There are a few times of the year when we have a greater feeling of love, warmth and joy and Easter, for me, is one of those.

I remember Easter in Ohio and think of the many times the weather did not exactly say "Spring Is Here" or even "Winter Is Nearly Over."  But I mostly reminisce about the family gathering and having dinner.  That tradition carried over to my family.  After church, I loved having the kids find those eggs.  We lived in Phoenix and the sunny mornings were wonderful for finding eggs (and if possible, before the dog could get them). 

My son moved to Chicago and married a lovely woman who lived a somewhat different childhood.  When they went to hide eggs for their own children, something interesting happened.  Mike, my son, headed outdoors, but Margaret, his wife, was going to hide them in the house.  You see, she grew up in a high rise in Chicago, so they saw 'hiding' differently.  We all laughed at that one!  BTW, she lived in the same high rise as was shown on the original "Bob Newhart" show.  So, you know exactly where Margaret grew up!

Traditions may vary, but giving a keepsake at this wonderful time of year is a great way to kick off the spring season.

This year, I am using a basket that has been a favorite for several years now.  It is a standard bearer and seen its share of eggs and grass - real and not so real.  I did not change it this year, but I did add a little something that my Mother made, probably in the 1950's. 

While Mom has been gone for over 5 years, I still find items that she created.  She loved to sew, crochet, and especially, tat.  She tried in vain to teach me to tat, but that shuttle was just beyond me.  I remember her slipping the silver tool in and out, up and down and all around creating lovely lace.

I found several of her handkerchiefs and most of them were full of holes.  That was really sad for me because none of these lovely laced items had ever been used.  I don't know what the fabric is, but I suspect that it is some sort of cotton. 

Here is a photo of us in May of 2003.  She just had her hair done, and managed to pinch one of the male hairdressers in the tushy about 3 minutes before this photo.

She was one feisty lady!  Here are some of the items she created.  I did not realize just how breath taking these were until I gently rinsed and pressed these hankies.  Only the bottom one is crocheted. 

And here is the basket, adorned with a gift that took over 50 years to find its way to someone special.

I love the parasol and it sure goes well with a little girl's Easter Outfit.

I know that many of you are working or considering working on a Bible Cover as an Easter gift.  I wanted to show you some wonderful ideas that are ON SALE for 30% off! (My personal favorite word.)  This first one would be excellent for Easter and all year round.

One can nearly see the light shining through the design. 

If you have a Baptismal in either the past or future, I loved this design for its simplicity.  A Bible Cover with this, or as a framed project would be a wonderful heirloom.

And, I have a bride's shower coming up soon.  I am getting her a nice cookbook.  I will be making a cover for it, and I thought this design (and any of it's mates) would make a great design.

 Best wishes to you and yours, Pat