Hippity Hoppity Easter Mantel

When I decided to decorate the mantel in an Easter theme, I didn’t realize that 90% of my Easter decor consists of rabbits. Once I had all the elements in place, I noticed that I had seven bunny elements, but only two Easter egg items. The Hippity Hoppety Easter Mantel was born!

Last year I took a left over piece of heart pine flooring and made a DIY Chocolate Bunny Welcome Sign. Chocolate bunnies and peeps are my favorite iconic Easter candies. I don’t actually eat the Peeps, but I love the way they look. I had the sign hanging outside last year, so it has a slightly weathered, wonderful patina this year. Also, do you want to know a secret? I guess it’s not really a secret, but most of my signs, and many of my table runners are reversible. A Hand Painted Hello Summer Sign is painted on the back of this one. Making things for more than one occasion makes storage less stressful.

I adore Avon collectibles (read the backstory here). I especially like this piece because the pattern looks like the often-copied Blue Onion dish pattern, which began in China, but was popularized by Meissen porcelain. The company has manufactured over 700 different pieces since 1739. Corelle (Old Town Blue), J and G Meakin (Nordic), Wedgewood, and many other pottery companies have their own versions of the famous Blue Onion as well. Read about the pattern’s history here.

A glitter egg, some moss, and pastel purple flower pots gave the arrangement a small touch of Eastertide.

My bunny trio included a cloisonné rabbit, a bristle bunny, and a clay rabbit made by my oldest daughter, long ago when I owned a small kiln. I sold the kiln because my children were little, and it didn’t have a timer on it. I lived in fear that one of them would open the kiln and singe their eyebrows off.

I’ve had this painted bunny with a basket on his back for a long time. I love it when the Easter bunny has a basket. I bought the rustic candle holders while thrifting.

I found this World Market canister at a local thrift store (with the corona virus going around, I have really missed thrifting). The Easter bunny on the front is a painter, like all Easter bunnies should be. There was also a cake storage tin to match, but it was big, and I didn’t want to get something bulky that I might not use very much.

The Easter egg wreath was something simple I picked up at a craft store. While I’m normally not a fan of store bought wreaths, there are some holidays (like Easter, Valentine’s Day, and Christmas) that leave a little bit of room for kitsch. Remember, today’s holiday kitsch is tomorrow’s vintage. Think aluminum Christmas trees and blow mold Santas!

I made this Easy Painted Bunny Door Sign with things I already had here at home. I did buy the pink tobacco basket for $3.97 from Walmart. Isn’t it funny that we love to make crafts with tobacco baskets nowadays, when harvesting tobacco was one of the more miserable things you could do on a farm? I’m from East Tennessee (tobacco country), so I’ve heard lots of stories about it, although I’ve never had to harvest tobacco myself. East Tennessee has quite a few tobacco barns in the rural areas. I have photographed and painted them in the past.

The shabby shadowbox on the left has been used in plenty of scapes and vignettes. It’s perfect for any arrangement with pastels or pinks. Using things more than once is wise. Even women of the British Royal Family are applauded when they wear the same dress more than once.

I hope you enjoyed my Hippety Hoppety Easter Mantel!

Blessings,

Kristie

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