A Mirror Duck Pond Makes a Picturesque Table Decoration

Build a miniature pond scene at the center of a children's
Easter table.

      Every trick and surprise of the table decoration is appreciated by children who possess special aptitude for absorbing every tiny detail; nothing seems to escape their scrutinizing attention. 

      A comparatively inexpensive idea is to place a table mirror, the larger the better, in the center of the table and fringe it with greens. Watercress makes an attractive border; so does smilax and asparagus or maiden-hair fern. At intervals station miniature artificial trees. In the center place little goslings, setting several among the greens. Fill a toy boat with wee chickens, out of consideration of their non-aquatic abilities. The chickens and goslings may be purchased for mere pocket change at a local toy shop.

      More realistic, of course, would be a wide, low dish, filled with water, having fuzzy yellow creatures floating upon the surface. Daffodils, crocuses or jonquils laid at intervals among the green would add a picturesque touch.

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Alternatives to Easter Baskets

      You needn't display your eggs in baskets only. This year I put my decorative eggs from past Easters into an antique wooden box that has an enormous handle and old rusty nails.

Wood shavings would look more attractive than Easter grass,
but, my husband has not been working in his shop much this winter.
 So, I had to make due with what was on hand.

Here is a side view of this old wooden box. It is falling apart,
so I only use it for special occasions.

The box looks nice on my old Welsh cupboard, I think.

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Assembling An Easter Egg Tree From Scratch

      For many years I have assembled Easter egg trees from scratch. In part this is due to the lack of them that may be purchased. I do have an artificial Easter egg tree that you will see in a later post after I have decorated it. This year my youngest begged for a "real Easter egg tree" similar to the ones she grew up with. As you can see by clicking on the photo below, this one is made with real branches that have been manipulated with great industry. If you have access to lovely branches that need pruning, it is totally unnecessary to paper mache over the branches. Unfortunately, this year I was unable to find suitable branches for such an assembly. The branches that I used were those that I picked up off of my front lawn after a early March storm. These were fragile and uninteresting at best. So, I decided to improve them myself, thereby, demonstrating that one can have only a few options and still create a truely lovely Easter display.

      Left, are the river rocks brought to me by an Easter guest one year. These are highly unusual quartz. I have saved them for many years and I think they will indeed become a traditional inclusion in my Easter decor. Next, I have photographed an old ceramic pot that has very decorative raised designs. I love the patina on the pot and it also goes with the colors on the walls of the study area where I will be displaying my Easter egg tree. In the middle, you can see I have very little to work with in terms of nicely shaped branches and these are falling apart as well. In the following photo, I have begun to hot glue and tape my little tree. Last photograph, I completed the shape as it pleased me and also assembled the mache covered branches into my ceramic pot between the river quartz. This process took approximately three hours. I only need now to hot glue the pink silk, floral buds onto the little egg tree to complete it's final look.

      I layered onto my branches masking tape and then brown paper with tacky white glue. The finished tree structure is really quite strong. I could probably save this little tree for a few more years to use in displays if I wanted to. A few trimmings and a little hot glue are not normally worth the storage space to me. 

      Young teens could craft such a project and create even more elaborate additions. Next year I will include some more examples of egg trees for my visitors to think about crafting for themselves, but for now this classic version will suffice.

On the far left you can see the finished Easter egg tree. Center, a closer view.
 Right, a close up of the Easter figurines below.

A few things included on this egg tree are tiny white doves, Easter lilies, birds, and very light
weight Easter eggs. The pink silk flowers and rustic ceramic pot are complemented by the brick
 colored walls and concrete counter tops.

I have tied a paper cross to the very top branch.

• 2 Corinthians 5:17 Coloring Page

Coloring Tom, The Piper's Son

 

Description of Coloring Page: pig, carry, run, Mother Goose, town, villagers

 

Tom, Tom, the piper's son,

Stole a pig, and away he run:

The pig was eat,

And Tom was beat,

And Tom ran crying down the street. 

• Color The Man of Thessaly
• Barber Shave a Pig
  

Don't forget to drag the png. or jpg into a Word Document and enlarge the image as much as possible before printing it folks. If you have a question about this Easter coloring page, just type into the comment box located directly below this post and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.

Easter Greetings for Good Housekeepers from Mission Fathers

      St. Diego, the founder of the first California mission in the South, should be the patron saint of all good housekeepers. The tale runs that he did so spiritualize the menial routine tasks of the Franciscan kitchen where he served that the angels came and took over his work.

      Murillo's painting, sometimes known as "La Cuisine des Anges," is the most inspiring mural decoration for the kitchen that we know of. Noble angels with meekly folded wings do draw and carry water and prepare the meat. Demure sweet girl angels gaily use mortar and pestle for the grinding of the food. And tiny cherubs, sitting on the floor, as they should pick over vegetables and fruit with joyfulness. and the mighty ones, the directors and father superiors, they witness with uplifted hands and abashed hearts, "The Miracle of St. Diego."

      This picture hangs in the Cloister Walk of the Glenwood Mission Inn, at Riverside, California, and there is besides a picture of the saint giving bread to the Indians, and a statue of him with "a spoon in hand" --the symbol of his office.

      A bread giver, one who goes with "a spoon in the hand," and love and humility in the heart--surely in these days when the world is so hungry in body, mind and spirit, the good St. Diego and his miracle has a revivifying Easter message for all of us, and especially for those whose privilege it is to nourish others, whether it be by providing daily bread for one's own family or for those across the world; or by feeding another's mind with a new thought about world old problems; or raising high the torch of one's own family or for those across the world; or by feeding another's mind with a new thought about world old problems; or raising high the torch of one's spirit to light another's path. 

      We commend to you this St. Diego, the patron of the Institute from now on! Only those can hope to have angels in their kitchens who have a true ideal of service in their own hearts! by Anne L. Pierce