Easter is Coming!

Yay! It's Martha Stewart Day! My monthly holiday to celebrate the goodness that is Martha Stewart Living came early this month - which is good, because it came late last month and I was worried it would again.
Easter is just over a month away and I must say, I'm quite excited! Granted, I've got lots going on between now and then, but I don't think it's too early to start planning for it!
Now, there's something I must confess to: I suck at decorating eggs. The eggs I dye look like a 5 year old did them. Basically, I haven't improved since the first time my parents let me dye my own. Depressing, eh? Thank goodness for Martha Stewart however. If anything can save me from this, she can. Last year I just dyed the eggs one color in different shades and I pulled it off reasonably well, but using regular, large chicken eggs didn't have quite the effect I had hoped for. My solution: Duck eggs! Martha listed in her magazine this month a link to a place that sells duck, goose, ostrich and emu eggs. They drill them, blow them and sterilize them. The duck eggs are $0.85 a piece so I'm thinking of maybe ordering a couple dozen and dying them in solid colors and making some permament centerpieces with them. Every April issue Martha lists ideas and tips for how to decorate eggs - things like using vinegar in the dye and precleaning, embossing and stickers... So I'll make sure I brush up my know-how before.
Plan B for fun decorating of eggs: I'm making cake eggs! I got a pan last year that is basically a cupcake pan that make egg-shaped cakes. I'll ice them all nice and have fun decorating those all pretty-like. Then I might brush melted chocolate into them and make chocolate eggs too!
As you may or may not know, I have two lovely ducks in my freezer just beginning to be cooked which will contribute to a great family dinner. Oh, and I found an adorable recipe for lemon souffles on... you guessed it, MarthaStewart.com. http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/little-lemon-souffles
I think I'll make these for some type of Easter get together too.
Oh, and I had never wanted to make soap before this month's issue of Martha Stewart Living came out. She had some gorgeous ideas for them! I might try and make those this spring and maybe I'll put Lilies of the Valley in my backyard :) That was in the magazine too!
I'm so excited!

Mrs. Vander Leek ;)