easter FAIL - sort of...

This is what failure looks like.  Or at least what it feels like if you're 32 years old and spent all your spare time for an entire week before Easter in your craft room, churning out one no-go after another.  If you've chanced upon my "about" page then you know I'm willing to share my failures as well as successes.  Get ready for some fail.

Like this gem - what was going to be a fun tutorial on how to make an extra big papier mache easter egg.  

I envisioned a pretty, painted, almost as large as Lila Easter egg, maybe even stuffed with Easter goodies, pinata style.  It was going to be such a cute photo prop, her peeking out from behind, happy smiles and all.  But the weather just wasn't cooperating.  Left out to dry overnight, it was still tacky in the morning.  I thought, "Oh, okay, it's because the flour and salt recipe I'm using can't handle the high humidity, so I'll just switch to the old reliable glue and water mix".  Well I didn't even bother photographing that fail.  Thirty minutes of the blow-dryer on high wasn't enough to dry it, so I gave up on the egg altogether.  On to the bunny ears.

I grabbed these from the $1 section at Target, but didn't like the silky inner fabric, so switched it out for flannel.  At this point I'm already running low on Easter craft time, and I'm rushing, and not even pre-ironing.  So, yeah, fail.  I'm too ashamed to even show the close-up of the after.  I did end up using the bunny ears though, as you'll see.  Just no close-ups.

Next?  Easter basket.  Must be handmade.  Must not be store-bought.  "What kind of mother would I be if I didn't make Lila's basket?" I heard myself saying to my husband in Target while looking at lots of perfectly cute baskets.  "I can do better than that".   You're familiar with this arrogance.  It's how we get ourselves in trouble.

The makings of a cute hand-made basket?  I think not.

What fail looks like close-up.

Try, try again.

But no, as it turns out, I cannot do better than that.  Not this year.  Two separate failed attempts later, I gave up on the basket idea, and on any hope for a handmade Easter.  Total Easter Fail.  I probably ruin about one in five or six projects on average.  I try lots of new things, I often don't work with patterns, and I'm generally ambitious.  So it happens.  But when it happens that many times in a row, well, maybe there's a message being sent.  Like STOP.  Like Get Out Of The Craft Room NOW.  Go GARDEN, or, God-forbid, cook.  Take a walk, take a breath, do something, anything else.

Okay then.  How about dyeing some Easter eggs?  Too bad I forgot to purchase white ones, but had a ton of brown ones on hand.  Oh well, at this point I just need to get out of the craft room, so brown Easter eggs it is.

Could be worse, right?  I kinda like 'em.  Just a cheap $1.50 Paas kit.  Next year I'll be doing white though.  And my papier mache egg will be a success too, I'm sure of it.  But as for this year?

I awoke to a quiet house and dawn breaking, and looking out the kitchen window, I saw a lone doe gracefully walking the edge of the woods.  After a minute or so of feeding, she lifted her head for a moment, then bounded out of sight into the woods, her white tail held high.

Later, Daddy made a delicious breakfast for us to eat outdoors in the sunshine and fresh air, with birds singing and a soft breeze blowing, light music playing from the deck....

That's fresh-squeezed orange juice, folks.  Real maple syrup.

Fresh smashed strawberries and raspberries.

Yummy cappuccino.

Perfectly personalized eggs.

And bunny toppers for the pancake stacks.  Which may or may not have been harvested from the cupcakes, which I may or may not have eaten the majority of before the holiday even arrived.  They're chocolate, okay? Or were...

And Lila.  My little bunny.  She was born in the Year of the Rabbit you know.  And apparently rabbits like eggs?

Gather those eggs together...

Fill that basket...  Why the sad face?

Tip it over...  Wait, is that part of this?

Tear off bunny ears, and abandon basket for much more interesting chair, which can be climbed.

 And a few more pics of what, after all, turned out to be a perfectly nice Easter.

And those eggs were yummy.

 

Happy Easter!

Best Wishes,
Teresa