Easter decor

Easter centerpieces

For this beautiful Easter centerpiece you will need:

Pussy willow, or other pliable twigs such as silver birch, each around 1m long
Florist's wire
Raffia
Dried Spanish moss
Fresh or faux flowers, such as waxflowers and roses
Florist's paper ribbon
Feathers
Chocolate Easter eggs

1. To make this Easter centerpiece take one pussy willow twig and carefully bend it to form a circle of around 40cm diameter. Secure the two ends together by wrapping with florist's wire. Repeat to create
more twig circles, securing them as before and then securing again to the previous circle. Make each circle a slightly different size so that the finished nest doesn't look too uniform in shape.

2 Now, for our beautiful Easter centerpiece place the twigs on a board and fill the centre with a couple of handfuls of raffia, then use dried Spanish moss to fill any gaps between the raffia and the twigs.

3 Push stems of waxflower and/or roses between the pussy willow twigs at intervals all around the outside of the nest. Add a selection of feathers in the same way.


4 Place in the Easter centerpiece a few lengths of florist's paper ribbon over the moss in the centre of the nest and place the Easter chocolate eggs on top to finish.

Easter tree

FOR EATER TREE YOU WILL NEED

Wooden eggs with hanging loops attached
Clingwrap or foil
Emulsion paint in
your chosen colours
Ribbon or ric-rac braid
Twisted willow
Homemade Easter cards

How to make Easter tree

1 Wrap-the hanging loops of the wooden Easter eggs in cling wrap or foil to protect them from the paint. Using a small paintbrush, paint the Easter eggs for our Easter tree in your chosen colours and leave to dry.

2 Decorate the Easter eggs using different paint colours to add speckles, lines or spots to create a colourful display and, again, leave to dry. Remove the clingwrap or foil.

3 Cut 10cm lengths of ribbon and ric-rac braid and tie in a loose knot around the hanging loop at the top of each Eater egg for our Easter tree.

4 Place the twisted willow twigs into a vase or pitcher, making sure it is large and heavy enough to easily support the twigs.

5 Thread pieces of ribbon or braid through the loops and use to hang from the willow. Tie a double knot to secure firmly. Hang the Easter eggs on the Easter tree at regular intervals, keeping the design as symmetrical as possible.

6 Finish Easter tree by hanging homemade mini Easter cards.

MINI HANGING EASTER CARDS

Cut white card into 20cm by 5cm rectangles and fold each in half. Stamp an egg design on to a sheet of paper - you'll need one for each Easter card. Leave to dry, then cut out and stick to the front of the cards. Cut two 30cm lengths of baker's twine for each card. Open out the Easter card and place the lengths inside near the fold. Close the card and bring the bottom two ends of the twine up to meet the top two ends. Tie
together, positioning the knot at the top edge of the Easter card. Use the twine to hang the card on the Easter tree.

CHOCOLATE FLAVORED LOLLIPOPS 

YOU WILL NEED FOR THE EASTER LOLLIPOPS

Chocolate moulding kit (we used Dr Oetker Choco Moulding Kit)
Plain lollipop sticks
Sticky tack
Edible sparkles (try Snow White Magic Sparkles Cakes, Cookies & Crafts Shop)
Striped masking tape
Ribbon


1 This moulding kit includes chocolate flavoured buttons, plastic moulds in three designs (egg. butterfly and chick) and icing for decoration. Following the packet instructions, wash the moulds and empty hall of the buttons into a heat-proof bowl and either melt in the microwave on medium for 25 seconds or place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until melted.

2 Use a teaspoon to divide the melted chocolate between all the moulded shapes. Insert a lollipop stick into each one (you may need to secure the sticks to the moulding tray using sticky tack) and place in the fridge
until fully set - around 20 minutes.

3 Carefully remove the shapes from the moulds and add the edible sparkles. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to use up the remaining chocolate-flavoured buttons.

4 Cut lengths of patterned masking tape and wrap at an angle around the lollipop sticks. Tie Easter ribbon in bows around the top of the sticks, snug with the base of the Easter eggs.

Easter egg decorating

FOR THIS EASTER EGG DECORATING YOU WILL NEED

Fresh eggs (room temperature)

Self-adhesive paper decorations and labels, such as lace and spot designs

Food colouring

Vinegar

Egg cups and/or bowl

Raffia

Easter egg decorating

1 To remove the contents from the eggs, use a needle to pierce a hole carefully at the pointed and fat ends of each one. Over a bowl, hold the Easter egg with the pointed end at the top and insert the needle into the bottom hole. Push the needle in as far as you can and swish around inside the egg to break the yolk.

2 Working Easter egg decorating over the bowl, gently blow into one hole so that the contents come out of the other. Continue until the shell feels empty. Rinse with water and pat dry with kitchen roll.

3 Make an Easter egg decorating by stick spot or paper lace labels to the egg: remember the areas you cover will be those that the food colouring will not adhere to.

4 Take a coffee mug and add around 20 drops of your chosen food colouring and 1 tbsp vinegar. Half fill the mug with tepid water from the tap and mix with a teaspoon.

5 Carefully lower the egg into the mug, making sure the liquid covers it. The longer the egg comes into  contact with the food colouring, the deeper the colour will be. Blown eggs will float so hold them down

with a spoon. Once you're happy with the Easter eggs shade, use a spoon to carefully lift out the egg. Pat dry with kitchen paper then carefully peel off the slickers.

6 Line Easter egg cups or a bowl with raffia then place your decorated Easter eggs on top.

Happy Easter to you!