Egg People!

Also on the website below were these egg people. How fun would that be, to blow out eggs for the whole family and as a family craft sit at the table and make egg people. Keep them for next year and it might be fun to see how you viewed yourself the last year. I think this would be really fun for preschool as well. If I was doing this with little ones, I would probably buy wood eggs at the craft store, or use the plastic ones from the store.

Not just dyeing Eggs anymore!

Are you ready for something new? Here are some techniques you can do instead of coloring eggs, or in addition to coloring eggs. I found them all at: http://familyfun.go.com/easter/easter-crafts/egg-decorating-ideas-843997/view-all/ They have complete instructions on how to do them. Last year I put lots of ideas on how to do eggs that you can keep forever. You could also do that with all of these, just remember to hollow them out first. You can do that by putting holes in each end and blowing out the egg mixture, or buy getting a needle and a shot and sucking it out that way. The only one that will not work on blown out eggs is the warm crayon egg. That one the egg needs to be warm, so as you draw the crayon melts. Anyway have fun, and remember to check out past Easter projects on this website if you are new! String Eggs

Light Bulb Sleeve Eggs

Warm Crayon Drawn Eggs

Bubble Wrap Eggs

Foil Eggs

Easter Edible Bird Nests

I am the baby of my family. When I was a child I remember one of my sisters bringing these to Easter dinner, as our name card. She wrote our name onto a little paper, put it in the nest, and put it on our plate. It was so cute and I have always remembered it. I have done this a lot in preschool, when doing a bird unit. It is a really fun activity to do with children!

1 (12 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips
1 (12 oz.) pkg. butterscotch chips
1 lg. can or package of chow mein noodles
Jelly beans or my favorite mini robin eggs

Melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips over slow heat. Pour over chow mein noodles. Cover a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Put a large tablespoon of chocolate-covered noodles on waxed paper. Form like a bird nest. Put candy in nest to look like bird eggs. Refrigerate until firm.

Peeps

O.k. so to me nothing means Easter than peeps. I don't even really like them that much, but still they mean Easter. Here are some fun facts about peeps to share with your kiddos:
1. Just Born produces enough PEEPS® Brand Marshmallow Candies in one year
to circle the Earth twice.
2. It takes six minutes to create one PEEPS® chick.
3. People like to do curious things with PEEPS® ….eat them fresh or aged to
perfection, microwave them, freeze them, roast them, and even cook with them!

I went to this website and found a really funny recipe. Check out more about peeps at: http://www.marshmallowpeeps.com

Bunnies dipped in chocolate and rolled in coconut or chopped nuts, & frozen

• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut or 1/2 cup peanuts (about 2 ounces), finely chopped
• 12 wooden craft sticks
• 12 PEEPS® Bunnies, any color

1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
2. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth.
3. Place the coconut or nuts on a plate.
4. Insert 1 craft stick about halfway into the bottom section of 1 Bunny. Dip into the chocolate, turning to coat completely. Holding the dipped Bunny over the bowl of chocolate, use a knife to scrape the excess chocolate off the back and bottom of the Bunny, letting it fall back into the bowl. Hold the Bunny over the plate of coconut or nuts and sprinkle to cover all sides.
5. Place the Bunny on the prepared baking sheet and repeat to dip the remaining Bunnies. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Serve frozen. PEEPSicles can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 week.
Makes 12 PEEPSicles

CHOCOLATE - PEANUT BUTTER EASTER EGGS

Growing up my mother made these every Easter. Then the Easter Bunny would steal some and put them in our baskets. Did you know he also steals the eggs we color? Anyway my moms were always just plain chocolate-not as fancy as the ones below. But when I think of Easter I think of Peanut Butter Eggs. And they are really really good frozen as well!
1/4 c. butter

3/4 c. peanut butter

2 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

1 lb. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla


Mix all ingredients very well until smooth and creamy. Form an egg shape with the peanut butter mixture. Dip each into the melted chocolate. Store in fridge-covered.

