{Easy} Bunny Bunting... with free printable template

My boys love making crafts that become festive holiday decor, so this simple Easter craft was a big hit in our house.  Check out this adorable and easy-to-make DIY "Bunny Butt" Bunting. (You can get the free printable bunny template below.)

Isn't it cute hanging in our hallway?  My seven year old made ours, and he is super-proud of how it turned out.

 
Want to make one?  Here's what you do:

1)  Download the bunny template {that I created for you} here.  

2)  Have the kids color the bunny silhouettes using lots of Easter colors.

3)  Cut out the bunnies, and glue on pom pom tails.

4)  After the glue is dry, hang the bunnies from twine with tiny clothespins. Or, you could use a hole punch and yarn to hang them.

That's it!

I hope you enjoy this simple Easter project.  Sometimes the simple projects are the best ones. Don't you think?

Happy Easter!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Find more ideas for easy and inexpensive ideas for Easter crafts, recipes and activities here.

Photo Easter Cards

Just wanted to quickly share the photo Easter cards I made for my 5 year old to share with his class.

Aren't they cute?  All I did was take an adorable picture of my cute little bunny holding out his hand.  Then, I added some text using Picmonkey.  I sent the pictures for one hour processing, and voila!

I used an X-acto knife to cut slits above and below his fist, and stuck in a pencil.  My little guy totally loves how they turned out, and he was excited to take them to school this morning.  I just love when the kids are excited to go to school, don't you?

♥ 

Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

* You can find me on facebook here.

Bunny Mask for Preschoolers... with FREE printable template

I just made this adorable bunny mask with a group of Preschoolers, and today I am sharing the full tutorial and FREE printable template. It's a simple craft, it's perfect for Easter (or any time of year), and the kids will love it. 

To make your own bunny mask:

1)  Download the template, print it onto white cardstock, and cut it out.  You can download the template {for free} here.

2)  Color the inside of the bunny ears with a crayon.

3)  Cut out a pink nose from foam or construction paper, and attach with glue.

4)  Cut some strips of black paper, and attach the "whiskers" with glue.

5)  Attach a popsicle stick to the back of the mask with tape.

That's it!  Cute, right?

Happy Easter to you and your little bunnies! 

♥ 

Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Find MORE fantastic Preschool Crafts here.

Find more ideas for easy and inexpensive Easter crafts, recipes and activities here.

Bird Nest Cookies / The BEST Easter Cookies

Last year, I posted about "Egging" the neighbours {which you can read more about here}, and since then, I have been asked several times for the recipe we used for our Bird Nest Cookies. We make these cookies each year, and they are easy to make and fun to share.

To make these adorable Easter cookies:

1)  Mix together the following dry ingredients, and set aside:

• 3 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
• 1/4 tsp salt

2)  Put the following ingredients in a saucepan, and bring to a boil:

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

3)  Remove from heat, and stir in dry ingredients.

4)  Before the mixture starts to dry out, drop the mixture from heaping teaspoons onto wax paper, and add three candy covered chocolate eggs to the middle of each cookie.  Allow to cool completely.

These cookies are easy, delicious, and cute -- perfect for this time of year. And, for an extra special treat, you can use these cookies to garnish cupcakes.  So yummy!

Check out this quick video tutorial:

And here's a little video of my boys and I making them.

These cookies taste as good as they look... and they look really cute!

Do you have a favorite Easter Cookie recipe?  This one is definitely at the top of my list.

♥ 

Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

***Find more Easter ideas here.

Easter Gifts for Classmates... with free printable bag toppers

My boys love sharing holiday treats with their classmates, and this year I came up with a cute "bunny" Easter gift for my three year old to share with his friends.

I just LOVE how easy and inexpensive these treats were to put together, and they are a great alternative to chocolate and candy.

I bought 12 bunnies for $2, put them in clear treat bags, and added some simple and adorable bag toppers.  Cute, right?   You can download the bag toppers I designed {for free} here.

Wouldn't your little ones be proud handing out these cute goodies to their little friends?

You can also find another delightful Easter gift for classmates (and free printable tags) here.

Both versions are super-cute, don't you think?  Happy Easter!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You can find more ideas for easy and inexpensive Easter crafts, recipes, and activities here.

$2 Bunny Canvas

I love low cost holiday decor, don't you?  So, for Easter, I made this adorable "Bunny Butt" Canvas for about $2. The bright colours are super-cheerful, and the project is easy and inexpensive to make.

Isn't it sweet?  All you need is: a dollar store canvas, a piece of colorful scrapbook paper, some pink cardstock, a white pom pom, and some Modge Podge.  Then...

1)  Download the bunny template {that I created for you} here.  Use the template to cut a bunny silhouette from pink card stock.

2)  Trim the colorful scrapbook paper to fit the canvas.

3)  Apply a thin coat of Modge Podge to the back of the scrapbook paper and the front of the canvas.  Then, quickly place the paper onto the canvas, smooth out any bubbles, and wait at least 20 minutes for the Modge Podge to dry.

4)  Use Modge Podge to glue the bunny onto the canvas, and wait  for it to dry.

5)  Apply a top coat of Modge Podge, and allow to dry completely.

6)  Glue a white pom pomonto the bunny's butt.

That's it!  Easy, inexpensive, and totally cute.

You can also spend a few dollars on a dollar store shadow box frame and make a fancier version.  I added a little yarn and scrapbook paper banner to the top for added touch of whimsey.

Cute, right? It really doesn't look like a dollar store craft, does it? It's a great project for adults and kids. I see a few more (in different colours) in our future!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

How to Make Snow Ice Cream

When mother nature gives you a snow storm at the end of March... make some snow ice cream! You only need three ingredients to make this tasty treat.

I have been planning all winter to make snow ice cream with my boys, but for some reason we didn't get around to it -- until today.  If you haven't done it before, you must.  My boys LOVED it, and it was so simple! You can check out our YouTube video here: 

Or you can follow the instructions here:

1)  Put 8 cups of clean (freshly fallen) snow in a big bowl.
2)  Added 1 can (300mL) sweetened condensed milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
3)  Stirred to combine, and served immediately.

Since my boys LOVE chocolate, I served our ice cream with a simple homemade chocolate sauce.  I just put 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa, 1 2/3 cups white sugar, 1 1/4 cups water, and 1 tsp vanilla in a medium saucepan.  I cooked it over medium heat for about 5 minutes after it came to a boil... whisking frequently.  Then, I removed it from the heat and allowed it to cool slightly.

Seriously... why did we wait so long to do this?  We'll have to start earlier in the season next year.

Have you ever made "Snow Ice Cream"?

♥ 

Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)