Hopefully you’ve been enjoying some wonderful spring weather where you are.  Spring has arrived in full force in Dallas and we are enjoying some lovely afternoons.  Easter is right around the corner and everything is in bloom.  It is truly an awakening.  Birds are chirping and bees buzzing. 

We have prepared a couple of Easter inspired tips for you today to add to the festive spirit.  Our bunny mask straw covers are perfect for the kids’ table at an Easter brunch or just in your kids glass of juice on Easter morning. 

savour… hippity hoppity

Happy New Year or 新年快乐 . The celebration of the Chinese New Year has begun.  There are many interesting customs surrounding this special time in the Chinese calendar.  Even if you don’t adopt all of the ideas, you may find some fun new traditions for your family and gain an understanding of another culture along the way.  Be sure to check out our earlier post for more information about the Chinese New Year.

One of the customs that we have adopted (much to our children's delight) is the red envelope.  This envelope is filled with a bit of cash and the hope of prosperity and luck. 

To aid in your celebrating efforts we have created a red envelope printable for you to use.  Simply print this on some red paper or cardstock, embellish just a bit with gold marker.  Then you just need to glue where indicated and you are all set.

savour... year of the dragon

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Our holiday adventure inspired our craft this week.  This simple holiday wreath adds to the season and drives home a message of peace.  It will be perfect for your front door or given as a gift of peace to a friend or neighbor.

Making living wreaths is far easier than you might have imagined.  Craft stores sell plenty of materials, but you will find what you need for our wreath at your local thrift store… or maybe in your garage or attic.  We are using a lampshade frame as the base for our peace wreath.

savour… joy and peace

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Our holiday adventure this week is taking us over the river and through the woods complete with hiking, some light caroling, and bird watching.  In these parts there are lots of cardinals, but no shortage of other tiny feathered friends.

Before we headed out we took about half an hour to put together a little holiday gift for our woodland pals.  This is such a great opportunity for you to connect with nature.  Take in all of your surroundings and capture some photos you wouldn’t ordinarily get. Bring along a field guide to identify some of the birds you see.  These biscuit bird feeders are simple to make, offer some food to hungry creatures, and whatever is left is completely biodegradable.

savour… friends, bird and furred

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We are bringing back a few favorites from last year this week for those who might not have seen them.  We are hard at work pulling together our holiday 2011 posts.  Don't worry... we'll be sure to pepper in a few new things, as well.  

This particular post is one of my personal favorites.  Admittedly, this project is a little time consuming, but the payoff is well worth it.  This wreath shines in a world of ordinary holiday.  Coincidently, it is one of our most popular posts on the internet.  You will find the original post here... Fantastic Plastic:  PVC Wreath.

Fall is all around (even here in Dallas).  As the weather cools and sunset occurs earlier, the grackles seem to gather together even more than the rest of the year.  I must admit that (unlike many I know) I am fascinated by them.  I have been honked at many times for not moving at a green light because I am mesmerized by the hundreds of grackles delicately perched on the wires at the intersection.

The grackles are the inspiration for our Art You Can Do project today.  This technique is a form of reverse painting and couldn’t be easier.  The results are modern and fun.   We have included the grackle templates that we used so you can make one just like ours or draw your own.

savour... social gathering

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Most big family gatherings that involve dinner include the kid table.  You probably remember sitting at one and anxiously awaiting the day you would graduate to the grown up table.  This table, removed from adults and adult conversation, was seldom very exciting. 

Strangely, as soon as I became a real grown up I realized that the kid table was much more appealing.  The company there is far more interesting.  The only thing that was missing was something to keep us occupied.  We have included a few things here to help make your kid table more fun.  The napkin ring could easily be used for an adult table with a more casual feel, too.