Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Spring has Sprung



The flowers and trees are blooming.
Sending their intoxicating perfume into the breeze.

The birds nests are brimming with eggs.


Here's a baby waiting to hatch. If we're real quiet...
I'll bet we can spot a few baby chicks.


There's one... in the Asian pear tree.
Lets see if we can take a closer look....



Awwww isn't she adorable?
Oh, I think I see her sister sitting in the boxwood.


She looks content snuggled in the leaves.


Sitting in the plum tree....



Pretty in pink!


To create your own baby chick, egg and nest, all you need is....


one package each of Chinese noodles and butterscotch chips.
Melt chips, add noodles.
Shape nests in NON STICK muffin tin.
Refrigerate just until set.
*The nest removes easily, if it's not to cold*



I used these for shaping and prying.



The baby chick recipe is Martha Stewart's with a few revisions. I baked mini cupcakes, used Nestle toll house mini morsels for the eyes and Starburst candies shaped into beaks. Since they were sitting in the nest I didn't add feet. I shaped the coconut frosting (from the forehead back) to resemble the comb.


The eggs are white chocolate truffles I dotted with food coloring (paste concentrate) .


Bunnie Napkin Rings




1. 17x17 napkin (heavier weave works best) roll corner into center.


2. Repeat with opposite corner. Rolling... meeting in the center.



3. Stand on it's side with ribbing facing in.
*This step is very important in order to be sucessful!*



4. Fold in half.



5.Draw ears up.



6. Allow room for silverware (no more than two pieces).



7. Secure with ribbon (I used a rubber band for demonstration purpose).
Smooth out shape.
Pull up ears.


I like my bunnies with faces.
A jellybean inserted in between for nose.
For the eyes I used a candy necklace and inserted a mini chocolate morsel (tip end first) into one of the candies.
I freeze the morsels first, otherwise the heat from my hands melts them on contact.
I don't know if this is because of my hot flashes or if they'd melt with anyones body temperature.
So, beware if it happens to you.....it just might be a Menopause moment.





58 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those are some cute nests--and I adore your plaid napkins!

nikkicrumpet said...

The bunny napkins are so cute...the cartoon made me giggle...but those little birds in the nest had me grinning from ear to ear!!!

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

So glad to see you posting again! And so glad to see these cute ideas! Thanks for sharing them. I'm going to go try that napkin fold now. laurie

Saucy said...

Yikes! Those chicks in nests are beyond ad.or.ab.le!

My sweet Aunty Denise used to make those bunnies out of baby facecloths for baby shower favours! I loved this entire post. Happy Easter!

susan said...

This is a great post--fun, entertaining and educational. I love the darling nests!

Monica said...

Thanks for visiting and leaving such a sweet comment!
I LOVE your creative ideas!
Have a bright and happy Easter,
Monica.

Unknown said...

What a totally fun post! I used to make those chinese noodles and butterscotch nests and forgot about them till you posted that! I'm still giggling at the bunny comic at the bottom too!
Thanks so much!
~Really Rainey~

Martha said...

Bunny napkins -- this post will be bookmarked by everyone because the idea is so cute! Love the little birds and nest -- and the nests with the truffle eggs --

Lori said...

thanks for coming over to see me...you always have the cutest things...i LOVE those nests, how sweet is that!!! i love the bunny napkins too, how adorable:) i hope all is well with you now...Happy Easter!!!

imjacobsmom said...

C-U-T-E!!! I want to make those nests with the birds and with the eggs. They sound simple enough for me, too. Thanks for the napkin fold demo - I'm going to have Jacob do that for me. ~ Robyn

Buzzings of a Queen Bee! said...

That is the sweetest little bird nest! And so yummy...I am a sucker for butterscotch chips for sure! :) Hope you have a wonderful Easter Sara!
Carrie

FrenchGardenHouse said...

I love the little nests! Somewhere I have an idea using pretzels, but these are much cuter and easier, since they are smaller.

Thanks for the inspiration! Happy Easter, Sara.
xo Lidy

Rattlebridge Farm said...

This is absolutely divine! From the nests to your in-bloom garden to your fabulous instructions to the "bunny" napkins, this is top notch all the way. Wishing you and yours a splendid Easter.
Hugs,
G

bj said...

Oh, Sara...these look so fabulous. I am so not good at this sort of thing but I am going to try hard to make some of these little nests and maybe...just MAYBE, I could put some little colored candy eggs in them...my little grandkids would love them. I know myself well enuf that I could NEVER pull off the little cakes...Everything you do looks so great...
Happiest Easter ever!
xo bj

Kathleen said...

Those are so cute.. I remember the Kdgn teachers doing a version of that with the kids...Of course they didn't look as adorable as yours..but the recipe is similar..
I love the bunny napkin demo..I will try it tomorrow..
Babka ready to come out of the oven...an Easter tradition in our family..
Have a wonderful Easter!

