing was bigger than me at the time. But I paraded around the house carrying that thing forever. We had it for years and years. It was pulled out of my mother's Magic Closet this time of year. (Hehehe guess the decorating bug is hereditary. Yes, my mother had what she called her "Magic Closet" as we got older it was the off limit closet where presents were stored and decorations were kept)

Hope you had a very Happy Easter!

Somewhere Over the Rainbow... Irish Eyes Are Smiling

So last year, as I celebrated St. Patrick's Day, I dug out the big witches cauldrons that I have for Halloween. I tied one to each side of our front steps. I put gold bows taped along the top to resemble a pot of gold. It was cute, but something was just missing. On about March 15th I realized what it needed...
A Rainbow

Fete Ave Moi

So this year, I planned ahead. I visited a local dollar store. Yes $1 each for plastic rectangle shaped table cloths. R-O-Y-G-B-I-V it's amazing how mneumonic devices really do work.  All these years letter I still remember the colors of a rainbow's light spectrum should range appropriately from red to violet. I also invested in a large pack of black hair ties ($1.99 for about 36). Lastly 2 gold table cloths to fill the pot (along with some Halloween stones for weight) and voila. Eleven dollars later we have an adorable, waterproof rainbow cascading down our steps into a pot of gold. Perfectly fit for any leprechaun.

Fete Avec Moi

We also have another set of steps that sit closer to the road down our hill. Needed a splash of color there. A green garland from the Christmas Tree Shop did just nicely.

Luckily, we have a lovely next door neighbor who looks forward to my decorations. So I get to decorate the landing on our level and our hallway too. I haven't gone all out yet. I have a few more ideas in mind for this weekend. But at least I have started adding a little cheer. I still have the $2.99 lit branches I had purchased around Halloween. Love getting a second use out of something so inexpensive. I placed them inside another cauldron, covered the bases with a navy blanket, and wrapped a green clover garland wire ($.49) around the branches. It looks rather ethereal I think. Especially at night when I can light them. They are powered by batteries. Another green garland wraps along the railing of our hallway stairs. Shamrock cutouts that were purchased in a multi-pack for $1.49 were the finishing touch. A few years ago, I purchased a set of bells covered in white and green ribbon that I just love on our apartment door for St. Patrick's Day. Of course, I dug them out.  A large green pull bow that I had in the closet from earlier gift wrap packages completes the look on the landing. When it comes to seasonal decorations I truly believe in choosing a color scheme and re-purposing items that you already have. Free decorating.

Of course, after all that decorating I had to relax and reward myself with a McDonald's Shamrock Shake and some time on the couch with magazines. This would have been the perfect end to a perfect Saturday. Except... then it snowed. Of course it did! I decorated for Spring. Glad all my decorations were waterproof.