Alternative Easter Basket Ideas, Chicken Soup for the Soul giveaway, and more

Today at Everything Easter Egg-stravaganza we have some great ideas for alternative Easter baskets, a simple craft you can use as your center piece, another yummy treat and the perfect giveaway for your Tween.

Don't forget Join us April 6th 1:00-3:00 PT for our first LIVE Easter Egg-stravganza right here at www.247moms.com.


EGG-stra FUN Easter Baskets:

Do you use the traditional Easter basket that is used each year or do you use a double use Easter basket – fun and useful container/basket/ item that has another use after Easter is over ?

Today I have put a list together of alternative ideas for Easter Baskets. I also asked our Facebook friends and Twitter followers for some of their ideas to share with you. If you have a fun idea, leave a comment and share it with us.

Double use Easter basket ideas

Baseball Cap
Dump Truck
Dress-up Hat – fireman; army; hard hat, etc.
Doll stroller
Shopping Cart
Pillow Cases
Sand Pails
Wagon
Beach Bag
Purse
Sports Duffel Bag
Batters Bag
Flower Pot
Make-up Container
Decorated Paint can
Storage Containers
Back Pack
Fishing Tackle Box
Jewelry Box
Our Facebook friends had some fun suggestions:

Angie Martinez Warrington at 6:19pm March 8

A fuzzy handbag

Julie Shook Ward at 6:25pm March 8

because I "have" to be practical one of those cute plastic storage basket things

Susan Beck Fox at 7:11pm March 8

when on vacation for easter a couple of yrs ago, I packed easter goodies and used cute easter gift bags as the basket.

Angie Ratliff at 7:44pm March 8 via Facebook Mobile

We usually get new bike helmets for the kids each year and fill them up with candy and goodies:)

Tammy Boring at 9:23pm March 8

Plastic berry baskets... we wove ribbon through them.

Krisy Szolomayer Trnavsky at 7:18am March 9

We used a sand bucket one time and Sophia loved it!

Tami Strilcov Wilkinson at 9:32am March 9
Not really original, but I decorated a specific basket for each of my three kids and used it each year, even when I forgot whose was whose, they knew. It's been about 16 years and they still want to see their baskets at easter.

We got some great ideas from our Twitter followers:

StudioStyle@247moms Paper mache containers. Hollowed out gourds. Hand-sewn purses (for girls) made from repurposed fabric

DowntoEarthMama@247moms I have used Storage locker bins that have Disney characters on them. Got them from 5 below.
JoBrielyn@247moms One year, I found a small plastic wagon and stuffed it with a huge bunny, yard toys, etc. Perfect for toddlers

MidwestMoms@247moms Last year, my mom gave my daughter a pink Red Sox cap filled with goodies. It was so sweet and she wore it all year!
Blindfaith73@247moms I bought some plain canvas bags and some fabric paint and let the kids decorate their own " Easter " bags


Today's Egg-stravaganza Giveaway:

Do you have Tweens or Teens in the house? I am always looking for creative ideas of things to put in their baskets. Chicken Soup for the Soul just published a series of 3 new books "Teens Talk"

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk Middle School

101 Stories of Life, Love, and Learning for Younger Teens

Almost everyone hated middle school. It’s a very tough time for adolescents. This “support group in a book” is specifically geared to younger teens -- the ones still worrying about puberty, cliques, discovering the opposite sex, and figuring out who they are. Meant for middle school students ages eleven to fourteen, stories cover regrets and lessons learned, love and “like,” popularity, friendship, tough issues such as divorce, illness, and death, failure and rising above it, embarrassing moments, bullying, and finding something you’re passionate about. The stories provide emotional support, humor, and inspiration for the young teens making their way through the tumultuous middle school years.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk High School

101 Stories of Life, Love, and Learning for Older Teens

This book focuses on issues specific to high school age kids, ages fourteen to eighteen. Teens in high school have mainly moved past worrying about puberty and cliques, so stories in this book cover topics of interest to older teens such as sports and clubs, religion and faith, driving, curfews, growing up, self-image and self-acceptance, dating and sex, family relationships, friends, divorce, illness, death, pregnancy, drinking, failure, and preparing for life after high school. High school students will find comfort and inspiration in the words of this book, referring to it through all four years of their high school experience, like a portable support group.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk Getting In... to College

101 True Stories from Kids Who Have Lived Through It

These days, colleges are deluged with applications, and the application process has become something traumatic that students and parents experience together. This book isn’t about how to get into college -- it’s about providing emotional, not tactical, support. The stories in this book are written by kids who have been there and want to pass on their words of support to the kids about to go through the whole ordeal. Story topics include parental and peer pressure, the stress of grades and standardized tests, applications and interviews, recruiting, disappointments, and successes. Parents and students alike will find Getting In... to College a great source of inspiration.