Anonymous said...

Hi Sara! Oh, what precious little nests! I think I can make these. Thank you for the tutorial on the rabbit ears napkin folding! I need these for my rabbit heads!
Have a wonderful blessed happy Easter.
Shelia ;)

Foley said...

What cute nests and the bunny napkins..I love it when you give detailed instructions !
Great post!!

A Bite of Country Cupcakes said...

The things you come up with are amazing!
We made the bunnies too but with facewashers...So cute!
But those bird nests with bird are just too too sweet for words.

We don't have tollhouses her tho?
I had been trying to acess this post for hours but could'nt? Don't know why..
Happy Easter to you and all your Sweet Ideas:)

Bridget said...

Welcome back from BlogBreak! I'm in love with your bird nests. I'm going to hit the market tomorrow for supplies to make my own. Thanks for the visit and this great idea.
Happy Easter, Bridget

Kathy said...

Hello Sara, I have just spent some time looking through your posts and immediately I knew that I was going to love your blog, from the Brusketta, the stunning flower photos to the bunny napkins and birds nests, I don't know how I missed your blog before but am so glad you are back and hopefully fully recovered, Have a wonderful Easter, hugs, Kathy.
btw the camera I use is new to me and I am still getting used to all the buttons, it's a Nikon D60.

Four Paws and Co said...

These are just too cute for words!

Welcome back from your blog break! I hope you're feeling better now. You asked about my chargers... I bought them at Home Goods. I had also seen them at Marshall's several months previously, but hubby was with me at the time, ya know how that goes... Anyway, I didn't make it back to the store by myself to pick them up. Needless to say, I was thoroughly delighted when I found them at Home Goods.

Have a wonderful Easter! ♥ Diane

Tracey said...

Great Easter Ideas'!!! I really like the nest's with the chicks. You were greatly missed and I'm glad you stopped by today. Hope you have a wonderful Easter and many blessings to you and your family.

Barbara Jean said...

Sara,
Cute ideas!!
Thanks for sharing.

Glad you went over and joined that great giveaway! I'm having one too, just not nearly so 'great', but in celebration of my 200th post.

Glad that old Teddy Bear brought back some good memories.

Blessings,

Barbara Jean

wendy said...

OK --YOU HAD ME THERE FOR A MOMENT. I was looking at that nest in the tree thinkin,,,looking,,,thinking--what kind of nest IS that. (sometimes I just takes me a moment) How dang cute is that. My grandgirls would love it. Your blog is beautiful--I love your tastes.

Lisa said...

What a cute chick! Love the little bunny napkins. I'm sorry to hear you've been sick. Have a wonderful Easter!

Melissa Miller said...

Sara I just love this post!
How cute what you did with your "birds" in the trees. LOL!
The Spring blossums look gorgeous. The bunny ears are so fun too!

Thank you very much for coming by today and your kindness. Chestnut is a spoiled and huge boy.
He does LOVE his tower that's for sure. :)

I'm wishing you a wonderful and blessed Easter.
~Melissa :)

Rosa said...

Too creative!!! Love those nests! Love your flowering trees too! I just love everything!!! Happy Easter!

American Homemaker said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog :) Everything looks so fun and festive!

Rue said...

Hi Sara :)

I'm so glad you're back and that you're okay.

Those rabbit ear napkins are darling, as are those sweet nests :)

I hope you have a wonderful Easter sweet friend!
hugs,
rue

Patina said...

What fun cute ideas! Those bird eggs and nest looked pretty tasty!
Thank you for sharing all your good ideas!

Jenny said...

My grandmother used to make the butterscotch haystacks every year. She has been gone for about 10 years but just that taste of butterscotch makes me think of her! Thank you for the wonderful memory!! You will have to share you and your husbands lace egg dying results!! I bet they came out great!!

The Painted Nest said...

Thanks so much for the visit and the sweet comment~~~as you can see it's been a while since I've posted, so to have someone to visit really means alot. I've been so busy~~I'll be posting 2morrow. Bringing my Easter Wish~~~ I love the little nest and I enjoied your blog~~~I will be back!!! Take care of yourself~~~~Blessings, Deborah

~CC Catherine said...

Sweet Sara, Thanks for stopping by my Furry Friends Tea Party in honor of Lady Katherine's B'day celebration for last Sunday. ;) I'm so glad you did, because I decided to drop by your place. Your blog is delightful and I'd like to follow it. Very interesting that we have so much in commmon., down to the hospitality in which we love serving our out of town guests as if it were a B&B. Have a Happy and Blessed Easter Holiday! ~CC Catherine from "Catherine de th`e Cups"

~CC Catherine said...

