Ice Cream Sundae Dessert for Easter Sunday {Free Printable}

happy easter sundae_jsorelle

We are planning to celebrate the upcoming Easter Sunday by first, spending time in prayer and reverence at church in our finest spring pastels, devouring a delicious brunch with family and friends {accompanied with a mimosa or bloody mary}, participating in an Easter Egg Hunt with the kiddos and then topping the Holy Day off with an Easter Sundae {beautifully and cleverly packaged, of course}.

Our FREE Happy Easter Sundae printable is available now. All you have to do is download and print the free printable here, find a cute box or bag, and get to the store to buy ice cream and all the yummy sundae fixin’s. This makes for a lovely hostess gift on Easter, and also a fun end {or beginning if you want} to the day. Vanilla ice cream covered in torn pieces of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg sounds so amazing right now!

easter sundae_jsorelle_FREEPRINTABLE

happy easter sundae_jsorelle

I bought my Kraft box at Target {$3 in dollar bins…omg, I LOVE and crave the dollar bins at Target}, and filled it with pastel paper shreds, treat bowls, colorful spoons and napkins, and chocolate syrup and sprinkle toppings conveniently stored in adorable $1 glass jars {also from the Target dollar bins}.

happy easter sundae_jsorelle

happy easter sundae_jsorelle

happy easter sundae_jsorelle

{images via j. sorelle}

DIY Sunflower Bouquet for Easter Centerpiece

sunflower eggs_jsorelle

Martha Stewart’s team sent out an newsletter e-mail with information about an Egg Decorating competition, and although they probably had thousands upon thousands of applicants, part of me thought, ‘why not just attempt a semi-creative egg and see how it turns out, and maybe I can enter?’ Well, it turned out to be a fun project for the kids and I on a cold day, and I like the way it turned out.

I know sunflowers do not typically go hand-in-hand with Easter, but the texture with the ground espresso {oh, and the amazing smell} and the bright yellow color lured me in. Maybe you can follow some of the same steps below and use eggs to create Tulips for your Easter table? If you do, pretty please send me photos.

You’ll Need:
sunflowers
hard, white eggs {they are not plastic, but more plaster and do not open}
hot glue gun
a screwdriver {to screw or drill a hole into the bottom of the egg}
green acrylic paint
scissors
ground coffee or espresso beans {they add the sunflower texture}

How To:

egg sunflower 6steps_

1. Find a sunflower you can part with, and remove it from the stem {I was able to just pull mine off}, and remove all the greenery under the leaves.
2. Cut a circle in the center of the flower – I guessed at the size, and when it was too small, I cut it to make it larger.
3. Slide the flower over the egg and put a little tu-tu {otherwise known as sunflower leaves tu-tu} on it. If it fits snugly, fantastic, and if not, add some hot glue to keep it in place.
3.5. {not pictured} Use a screwdriver or nail and hammer to put a small hole in the bottom side of one egg. I did this, with not much muscle strength.
4. Pull all the leaves back and hold them with your hand. Add a generous, but not too heavy, amount of Modge-Podge.
5. Gently rub the Modge-Podge covered egg in espresso or ground coffee beans.
6. Insert a toothpick in the hole, and paint green acrylic paint on the bottom of the egg. Then place in cardboard or styrofoam to let it dry.

Once it’s dry, add the egg flower back to the stem {mine had little stems to keep them in place}.

You will have an egg-stra special centerpiece for your Easter party!!

diy egg sunflower centerpiece_jsorelle

DIY egg sunflower_jsorelle

diy egg sunflower_jsorelle

{images via j. sorelle}

easter baskets

We’ve gathered some of our favorite gifts for the kids Easter baskets this year. Hop to it!

