The Observation Deck

If you are like me and wait until the last minute for Easter Basket goodies, and want something to fill up the basket other than candy, I urge you to hit Lacy's Paraphernalia on Detroit!!! They have the singing Chantilly bears that would delight any girl of any age, much more than the standard bunny! They also have victorian bunnies, Victorian dolls, and an array of other really unique and special gifts! I got the last singing duck for my son, singing "you are my sunshine" even though every time I sing that he asks me to stop.

Any other good ideas for non-traditional Easter gifts from local Lakewood mom and pop shops?

Easter is one of my favorite holidays (the other is 4th of July in Lakewood.)

For some reason Easter evokes creativity. I love dying Easter eggs. Hixon's often has an inspiring display of eggs. But there are various dyes on the market and you can use plain old crayons to color beautiful pictures on the shells before you dye them. This is a wonderful time to teach children how you can combine colors to make different colors.

While we are on these creative spashes - you can do ceramics from Pat Catan's as well (okay, it is slightly outside Lakewood.).

There is a cake store I think it is called Create a Cake on Detroit and you can get fun cake pans. Bake a Bunny shaped cake and decorate it.

I really enjoy making creative Easter Baskets. I love flowers, so you can put seeds or little starter plants in a basket. You could put art supplies in one for a budding artist in your family. Last year I made a weight watcher basket for a relative who was working with weight watchers with some of their low fat treats. While it isn't as exciting, my children have gotten pretty socks rolled up in their baskets, books, games etc.

To me the baskets have to be pretty, colorful but pretty much anything else is fair game.

When I was growing up in Dayton, we always went to feed the ducks on Easter after church and often went to the Natural History museum (which for some strange reason was always open on Easter) and pet the animals in their petting zoo area.

What are your Easter traditions?

Oh My Gosh! Thank you for the wonderful ideas! Does Lakewood do an Easter Egg Hunt-or did they and I missed it obviously!
I was thinking about Hicksons and going to stop by to get a kit to make decorative eggs-that will be my new tradition.

Thanks also for the seeds and growing plant idea-my kids love to garden and the more I can fill with non-candy, the happier I am!

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Any other good ideas for non-traditional Easter gifts from local Lakewood mom and pop shops?[/quote]

I always think that with the masses of my family around, wine is always a great idea.

Corey

I am cooking for all my in laws so I will be in to get a case!

Just thought I would post our Easter Eggs. We tried sponge painting some of them this year.

Then we made Creamed Eggs on Toast for Breakfast.

Happy Easter.

Hi,
Here's another cool "Easter Egg" http://www.webware.com/8301-1_109-9770396-2.html

There's a Flight simulator program hidden in Google Earth. Open Google Earth (see link for download info) then press [Ctrl] and [Alt] and [A] all together. Once you have done that you can activate it by pressing [Ctrl] and [A].

I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend.

Lynn,
Too pretty to crack and eat!!!!! My sponge bob eggs aren't very creative this year but make good deviled eggs!