Easter Cookies

It is a tradition that we do these every year. It is a great object lesson for young or old children, and even adults!

You will need:

1c. whole pecans

1 tsp. vinegar

3 egg whites

a pinch salt

1c. sugar

zipper baggie

wooden spoon

tape

Bible

1. Preheat oven to 300
2. Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, the Roman soldiers beat him. Read John 19:1-3.
3. Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.
4. Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.
5. Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.
6. So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1c. sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.
7. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah. 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
8. Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matt. 27:57-60.
9. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matt.27:65-66.
10. GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
11. On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.

Some of my family Easter traditions

We all have traditions that make us who we are. Here are a few of my family's traditions for Easter. Some of these my mom started, some I started, and some I got from others. Hopefully you will find one new one to do this year!

1. Dyeing eggs

2. Doing Craft Eggs (see below posts)

3. Egg hunt at Grandma's House in orchard

4. Egg hunt at home (one egg has a 5 dollar bill in it) FYI the older they get the more sneaky you have to be- put some candy with the bill so they can't just shake every egg and throw it back down.

5. Easter Dresses and Fancy outfits

6. Easter Sunday Pictures taken by me!

7. Easter Bunny fun is on Saturday (did you know you can write him and tell him when to come to your house? Amazing!)

8. Easter Sunday we celebrate religiously- no Easter Bunny at our house!

9. Easter Resurrection Cookies (I will post next post about this)

10. Peanut Butter Eggs (Yum Yum- Post will come soon)

11. Candy on the floor from where the Easter bunny hopped to hard and it made trails all over the house.

12. And of course really hidden Easter baskets. And I mean hidden. Some spots in the past have been: Up high, on the fireplace, under the bed, in the dish washer, in the oven, in the washer, in the dryer, up in a closet, in the tub, in the car, etc. Sometimes it takes a few hours for everyone to find theirs! It makes Easter last a whole lot longer. Here is a picture on one basket from last year. Boy that bunny can really hop! Anyway if you have a fun tradition let me know in the comment section. I would love a new fun tradition.

Onion Eggs!

So when I went to college we did these eggs. They are so pretty and they are really fun to do. I think I will be doing these this year. You do need to use hollow eggs though. So anyway check out the link they are really fun.

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=157915.0

Tissue Eggs

O.K. if Ukrainian eggs were to hard, then lets talk Tissue Eggs. My mom did these with us every Easter. First I will give you my mom's way and then I will give you an even easier way.

My mom always used real eggs. We would use a pin and make a hole on the top and bottom of the egg. Then we would blow air into the egg from the top hole and out the bottom the inside of the egg would come out (Later we learned you can also just use a shot med. thing to pull it out). Then we took all sorts of colored tissue that was cut up into little triangular pieces and glue them onto the egg. Then you would take glue and rub it all around the egg to make all the tissue lay down on the egg. Then you let it dry. You can also roll it in glitter if you want.

Now when trying to find a picture of the eggs on the Internet, I found the idea of using Styrofoam eggs instead of real eggs. I like this idea for really little kids, because then they don't have to worry about breaking the egg.

Anyway I hope you enjoy

this egg-cellent idea!

I think I have one

more coming to share!

Ukrainian Eggs

Well I guess now that St. Patrick's Day is over, we are next going to have April Fool's and Easter. When I was a teenager my sister had me come over to make these really cool eggs. Above is just a picture of what they look like-not my actual eggs, because I have yet to dig out my Easter stuff yet. Anyway first you picked out a design and hollowed out your egg. Then you waxed everything you wanted to stay white. Then you dipped the whole egg in a yellow dye. Then you wax everything you want to be yellow. Then you dip the egg in the next lightest color. And so on and so on. When you get to the end, you get a candle and melt the wax off your egg. This is a really fun activity for OLDER children or ADULTS. They also look really cool as a decoration in your house for Easter. Anyway I looked up where you can get it and found this website that you can buy the kits. So if you are interested go to:
www.polartcenter.com once there click on Easter on the left hand side, and then Egg Decotating Kits, Pisanki/Pysanky