Something For A Poignant Day Date... 21.2.12

When I realised the sequence of today's date - when written like 21.2.12 - a numerical palindrome it could be a secret ancient code for moving forwards to the future - or looking backwards to the past,,.  

Sometimes letters and numerals in 'code' form can look like a well considered design be it in semiotics, symbology or something simply plain, basic, yet naturally beautifully. More often with a meaning or value placed around or behind it... What does today's date mean to you? 

Here are a few images that created a 'moody' scene for me, my 'moody mood board' like a swell growing as the tide draws back...just like - when thinking of a beautiful conspiracy coded date like today! My wild imagination gets the better of me sometimes! Can you tell?! Did you notice today's date in a sequence or code? Is there a sequential looking date that is special to you or stands out more than any other for you? Love to hear from you... 

Enjoy, 

images via tumblr, sweet montana, coffee&cognac, east atlanta, crush cul de sac, 

Easter Celebration...

Wishing you a very Happy Easter...

As per my promise this past week, here's a few snaps of my Easter Egg Celebration Tree' I wanted to share with you. I used some 'found' gum tree branches and sticks from our local park and used a mixture of painted eggs and painted stencil birds [they remind me of little robins or sparrows] in whit, blues, pinks, and lemon yellows with a dash of green and little gold! Maybe next Easter you can start your own Easter celebration tree too... or themed for the next holiday!

Hope you like it! And hope that you have a wonderful Easter Sunday shared with family & Friends,

images & styling/ tree decor by Sarah Verity - Verandah Home & Garden Living Solutions

Happy Easter!

Just in case I don't get a chance to wish you all a very Happy Easter on Sunday, I am being organised and thought I would send you my Easter wishes today...

This evening & tomorrow morning I am going mad into organising Isabelle's 1st Birthday party we're having a small afternoon tea for tomorrow! So between now & then I am baking cakes, making a no '1' birthday cake [thanks vintage Women's Weekly Birthday Cake Book!] hanging some super cute bunting, blowing up balloons, dishing out the party bags & setting the tables! All in shades of Pink & Green with stripes & spots for good measure!

So here's to your safe travels through the Easter & ANZAC long weekend, warm sunny [autumn] weather, delicious Easter eggs from the bunny and a Happy one too!

Enjoy,

BTW - will post my Easter Egg tree later on... just need to download my pics!

images via bhg, house beautiful, country living, sunset, montage by Sarah Verity - Vernandah Home & Garden Living Solutions

Pretty Easter Floral Table Decor...

Think about adding some fresh flowers or flowering branches into your Easter table decor...

Here are a few ways you can also add a few delicious eggs into the mix too!

Do you have a favourite?

images via BHG & HGTV

Sweet Friday Flowers...

Seems we still have a good few Easter Eggs left around the house, for some reason the chocolate eggs always taste better than just having plain block chocolate! Purely in the head I know... that's why I couldn't go past these sweet flowers - pansies, snow drops, forget-me-nots, lavender buds and the like, all vased in pretty patterned egg cups. They reminded me of our little treats left over !

I hope you have a wonderful relaxing weekend... I plan to put my feet up for most of it - especially now that our nursery is as ready as it can be - just waiting for someone to fill it! Thank You again for stopping by at Palatial Living & for all your kind emails and comments.

Take Care & Happy Weekend! S xxx

Image from Martha Stewart

Decorating for Easter... Too Cute - Egg Creatures for Kids

I stumbled across this wonderful project idea from Martha Stewart Kids that makes all hearts flutter with a the creative child inside! Why not give it a go - whether you have little ones or not! Have Fun! x

Dyeing for a new way to decorate Easter eggs?

Here's a recipe for fun that's hard to beat: With basic crafts supplies -- crepe paper, pipe cleaners, felt, yarn, thread, and glue -- kids can make cows, pigs, and lots of other eggs-traordinary creations from plain white eggs.

Quail eggs (look for them at specialty grocers) are the right size for smaller animals (paint works better than dye to color their spotted shells). And brown eggs are a natural choice for creatures with dark fur or feathers. We've provided some egg creatures templates, but who knows just what will hatch from a child's imagination?
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Basic Egg Preparation

Blowing: Emptying eggs lets you save your creations. An adult should pierce egg at both ends with a utility knife, widening one hole a bit. Poke a straightened paper clip through wide hole; stir yolk. Place ear syringe in smaller hole; squeeze. Contents will pour out. (Wash hands well.)

