Sweetly Swapping Easter!

Spoolie Swap!

My Spoolie...

This Easter season I participated in two fun swaps.  The Spoolie Swap was hosted by Sandy of 521 Lake Street.  The object was to create a cute and unusual Easter decoration out of a wooden thread spool.  We were assigned a partner and got to work.  It's fun to do one-on-one swaps...that way we get to know someone just a wee bit better.  We try to find some "little extras" that might fit their personalities and taste.  My partner was Sue of It's a Very Cherry World!  I want to thank her so very much for what she sent me...and tell her that the chocolate bunnies never made it past my granddaughters uneaten!  A new world's record!



 

Sue's Beautiful Spoolie!

She made the picket fence stand separately...two gifts in one!

Which first...the chicken or the egg?

I love the German paper mache eggs! 

And I adore the cute vintage pompom chicken...made for each other!

I have very little vintage Easter in my craft supplies.

Thank you, Sue for these funny chicks in the polkadot scarves!

Also the ribbon that looks like wee pennants.

 

 

Sue's Easter Swap!

Hosted by Sue of  It's a Very Cherry World!

(Weren't we just talking about her? lol!)

Melody's Wonderful Spring Scarf!

 

Melody of Nannie's Attic was my partner for this swap.  We were to make our partner an Easter decoration or something Spring related.  Melody crocheted this beautiful scarf for me!  It is in my favorite spring colors and the softest of yarns!  I couldn't believe someone would make me something so wonderful.  Thank you, sweet Melody!  I hope we are partners again sometime!

Cards for my Swap Partners...

Hallway Easter Vignette...

Easter in Germany 1980

Missy and Amber in their little Dala Horse aprons.

Notice their cute little haircuts...Amber was playing "beauty parlor" with my sewing scissors!

How I miss these little darlings!

 

Happy Easter!!

Lehi Roller Mills...Flour Sack Pillows!

 
 Lehi Roller Mills...
 Lehi Roller Mills is one of my favorite historical structures.  It was built in 1905 by a co-op of Lehi, Utah farmers who wanted a closer place than neighboring American Fork to mill their wheat.  George Robinson bought the mill in 1910 and his family has run it ever since.  You may not be familiar with this mill...but it is an American cultural icon...a movie star of sorts.  Do you remember the original "Footloose" starring Kevin Bacon?

One Degree of Kevin Bacon...

This is how the mill looked in 1984 when the movie was filmed.

That grassy corner is now a McDonalds.

 

Kevin Bacon's character worked at the mill.

The joyful, climactic dance scene was set at the mill,

but mostly filmed at Osmond Studios...and later, re-takes in Los Angeles.

It has been a local tourist attraction since the movie come out.

 

The Mill as a Dowdle Folk Art Puzzle.

 

Lehi Roller Mills Flour Sack Pillows...

 

18" sq. pillows made from flour sacks.

 

The mill has an attached store where they sell baking mixes. The muffin and pancake mixes come in calico bags, popular neighbor gifts at Christmas.  I bought the flour sacks there a few years ago to make curtains like they had in their windows.  I meant them for my workshop attached to the garage, but they didn't work out like I planned.  So now these pillows are going out on the porch this summer.

 

Wow! Two posts in two days...I'm on fire!

 

 

 

 

Quick Craft...Parade of Easter Peeps!

 

I Heart Target $1 Bins!

Parade of Easter Peeps!

Egg Shaped Chicks

Available in several colors 2 per package.

Dressed in cupcake liner skirt.

 

Little Boy Peep...lol!

This style had pink and yellow peep in box.

Cutest polkadot cuppie cake liners!

Sweet Yellow Peeps.

I had passed them by for a couple of weeks...

today for some reason they made sense!

I love $1 Bin Crafts!

 

Happy Wednesday!

 

Fairyland Park...German Style!

Willkommen!

Welcome to Niedersachsen!

 

Map of Niedersachsen...the German state where we lived for 3 years.

The green spot central on the map is the City State of Bremen.

Just to the left is Delmenhorst...our home.

 

Marchenland...Fairy Tale Land

The park logo back then...

 

Es war einmal...

