Three Things : Easter

I also try to stay away from the basket full of candy. My daughter's gotten various things over the years, but one standard is a new pair of spring/summer jammies. This year, she's also getting a swimsuit (although it will be a couple more months before she gets to wear it here in SD), an Easter book and some spring-related stickers. She LOVES stickers!
To put it all in: I found a bucket at Walmart much like these (http://www.landofnod.com/family.aspx?c=106&f=113) through the same place you got your suitcases from (I might have to steal that idea for next year!!). I thought it was better than a 'traditional' basket as I can totally see her carting this bucket around after Easter holding crayons, trickets or toys.

wonderful ideas - I love the pencils - we are really into learning to write right now. I think an electric pencil sharpener is in order! I also love the seeds - will definitely be doing that too. I usually put sunglasses, sidewalk chalk, toothbrushes and paste, underwear (really!), AND hardly any candy :)

love the seeds idea! we always plant a huge garden in the spring that ryan loves to help out with, so maybe he'll get his own little "herb" garden this year! my mom and i have a "planting" tradition for Mother's Day every year...something just for us, which is a nice change sometimes. :-)

Hey Ali!
I just have to say that I JUST LOVE YOUR CREATIVE SELF. I haven't read your blog in about a week and I'm back today feeling like I've missed so much and leave feeling totally inspired. Thanks for sharing so many of your ideas and details. You make me a better creative person! Thanks!

I love your great ideas. we also got away from candy. We do bubbles, sidewalk chalk. but this year my 3 kids are getting a group gift from the easter bunnie. A kit to watch butterflies hatch from their caccons!How cool is that.Then we will relaease them into our garden.Happy spring.

If your guy likes pencils have your tried the Smencils?! They have them at Container Store and other places/boutiques. They are #2 pencils made with recycled newspaper and smell great (guaranteed for 2 years). My kids love them.

My guys really liked getting little gardening tools too when they were little. The little shovels and rakes are great...oh they make little work gloves too. You might also like to try pysanky eggs. We would leave them out on a table all month and the boys would stop whenever they had time and work on some. They can be really simple or incredibly complicated.

Darn, the pencil's are sold out. I have dyed my eggs with beets and coffee, and used the rubber band method...and it works, and is really fun! Love the basket idea...we are traveling as well, and I am not sure how we are going to do the Easter Bunny thing!

Great ideas! Does Simon like Easter Egg hunts? My parents would hide jelly beans through out the living room and when I woke up Easter morning I would get to find them. I was bummed when my parents stopped doing it, I guess they thought I was too old, but I still am not.

Speaking of dying eggs, i read a really neat article in Family Fun Mag today...
They did resist dying or whatever the technical name is. they put leaves on the egg, wrapped egg in hosiery, then dyed the egg. The leaf and hose were removed, leaving a really cool "pattern" on the egg.
here's the link:
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=11921

Reading your blog brought back memories. As our son was growing up I always tried to use something other then a basket...cowboy hat, wagon etc. We also tried to keep candy just a part of it...Hot Wheel cars, pencils/crayons,sketch books, puzzles, etc. Thanks for the trip down memory lane! I really like the seed idea. What a great way to get children interested in gardening, (my other passion), as well as a way to spend quality family time. If Simon is interested in gardening you might want to check out the book Roots Shoots Buckets & Boots by Sharon Lovejoy.

LOVED the felted eggs. Went to the link, and realized the shop was just down the street from me! Called to make sure they still had the pattern, then went in to pick it up. They were on the phone, with someone else who had read about it in your blog today, and they were THRILLED. I love how one little comment can bring all of us crafters together, throughout the country, and help independent shop owners at the same time! I have already started on my first egg, and the woman who wrote the pattern has some other delightful felted goodies too.
So thanks for the great idea and link! I would never have stopped in there otherwise.

great ideas. since our 21 year old son just got married this year (only child) i want to do something for the 2 of them together. this year i will be making their easter basket a clothes hamper and filling it not only with great personal and fun stuff, but also that practical stuff that newly weds need.

Ali,
Martha needs to put YOU on her show!! : )

Ali,
Kind of off the Easter topic, but did you see the cute Simon Says poster on the Land of Nod site? I love all the vintagey type items for home decor and really love when I see my owns kids names on things. Parker, Holden and even your Simon are not as common names as one would think!

Love these ideas! Thanks!

Thanks for sharing Ali - I found a great 4x4 raised bed at Plow & Hearth for $60. . .I'm planning to get that for my 7 YO and start a little garden together.
All the best -
Hillary

What cute ideas! on the pencil topic.. I just thought I'd share a cute tutorial I found today for "photo pencils" http://photojojo.com/content/diy/diy-photo-pencil-covers/
Happy easter treat hunting!

Amazingly, the Easter Bunny always brought art supplies to our house, maybe not so amazing when you consider all those cool eggs he makes. A great annual replenishing of colorful fun arty stuff.

Hi Ali,
Since you have a little guy that loves pencils, you might check out the idea on Photojojo for customizing pencils with photos. (http://photojojo.com/content/)
Endless possibilities...
Laura U