Happy Easter!

My children's schedules continue to be as crazy and unpredictable as ever, so this year we celebrated Easter with an early morning breakfast.  The table was set the night before . . .

First thing first:  My husband/sous chef checking e-mails before heading to the kitchen to prepare breakfast . . .

Some pretty egg-shaped salad plates in soft pastels . . . 

The soft paisley green napkin by Ralph Lauren goes on top . . .

These fun hopping bunny napkin rings appeared in last year's Easter table, too.  Click here to see that post.

I love all the different textures on the table, the homespun squares on the tablecloth . . . the bird's nest chargers . . .

Beautiful tulips . . . Spring is here!!!!!

Then the Easter bunny did his thing and filled the table with candy!

He even brought chocolate umbrellas and hung them from the flower vase . . .

Here are our two “little” boys, who never seem to grow too old for candy . . .

And now, Mama can sit down and have a cup of coffee . . .

And before long, my oldest goes back to college with a batch of cupcakes for his buddies . . .

Happy Easter to my family and friends!  God bless you!  The Lord is Risen!  Alleluia!

Details:

Nest Chargers - Pottery Barn

White dishes, cups and saucers - Traditions by Apilco from Williams-Sonoma

Pastel egg-shaped salad plates - Pottery Barn

White ramekins holding M&Ms - BIA Cordon Bleu, Amazon

Napkins - By Ralph Lauren at HomeGoods

Napkin Rings - Pottery Barn last year

Green water goblets - The Dollar Tree

Tulip-shaped wine glasses - IKEA

Parfait glasses (holding jelly beans) - Bed Bath and Beyond

Flatware - My everyday from Costco

Mini salt and pepper shakers - Crate and Barrel bought eons ago

Romancing the home

Little touches of romance can be found everywhere around the house . . .

Turtle dove soaps in the Powder Room . . .  I'll have to remove the pretend straw . . . I was hoping for an egg . . .  What do you think . . . ?

My husband was very happy that I didn't wait for Easter to bring home some jelly beans . . .

For my son and his college buddies, red velvet cupcakes in these darling liners that stay bright even after baking . . .

Mama love . . .

I'm trying out the new heart dishes that I won in Linda's (More Fun Less Laundry) giveaway . . .

The guy I married has an insatiable sweet tooth.  He ate the chocolates Linda sent before I got home!  So I just had to go out and buy some more chocolate . . . Doesn't this bit of cake look just perfect on the new dishes?  Should I share . . . ?

I am so in love with these dishes!  Aren't they fun?

They remind me of a Picasso drawing, except it's done in red, not black . . . and it's not done by Picasso . . . mere details . . .

Linda also included this lovely glass heart ornament.  I tied the yellow ribbon that came with the chocolates as a reminder to my honey that there was a box of chocolates with the package that I didn't even get to see . . .   I rather like the contrast of the orangey-yellow with the red . . . I think I'll keep it like just like this . . .

A glass of cherry juice in honor of George Washington, who has a birthday in February . . .

And there's Oprah all decked out in red for February . . . Is she trying to tell me something . . . ?

The Swarovski swans have come out to play just in time . . .



. . . to remind me that they mate for life and don't let a box of chocolates get in the way of true love . . .

A Study In Pink

Delicate, soothing, playful, vibrant, scrumptious, soft, femenine, lovely pink!  I love pink!  Too much pink . . . you think?

“Almost all words do have color and nothing is more pleasant than to utter a pink word and see someone's eyes light up and know it is a pink word for him or her too.”

—Gladys Taber

Author, and columnist for Ladies Home Journal and Family Circle

A Topsy Turvy Easter

Our sons had complicated work and school schedules so we had our Easter feast on Saturday night - our Topsy Turvy Easter Brunch!

Instead of the simple, symmetrical lines I usually prefer, I tried something more whimsical, and, overcoming the testosterone that surrounds me, I went pink!

I bought these glass candy dishes from Lillian Vernon, a long, long time ago - at least 15 years ago . . .

They are tiny, but perfect for candy-coated sunflower seeds . . .

Remember the nests from Williams-Sonoma?  They are making their second appearance, this time holding jelly beans . . .

The jelly bean colors were pure serendipity.  The Jolly Ranchers jelly beans were, at first, a make-do substitute for the Jelly Bellies I'd bought earlier . . . and which my DH ate as soon as he discovered the stash!  But the colors in this bag matched my theme . . . Sometimes, things seem come together so beautifully!

More rabbits!

The tulips were placed in bud vases in two different heights to create interest, and it was still easy to see the person sitting on the opposite side . . .

The taller bud vases came from IKEA (79¢ each!) . . .

The smaller vases came from Crate and Barrel . . .

I bought the tablecloth and napkins at HomeGoods . . . The pink and green plaid was a strong design element that balanced the overall softness of the pink theme . . .

I placed tea light holders on the table thinking that it would be dark enough to light them.  However, there was still plenty of daylight left when we sat down at 6:30 P.M. . . . And that was totally fine with me!

Later on, they glowed beautifully on the fireplace mantle.  What a lovely green color!

Where do you go if you want the best seasonal - and reasonably priced - flowers?  Trader Joe's of course!

The tulip-shaped Chardonnay glasses came from IKEA.  At $1.99 each, who could resist?

Fresh Blueberry-Raspberry Muffins with Streusel topping . . .  The napkin has a Reticello lace corner and is part of a tablecloth set given to us by my godmother on David's baptism.

What would Easter be without a butter lamb on the table . . . ?

The menu, as always, was my kids' favorite:  Dad's pancakes, scrambled eggs, and sausage . . .  

I added the muffins and Quiche Lorraine, and a nice bottle of Chardonnay (I mean, it was dinner, right?)

Oh, and some flaky rolls . . .

Never surprise the kids while eating, or we get this . . .

And this . . .

Happy Easter to everyone!