Once upon a time...in the summer of 1979, my parents came to visit us in Germany.  They brought my youngest brother and sister...Tommy and Lisa...with them.  We traveled all over the country in those two weeks.  There was so much to see and do.  But after a week in Bavaria, our visitors were getting tired, so we decided to take them to the little amusement park in the nearby town of Verden.  Verden is just to the right of Bremen on the map.  The journey through the villages was like a trip through a fairy tale.  Thatched roof houses and barns decorated with gingerbread trim still existed...but how could they in these modern times?  As a child I had read storybooks about storks nesting on the chimneys of houses and the good luck they bring.  I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a mother stork presiding over her personal chimney...magic!

Amber and her "carousel of happiness."

 

The park was small and a little shabby.  But the woods that surrounded it, gave it a storybook atmosphere.  Most of the rides were for children, but there was a zip line for braver folks.  A little train circled the picnic area.  Amber enjoyed the rides, but her little sister Missy was having none of it.  If she didn't like something...she was climbing out of it.  We had a close call with the train.  We thought Missy was doing okay...sitting with her sister.  But without warning, Missy jumped out!  As she fell the wheels of the train caught on her foot and started to drag her along.  Waving our arms, we yelled for them to stop the train.  We were in a panic...the Germans thought it was hilarious!  Can you say "schadenfreude" anyone?  Finally the train was halted and Missy was none the worse for wear.  In two ways we were blessed...first the train was small and moved slowly...second, Missy was wearing some thick-soled shoes that protected her foot.  Our little outing...and our little child...was saved.

Lisa and I riding the swings.

Notice the iron grip I have on Missy?

Hansel and Gretel

 

Part of the park was called "Marchenland"...or Fairytale Land.  There was a grouping of storybook houses peopled by rather creepy robots that moved to a recorded narration...in German, of course.

Dornroschen...Briar Rose.  Sleeping Beauty.

I have no idea what story this is?  Anyone?

I remember that food would fall in the giants mouth...yikes!

Another unfamiliar tale...there's a guy with pies!

A miller...again I don't know the story

 

2013

The park logo today

There are a lot more rides and attractions...I'm glad it's still there.

The entrance to the Fairytale Wood...Marchenwald.

I was so happy to see the gingerbread house!

Not so much the creepy children...lol!

The Pie Guy has a new house...what is that story? 

Some story about a giant rabbit...Harvey?

 

The Pied Piper...

 

The city of Hameln...home of the Pied Piper of Hamlin.

We took another trip to fairytale land with a stop in Hameln.  I have a lot more pictures that I will post another time.  But I thought it might be fun to add this to our "Marchenland" itinerary.

Actors re-enact the tale on the steps of City Hall.

Ironically...City Hall in German is Rat Haus!!

 

"...und wenn sie nicht gestorben sind,

dann leben sie noch heute."*

 

* We would say "and they lived happily ever after."  The German stories end with "and if they are not dead then they are living today."

More Easter Parade!

I love the face on this lamb!

 

Another Entry in the Easter Parade!

Easter Chick wears a crown of pink daisies, waving a fun banner!

 

I thought I had another lamb in my stash, but it was a white puppy instead.  I may still add him to the parade.  I didn't know I had this darling chick...all bright eyed and full of joy.

 

She wears a pink daisy in her hair.

The crown was made from drinking straws and pink felt daisies from Target $1 bins.

Peat Pot Lambie Basket.

Tiny jointed lamb came from Hobby Lobby's  doll house miniatures.

Bunny basket in creams and browns.

Tiny porcelain bunny is from Hobby Lobby.

Bunny Dome...$1 Store wine glasses.

Small trinket boxes...1.5" and 3"

Oval gift boxes about 9" in length to store Easter treasures.

 

Easter Topiaries...

Made from green fuzzy cones from Wal*Mart floral dept.

Yellow ceramic cupcake stands from Hobby Lobby.

Bunny cupcake picks and glitter eggs.

Inspired by...

Fluffy coffee filter wreath copied inspired by my friend Paula.

Pollyanna Reinvents

Hers is fluffier...need to get more filters!

 

Enjoy Your Easter Crafting!

 

 

Some Favorite Easter Graphics!

 

A Happy Easter!