Dyeing: It's easy to make dye: Cover the work area with paper towels. In a jar, mix 1 teaspoon vinegar, 20 drops food coloring, and 1 cup warm water. Submerge the egg (keep it down with a paper cup containing water). Soak 5 minutes for light colors and 10 minutes for darker shades. Remove the egg with tongs. A homemade rack of pins and foam board makes for even drying and quick cleanup.
Decorating: Dye or paint should be fully dry before beginning. Affix features with white glue (on crepe paper, use tiny dots of glue); let dry at least 20 minutes. Glue on feet or legs first so egg will stand. For ears and combs, dab glue on edge of felt or crepe paper, affix piece, let dry, then fold up. Add small details like eyes with tempera paint or a marker.

Images & Project Idea from Martha Stewart Kids

Gorgeous Lace & Patterned Eggs for Easter

Today I found some easy & fabulous Easter decorating projects you can do at home with inexpensive resources - eggs, left over ribbon/ lace/ masking tape or vinyl stickers, and food dye stuff... all details for these and many more fantastic projects can be found on Martha Stewart - the ultimate in holiday projects - decorating & entertaining...

Gorgeous Lace Eggs... This Easter, take hard-boiled eggs to new heights by embellishing them with lacy patterns. Once the eggs are dyed and dry, pile them in a large bowl to use them as a centerpiece.

Tools and Materials - Eggs, Standard egg dye, Rubber bands, Inexpensive lace trimmings or scraps from a worn tablecloth or curtains, Scissors, & Foam board fitted with flat head pins.

Lace Egg How-To

1. 1. Cut lace into strips long enough to wrap around eggs and still have extra to form a sash for holding.
2. 2. Wrap eggs, securing lace with rubber bands. Dye eggs according to dye package instructions. Lift out, cut off rubber bands, and unwrap lace. Let dry on foam board fitted with flat head pins.
3. Resources - Inexpensive lace trimmings can be found in fabric stores.
   

Why don't you packaged & present your decorated eggs like this - above!

Stencil / Resistant Eggs... With stencils made of waterproof vinyl adhesive tape and cut-out shapes, you can create perfectly rendered patterns on your Easter eggs. Make plaid, polka-dotted, punctuated, or monogrammed eggs, or create your own designs. Any color that you cover with tape will remain unchanged throughout the process. The instructions below are for creating the plaid/check egg.
Tools and Materials: Eggs, Food coloring, Waterproof vinyl adhesive tape, and stencils. Burnishing tool (available at art-supply stores), Small bowls, Paper towel.
Stenciled Eggs How-To:

1. Start with a white egg or one dyed a pale color. Band the egg twice lengthwise with a 1/4-inch-wide masking tape, repositioning as necessary to get a tight fit. Firmly rub the tape with your fingernail or a burnishing tool so that the dye can't seep underneath.
2. Dip egg into dye, raising and dipping until the color deepens as desired. Blot egg with a paper towel. Let dry ten minutes. Remove tape.
3. Band the egg's width with tape at its widest point, then repeat to make smaller circles around each end. (Try alternating wide strips of tape with narrow ones.) Burnish, dye, and dry as before.
4. Remove tape. If you used a raw egg, carefully blow out contents.
   
   

Images from Martha Stewart Living

Botanical Eggs... An Easter Inspiration

Top. An enchanting rustic botanical Easter vignette.

Centre Image - Fresh, fragrant, bright Easter table setting - A simple brown paper lunch bag cut into the shape of a basket , then the Jonquils are set in a small vase inside the bag - allowing them to stay fresh and be held up.

With Easter fast approaching at the end of this week - two very significant religious dates on the Christian calendar - Good Friday & Easter Sunday. We are reminded - particularly through Easter Sunday - with the symbolics of life, newness and re-birth. Easter for us [my husband & I] is a time of some sadness, gratefulness, forgiveness, happiness and love - shared best with our families & our dearest [inner sanctum] of friends. Easter colour -wise is traditionally of bright sunny colours filtered with pastels some would say reminiscent of the Easter Parade movie with Judy Garland & Fred Astaire floating about - made perfectly in the technicolour of 1948 making the colours even more saturated, some of the corsages & millinery even Patricia Field of STC [a very fave show of mine] would love for Carrie! Easter - a parade - with bonnets, the Easter egg hunt, more chocolate eggs, rabbits, baby chicks, seafood, sharing your table & meals with loved ones... What does it mean for you?

This week I am inspired by beautiful [and fun] decorating ideas for our home and guests... Here I found these gorgeous Botanical inspired decoupage eggs that I had to share with you - here using different sized eggs from chickens (mostly medium size), ducks (larger size), and quails or pheasants for the more petite end! I particularly love the top image - a little botanical rustic Easter vignette - where printed paper images of the butterflies have been used and only partially stuck down on their bodies allowing their wings to be 'floating' free - giving the illusions that they have - in that very Milli-second - rested on the curve of the egg... quite enchanting.
Why you try to decorate some blown eggs this week with your favourite wrapping paper. For more super great tips on craft & decorating projects be sure to visit Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy x



Images from Martha Stewart Living