One of the things that I love about the holidays is the strong sense of memories that they invoke. Many of my fondest memories are invoked by the activities and traditions that have been fostered over the years as I ascended in the ranks from a child who partook in them with joy to a mother who has tried to carry them on, while creating new ones of her own. There are family members who are no longer with us but remain present when I think back to moments in time when they were carrying on some of these traditions. I vividly remember when I opened up the hall bathroom door at about five years old, to be surprised by my great, great Aunt whom we lovingly referred to as Auntie, as she hurriedly closed the door so I did not see the trinkets that she was wrapping up in purple cellophane to be placed in the Easter baskets. I somehow ignored the fact that she was wrapping things that I would soon see upon waking in the morning to hurry down to see what the Easter bunny had left for us. Amazing how our memories are selective!

Another of my fondest memories of Easter was created by my grandmother Nan, who would create an Easter tree with me tagging along behind her. She would gather a bundle of twigs in her backyard and then spread them out on newspapers to then spray paint them white. After letting them dry, she would take a coffee can, fill it with Plaster of Paris and insert the branches into the Plaster of Paris to set. Once dry, we would then decorate the branches with Easter eggs and little Easter trinkets. I have adapted this Easter tree into various trees over the course of my lifetime but wanted to share the Easter version with you. I no longer spray the branches white, except at Christmas, but instead  now go for a natural look. I am still drawn to the vintage images and ornaments. 

 The same Auntie that I referred to above had worked at a card store when she was a young woman and she had collected quite a mass of cards that would now be considered “vintage”. We received those cards all through my younger days until she passed away during  my freshman year of college at the ripe old age of 98! 

Glass and paper ornaments,

…banners and garlands…

as well as vintage styled tags and Easter egg paper boxes

all hung from the branches of our twig tree or nestled underneath.

 

You can adapt this tree to reflect whatever decor style fits into your home. If you have young children, you can use little trinkets and toys or plastic Easter eggs. Whatever you have on hand. 

Whatever way you celebrate the holidays and special occasions in your life, may you make and create memories to last a lifetime!

Wishing you a happy and blessed Easter!

~Meg and the team at Life’s Patina