Full disclosure, when it comes to my scrapbooking, Easter projects have never been my jam. All things Little Bunny Foo Foo were always just a tad too frou frou. However, this doesn’t mean I don’t still have an affinity for the cuteness and colour that accompanies this holiday.
In this post I’m hoping to help you stretch your Easter supplies (even if, like me, they aren’t your fave). So don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched…there just might be a few creative feathers we can fluff.
From Easter to Everyday
I get it. Thinking beyond the Easter Bunny and egg hunts can be difficult. Here are some ideas on how you can make use of your Easter products all year long.
- It’s Bunny Time: A cute bunny doesn’t have to mean Easter – it can just be a fan of carrots and good vibes. Use bunnies for spring pages, baby layouts, or anything that needs a sprinkle of adorable.
- A-Tisket, A-Tasket: Those cute little Easter baskets can double as storage icons, picnic visuals, or just a cozy place to tuck embellishments or journaling spots.
- Freelancing Florals: Flowers are not loyal to Easter. Pop those blooms onto any page that needs a little softness, charm, or “I definitely didn’t forget to water my houseplants” energy. I think I may have mentioned before I do not have a green thumb. These are the types of florals I can keep alive!
- No Grass to Mow: Any fake grass elements in your stash (perhaps some stickers, ephemera, fringe, or grassy die-cuts)? They’ll be the perfect addition for outdoorsy pages, pet layouts, or anything involving nature.
- Pastel is the New Black: Soft pinks, mint greens, and butter yellows work great for birthdays, picnics, or vintage themes. No eggs in sight! You might also consider using them to document tea parties or a tasty brunch. A pastel palette also makes for dreamy journaling page backgrounds.
- Patterns in Disguise: Easter collections are often packed with neutral-ish patterns far more versatile than they have any right to be. Snip out the themed bits and you’ve got a stash of soft, sweet basics. They might take centre stage on your project, or can provide anchors as base pages and photo mats.
- Don’t Be Chicken: Feathers add texture, chicks are just baby birds (thus great for newborn layouts), and chickens work for everything from farm themes to quirky food spreads. So don’t be scared, let me see your funky chicken!
Let's Kit Together...Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!
If you’re anything like me, you’ve got a stash of kits hidden somewhere in your crafty space. We’ve bought them, been given them as gifts, or won them as prizes and – like most acquired supplies – we think they are going to be the best thing since sliced bread. We are SURE these kits will save us oodles of time.
Then, reality sets in. We realize we’re more likely to hoard the kits – either staring lovingly at their potential or forgetting about them altogether. The ones we do crack open might have instructions we don’t understand (making us say a few choice words), or maybe we’re just not “feeling” them anymore. And even more likely…the kits happen to fit “themes” we just DON’T seem to have pictures for (like Easter)!
However, with a bit of creative thinking and a willingness to stretch yourself, these kits truly can become your new best friend. I recently bought an Easter-themed single-page layout kit solely because it included the most adorable set of bunny ears I’ve ever seen. Do I usually create Easter layouts? Nope. Do I have cutsie young children to scrapbook? Nope? Do I have pet rabbits, or know anyone that does? Nope. But I bought the page kit anyways. And, here’s how I ended up using it.
I ended up letting the colour tones and overall vibe of the layout guide my choice in pictures. Once I decided to document my visit to the Daly Mansion, in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana, everything came together quickly. When assembling the page I decided to forego the use of the Easter eggs (as presented in the original layout and kit instructions). Instead, I added the charming little house from the additional ephemera pack as I felt it better complemented the story I was trying to tell. I also layered in some extra florals and the wooden piece. Some delicate, script journaling at the bottom of the page added the finishing touch needed to transform the layout from Easter to quiet, historic grandeur.
So there you have it! A list of crafty twists, and a unique take on a themed kit, that will hopefully help you think outside the basket when it comes to Easter.
Until next time…stay fun and fantabulous, scrappers!
If you are interested in kits (Easter-themed or otherwise), similar to the one featured today on the blog post, you can find more Nadine Karen Design layouts, cards, and album projects at the links below.