24/7 MOMS and Chicken Soup for the Soul are giving away a copy of Teens Talk Middle School . To enter for your chance to win, enter your name and email address in the box below you will be signed up for today's giveaway as well as be added to the 24/7 MOMS E-list (if you are not already a 24/7 MOMS subscriber)







Egg-stra Easy Craft:

Looking for a SIMPLE easy centerpiece to use for you Easter Dinner/Brunch? I found a QUICK and SIMPLE one that not only can you use it this year but for years to come as an Easter decoration in your home.

Easter Tree
From: Hershey's Site
Materials:

• HERSHEY'S Candy-Coated Milk Chocolate Eggs
• 2-3 Small tree branches 12" - 18" long
• Small plant pot
• Block of green floral foam
• White spray paint
• 2 yards each of 1/8" pastel satin ribbons in variety of colors
• 1/2 yard each of several embroidered trims and 1/8" rick rack
• Small silk flower blossoms.
• Glue stick or low temp hot glue gun

Directions:
Decorate each egg by gluing embroidered trim or rick rack around the center of egg. Cut an 8" length piece of satin ribbon and tie ends into a bow, creating a loop approximately 1'' long. Attach bow to top of each egg. Decorate at least a dozen egg ornaments. Fill the small pot with a piece of floral foam cut to fit. Decorate the pot as you like. Group the branches together to form a mini tree. Wrap wire around the base of branches to form the trunk of the tree. Spray paint branches white or the pastel color of your choice. Insert the trunk into the center of the foam. Secure with a little glue. Cover the foam with Easter grass, or moss and nest a few eggs in the grass.

Complete your project by hanging the decorated egg ornaments on the branches, and gluing the small silk flower blossoms to the ends of each branch.

Completed craft is for decorative purposes only. Candy used in craft should not be eaten.



Egg-stra Yummy Recipe:

Since I was a little girl I have been a BIG fan of homemade Rice Krispies treats. So, finding this yummy recipe was Egg-stra great today. The question is should I make this yummy treat today? I happen to have all the ingredients. I know shocking isn't it? ( yes, still a kid at heart)

Easter Egg Dippers
From: http://www.ricekrispies.com/


Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 package (10oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
• - OR -
• 4 cups miniature marshmallows
• 6 cups Kellogg's® Rice Krispies® cereal
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels or milk chocolate morsels
• 5 teaspoons shortening
• Multi-colored sprinkles

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using 1/4-cup measuring cup coated with cooking spray divide warm cereal mixture into portions. Using buttered hands shape each portion into 2 1/2- x 1 1/2-inch egg shapes. (Or, coat insides of plastic snap-apart Easter eggs with cooking spray. Press cereal mixture into eggs. Remove cereal mixture from plastic eggs.) Cool.

4. In small saucepan combine chocolate morsels and shortening. Cook over low heat until melted, stirring constantly. Dip bottoms of cereal eggs into chocolate. Decorate with sprinkles. Place on wax-paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm. Individually wrap in plastic wrap. Best if served the same day.

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:

In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Continue with recipe as directed above. Microwave cooking times may vary.
Note
For best results, use fresh marshmallows.
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème can be substituted for marshmallows.

Diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended.

Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container. To freeze, place in single layer on wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Kellogg's has reduced the sodium content of Rice Krispies to meet current consumer flavor- and nutrition-preferences. Rice Krispies Treats made with the lower sodium cereal taste great without any added salt, but, if you desire, add 1/4 teaspoon salt to the butter before melting. Continue with recipe as directed.

Join us again tomorrow for more Egg-stra great Easter fun.