Bunny Tablescape and Easter Desserts … Carrot-patch Cupcakes & Cottontail Spice Cookies

“Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!”

Today was a glorious Easter and celebration of Resurrection Day!  Our day was spent rejoicing in Christ’s resurrection and also reflecting on the gift of everlasting life that Jesus has given to all that believe that He is God’s Son.

scripture.jpg

(Our front yard and neighbor’s yard with beautiful Azalea Majestic and Flowering Dogwood)

 Before this day is over, I wanted to share this sweet bunny tablescape with you.  It all began with this soft brown table runner with white fuzzy bunny’s from TJ Maxx.

bunny runner

I was thrilled when I saw how well the bunny runner matched the embroidered napkins I had already ordered, made by Mud Pie.  The napkins were “almost” too cute to use, edged with white pom-poms and the word “HAPPY” sewn on each napkin!

texture

  I slipped each napkin into little grapevine wreaths that I made into napkin rings.  They seemed like the perfect pairing since they are trimmed in green ivy and blossoms … which every bunny loves!

bunny rust

White serving pieces, also from Mud Pie add to the whimsy and “hoppy” theme of the table.

back view

White Porcelain dishes edged with swags of pink rosebuds are piled into a favorite bunny crate and are ready to be placed at each setting.

napkins

Silver Cutlery looks elegant even casually “bunched” into a matching flower vase and are ready to be passed around the table.

silver.jpg

Time for desserts! … chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting are sprinkled with ground graham cracker crumbs dyed with Wilton Green paste dye to look like grass.  A foil wrapped carrot, with the foil removed from the tip of the carrot is inserted into the chocolate frosting to look like Mr. McGregor’s carrot patch!

cupcakes.jpgInstructions for dying Graham Cracker Crumbs

  1. To blend the paste dye into the graham cracker crumbs, add dye to a small amount of water and stir water to blend
  2.  Pour the tinted water into a ziploc bag filled with graham cracker crumbs
  3. Knead the bag until the color spreads throughout the crumbs, adding more dye as needed.
  4. After crumbs are the desired color, spread crumbs on rimmed cookie sheet and place in 275 degree oven until moisture is removed, 10 – 15 minutes.
  5. Remove crumbs from oven and let cool before sprinkling on cupcakes

cake platter

Speaking of Mr. McGregor’s carrot patch … Here’s a sweet little Peter Rabbit vignette I have displayed in my Music Room.  These Wedgewood dishes are made in England and were just the right size for our daughter’s little hands and tea parties!  Each dish is painted with Beatrix Potter’s charming pictures and inscribed with the words from her book “The Tale of Peter Rabbit.”  This is also a little teaser to one of my next blog’s all about … “Spring Vignette’s!” (;

Peter Rabbit

 

Back to the desserts!  Cottontail Spice cookies are “Cake Mix” Cookies and they are delicious and so easy to make!

cottontail spice cookies.jpg

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. To any cake mix (I used a Spice Cake mix) just add 2 eggs and 1/2 cup of oil
  3. Mix ingredients together and scoop cookie dough onto a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment paper
  4. Bake approximately 9 minutes
  5. Remove from oven and cool for 1 minute before placing cookies on wax paper to finish cooling.
  6. Top with choice of frosting, using a decorator bag and tip.

 

Every bunny welcome!  

daytime dessert buffet.jpg

Hope your Easter was filled with blessings and “sweet” endings!

From my cottage to your’s ~  Trenda

 

cropped-cropped-img_0452-e1510254818805.png

Thank you for reading my blog!  To have all my posts delivered to your email address, just click FOLLOW in my post above … or click on my site: cottagegreenonthelake.com

FOLLOW ME on PINTEREST!