easter_girls basket_jsorelle

FOR THE PRETTY LITTLE LADIES
1. Pink Bunny Coin Purse, Paper-Source
2. Tropical Romper, The Children’s Place {I just bought this for my daughter – LOVE}
3. LIL tOOders Superhero Custom Cape – enter a giveaway for a free cape {including an Anna or Elsa cape from Frozen} here.
4. Melissa and Doug Bright Flashlight, Yo-Yo
5. Sunglasses, Gap
6. Melissa and Doug Watercolor Paint Set, Amazon
7. Bunny Jute Bin, Land of Nod
8. Frozen Snow Wand, Target

easter basket ideas for boys

FOR THE HANDSOME GENTS
1. Aviator Sunglasses, Gap
2. Swimways Torpedo Bandits, Amazon
3.  LIL tOOders Superhero Custom Cape – enter a giveaway for a free cape here.
4. Woosh Frisbee, Amazon
5. Green Puppet on a Stick Pen, Amazon
6. Galvanized Bucket, Pottery Barn
7. Melissa and Doug Habitats Reusable Sticker Pad, Amazon
8. A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee, Amazon

{images via The Children’s PlaceGap, Target, LIL tOOders, Amazon, Yo-Yo, Paper-Source, Pottery Barn, Land of Nod}

pint size superhero + giveaway

little tooders capes_jsorelle

It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s Superman. Only it’s the cutest super man or women I’ve ever seen…my very own kids. They don’t have the protruding muscles, Hollywood stunt doubles or the ability to climb skyscrapers…but armed with imagination and bravery to save the world one teddy bear at a time…they are my ultimate and favorite super heroes of all time!

And, now they have the perfect and must-have superhero accessory – their cape!

Thanks to my dear friend Devon, who surprised the kids with capes, and her friend, Leigh Ann, owner of LIL tOOders, who designed and created the adorable, custom capes.

little tooders girls capes

little tooders boys capes

The capes have been a hit around here – my son pretends to be a superhero and my daughter pretends she is wearing Elsa or Anna’s cape from Frozen. We have been living in a Frozen world of Let It Go lyrics and hair braids all winter with my 3.5 year old daughter, so this cape actually even excites me. It’s just like the real thing for a young girl with these LIL tOOders versions of the Princess and Queen’s capes.
lil tooders_frozen capes

The lightweight fleece capes are available for $25 and the satins are $30.  You can re-order any of the capes you see in the photos, or customize the cape for your child. E-mail Leigh Ann at liltooders@yahoo.com to order, visit her on facebook or her website for more information and photos…and other great products.

Lucky for you, Leigh Ann is offering a free cape to a J. Sorelle viewer, just in time for those Easter baskets!

To enter, use the Rafflecopter link below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends Friday, April 11, 2014. Good luck!

{images via LIL tOOders}

How to Turn a Frame into a Sparkly Tray

diy frame to tray_jsorelle

I see lots of sparkles around the winter holiday season, but I love sparkles year-round. Bring on the glam! We have a DIY project for you today from our Sparkle from Head to Toe photo shoot {featured on Hostess with the Mostess here…and soon to be featured right here at J. Sorelle}. We took $5 frames, and turned them into trays and party favors. Thanks to Kathryn Giarratano for making our trays shine even more with her gorgeous handmade jewelry.

diy sparkle tray_jsorelle

DIY frame trays

You’ll Need
Frames
Black and white striped paper {or patterned paper}
Paint
Primer
Doll heads – you will need either 3 or 4 per frame, depending on the size of the frame

How To
Remove the glass from the frame.
Spray paint the frame with primer, then your desired color or glitter. For my frames, I used one coat of Krylon White Primer and Krylon Glitter Paint.
If using glitter, cover with glitter sealer.
Paint doll heads white with spray paint or use a brush to paint, which are going to be your tray ‘legs.’
Once dry, use a hot glue gun to glue doll heads to the bottom of the frame.
Use the glass insert from the frame to trace the perimeter of the shape/size onto your patterned paper, and then cut.
Insert the glass, the paper, and then the back of the frame.
Voila, you have yourself a cute little tray for perfume, jewelry or nail polish…and a very cute gift for a girlfriend!

IMG_0464diy sparkle frames_jsorelle

{images via meredith moran photography and j. sorelle}