Sara, PS: Your birds nests and chicks are a scream, and on the first one I thought it may have been real! ;) Great photography! Thanks for the "how to's" as well, I have a small grandson near three that would love to make these and eat them! ;) The napkin fold is adorable, I always enjoy learning new folds. ~CC Catherine

Joanne Kennedy said...

These ideas are so cute! I'm going to give them a try. I may even do the nests for a baby shower I'm giving with a bird/nest theme. So darling!

Hugs,
Joanne

The Vintage Kitten said...

The bird nests are adorable. Have a lovely Easter! X

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Sara, this is absolutely adorable! Oh, those napkins! And everything! The nests! Just the most fun table! Loved it ALL!

Happy Easter to you...

XO,

Sheila :-)

Gail McCormack said...

Hi Sara
These are adorable!!
As usual I've got a big smile on my face after visiting your blog!!

Victoria - Florence and Mary said...

What a sweet post... what to try first the napkin bunnies or birds nests!?!?!?

Happy Easter

Victoria xx

Linda (Nina's Nest) said...

Hi Sara, so many wonderful ideas! Cute next and birdie!!! Linda

vivian said...

hi Sara, Great Blog! love the sweet nests and bunny napkins. thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog! I'll be coming back soon..
btw.. doesnt that whole conversion to analog irritate you? it annoys me to death.. I refuse to buy cable and pay for tv, which is something I dont spend a lot of time watching.. our tv is digital ready, but even with a great antenna on top of the house, my husband had to by a booster of somesort to put on the antenna. (we live in the country) and even with that, sometimes the signal is too low! annoying.
happy easter!
vivian

Leigh of Tales from Bloggeritaville said...

Cool! And clever! Wow!Thank you for your bloggy friendship. It warms my spirit.
Happy Easter!

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Your nests and chicks are adorable! And I love the napkins folded into a bunny! Welcome back to blogging!

Happy Easter.

Unknown said...

Happy Easter!

~Liz

Unknown said...

Hey girl, I'm glad you're back and I hope you're feeling better! Thanks for stopping by with such sweetness :)
I am envious that you have such gorgeous trees there and your birdys are too darn cute. I think I might copy your fabulous birdy napkin today.

HOPpy Easter!

Sandy xoxox

Suzy said...

This is really an EXTRA cute post. Funny too!! Sorry you haven't been feeling well. I love the bunny napkin idea! I've done it before but with a washcloth and ice cube for a booboo cloth. Hope you have a very Happy Easter!

Pam @ Frippery said...

Love those nests, and the napkins are too cute. I am taking a break waiting for guests to arrive. Wish I had seen this post earlier, I would have folded my napkins differently:) Thanks for the nice comment. Happy Easter, Pam

southerninspiration said...

All such cute ideas!!! Glad to see you back, and thanks for coming by my blog to let me know. I hope you are doing better now. I so appreciated your visit today! Take care and thanks for all the great ideas!
Suzanne

Rhondi said...

Hi Sara
I'm glad you're back to blogging. Your little nests and bauny napkins are adorable!
Happy Esater
Hugs, Rhondi

Judy said...

Adorable nests!!!! I have to go do the napkin thing now, if I hurry I can be done by dinner. I loved your key lime exploding story. At least we didn't have that happen. Glad you are feeling better. I'm not posting or blogging as much either but mostly it's a time thing. I'm trying to limit my time on the computer. Happy Easter!!

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

Just gotta love those bunny napkins - and the nests in your garden are too cute!

Justine said...

OMG, I thought I was seeing things at first!!!!!!!!!!! That nest was just too cute!!!!!!!!! And I love the way you've folded and decorated your napkins.

Justine :o )

Sophie said...

That is such a cute idea! I'm loving the birdie in the tree :).

Tracey McBride ~ Frugal Luxuries® said...

Hi Sara,
What clever and cute ideas! I am amazed at your energy (and so funny putting the nests in the tree). Thank you so much for sharing and for the comment regarding our Zoey kitty!
Warmly,
Tracey

Happy@Home said...

From start to finish this is an adorable post. I love those little nests and will have to make them next Easter. Also, the bunny napkins are waaaay cute! I have the perfect napkins to use for them. Just hope I remember all these great ideas for next year :-)

BTW, I will get the instructions for the lamb butter to you soon.

Confessions of a Plate Addict said...

Hi Sara...How cute!! I'm glad you showed us how to do everything...great job of explaining! The nests will be cute all throughout Spring...not just Easter!! Loved seeing them perched in your yard!!!...Debbie

rochambeau said...

Love your nests and eggs Sara!
So nice to find your blog.
Constance

Wish on a Whisker said...

Hi Sara~ Hope you had a nice Easter! So glad you stopped by to visit! ~Mandy