Trenda@cottagegreenonthelake.com

 

DIY Easter Bunny Treat Bags

Trenda

“Here comes Peter Cottontail, hoppin’ down the bunny trail and I am happily preparing for our little bunny’s that are coming to dye dozens of eggs and … all “us bunny’s” here at Cottage Green are anticipating our Family Easter Egg Treasure Hunt, complete with prizes and a trophy! (:  We have been out of town for the last 2 1/2 weeks so this week is going to be especially busy and “filled” with Easter preparations!

treat bags.png

These “Big-earred Bunny Bags are so cute and take just a few minutes to make!  They are reinforced paper sacks and hold lots of Easter goodies, dyed eggs, jelly beans, cupcakes, Peeps, Chicks, and sugary treats!  I bought my treat bags, pink and white gingham ribbon, tissue paper, felt hearts, pipe cleaners, and googly eyes at Michael’s.  (Tip: I used my glue gun instead of Elmer’s Glue-All to make my assembly time faster!) Plus, I also used a pair of scissors and a ruler.

Supplies needed:

supplies final.png

    To begin … adhere a pink felt heart in the center of each bag, for the bunny’s nose.  Position and glue 2 googly eyes above each nose.  Then, pull out two strands of shredded color paper.  Fold both shredded tissue strands in half to make 4 whiskers for each side of the bunny’s nose.  Place the 4 whiskers on one side of the heart, where they touch the “heart nose” and glue in place.  Repeat process, and glue 4 more whiskers on the other side of the heart nose.  Trim whiskers to desired length.

whiskers.pngSimple Bow instructions:

  1. Measure and cut a 12″ length of ribbon.  Glue ends together to form a loop.
  2. Gather ribbon together in the middle of the circled loop.
  3. Hold tightly with fingers and secure with a pipe cleaner and twist.
  4. Trim the two ends of the pipe cleaner near the “twist” with scissors or wire cutters for a neat presentation.
  5. Cut another length of ribbon, approximately 2″ in length.
  6. Fold ribbon in thirds, lengthwise and glue edges together.  
  7. Wrap this short length of ribbon around the pipe cleaner.  Glue it on the underneath side of your bow, making sure it covers all of the pipe cleaner. 
  8. Glue bow to the top of your Bunny Treat Bag. (Since I have both little boy and little girl “bunny’s” … I made some of my Bunny Treat Bags without hair bows!)

 

instructions.pngTo complete my Bunny Treat Bags I “stuffed” each bag with bunny ears made from gift wrap tissue paper.  I  cut one sheet of white tissue paper in half and formed a “bunny ear” by grasping the 1/2 sheet of tissue paper in the center.  Then, while holding the center portion of the paper in one hand, I ran my other hand up over the tissue, while grasping it lightly to make loose folds.  Then, I stuffed my “ear” into the treat bag so that the pointy ends of the tissue were sticking out to resemble a long ear.  I repeated the entire process for the 2nd bunny ear, using the other 1/2 of the tissue paper.  To form the pink “interior ears” I  used my pink or my gingham gift tissue.  Again, I cut each piece of gift tissue in half, “fluffed” my tissue and inserted into the bag, in front of the white outer ears.  Use your imagination, they do look like Easter bunny ears!(;

gift bag.png Last touch … I “stuck” one more felt heart on the back of my Bunny Treat Bag (I used the same color heart as I used for the bunny’s nose) and placed it near the bottom of the treat bag. Then I glued a little pom pom on the heart to make a fuzzy little bunny tail! (:

pompom Bunny tails.png

Get ready for more fun and festive ideas coming this week ’cause … “hippity, hoppity Easter’s on it’s way!” (;

Today was another glorious Sunday at our church with Richard and I having the added joy of singing with our choir and presenting our Easter cantata Hope Alive In Me by Travis Cottrell.  I love every aspect of Easter!  The bunnies, the baskets, the eggs … the Cross, the Tomb, and the resurrection of Jesus … The “Hope Alive in Me!”  It’s not all about the bunny, Easter is about The Lamb.” ❤ 

scripture.png

Thank you for spending some time with me today!

From my cottage to yours  ~  Trenda

img_0452

 

 

%d bloggers like this: