Sunday, March 31, 2013

Easter Blessing & The Story of the Easter Bunny!

Happy Easter to all my Dear Prim Friends... May your day be filled with the Love and Happiness! As we gather to celebrate the Easter, take a moment to Reflect on Christ who gave his life so that we could all be forgiven our sins.
Easter Blessing
Tonya

I was reading Pet Centric this morning and they shared the Story of the Easter Bunny! 
Thought I'd share it with you!

THE STORY OF THE EASTER BUNNY

  
These days, Easter is primarily a religious holiday. But in the mainstream consciousness, the day still maintains very old, non-Christian customs, including the legend of the Easter Bunny, a Santa-like rabbit who delivers colored eggs, candy and other treats to well-behaved children. But where did the Easter Bunny myth come from, and does it have anything at all to do with Christian traditions? Read on to learn all about the origins of the venerable Easter Bunny

RABBITS AND FERTILITY
Aside from the aspects of the modern Easter celebration that are specifically Christian, much of the holiday is overtly dedicated to the advent of springtime and new life. Rabbits have long been symbols of fertility and rebirth because of their oft-noted capacity for reproduction. As a result, they are often seen as the animal kingdom’s top representative for springtime traditions (and prolific breeding, in general).

EOSTRE
The origins of secular Easter traditions can be traced back to a pre-Christian Germany in the 13th century, when people in that region still worshipped pagan deities. One of these was Eostre, aka Eostra or Ostara, a goddess of spring and fertility who was honored with feasts during the month of April. It’s from her that the holiday of Easter takes its name. One of Eostre’s symbols was the rabbit, because of the animal’s well-known fertility.

MOONGAZING HARES
Rabbits and hares were symbols of fecundity, vitality and moon worship in pagan traditions even preceding the Teutonic goddess Eostre. The image of the moongazing hare, for example, was a widely observed symbol in ancient times. Pagans believed that to see a moongazing hare was a good omen of growth, rebirth, abundance, new beginnings and good fortune. Of course, these are all concepts closely tied to springtime and the celebration of Easter.

EASTER EGGS
Part of the modern Easter Bunny tradition is that it delivers eggs on Easter, both as gifts and as hidden prizes for children to find on Easter egg hunts. It’s no wonder that rabbits and eggs should be so closely tied as Easter symbols, since both are powerful symbols of fertility and new life. The concept of a rabbit who delivers eggs on Easter was first written down in a 1682 book called “About Easter Eggs,” by German physicist and botanist Georg Franck von Franckenau.

EGG-LAYING BUNNY
The goddess Eostre has more to do with Easter than just granting the holiday its name and old pagan traditions. There’s also a particular myth that may have contributed to the idea of the Easter Bunny. The story goes that one winter, Eostre encountered a bird who was starving and cold. The goddess transformed the bird into a rabbit because, as a rabbit, it would have fur to keep it warm and an easier time finding food. The now-rabbit survived the harsh winter, and it also retained its avian ability to lay eggs. The rabbit would decorate its eggs and leave them in gratitude as gifts for Eostre.

THE EASTER BUNNY IN AMERICA
Between Christmas trees and the Easter Bunny, we owe a lot to the German immigrants who brought their holiday traditions with them when they came to America. In the 1700s, Germans first imported the concept of Osterhase (the German name for the Easter Bunny) to Pennsylvania. The children’s custom of making nests for the Easter Bunny to fill with colored eggs eventually spread around the country. Over time, Americans replaced the nests with Easter baskets and chocolate treats were added to the mix.


CHRISTIANITY
While Easter is now primarily observed as a religious holiday and the secular customs of the Easter bunny are generally thought of as wholly separate from Christian beliefs, the histories of the religious and the secular aspects of Easter are more entwined than you may think. Early Christians celebrated Passover at this time of year. It was when they tried to convert the pagan Germans, who were reluctant to abandon the customs of Eostre’s feast, that Christians chose to adapt those customs to their own beliefs, thus creating the modern Easter and uniting Jesus with the Bunny.

Sunday, March 17, 2013


Happy St. Patrick's Day to all my Prim Friends!
An Irish prayer just for you! 
 
   A good old fashioned Irish Hug just for you!      
 ((((((((((((((((((((((((HUG)))))))))))))))))))))))))))  
  TONYA     

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Peggy's Easter Forever Tree & Easter Decorations...


A fine Good Eveing to all my dear friends...Thought I would show you where the rest of those pastel Spring Easter Eggs & Carrots went...I created 200, gave away 15, hung 30 on my tree and the rest of them are on Pegs Tree...The pic doesn't show them off very well but you can see the Carrots. So here are a few close ups...

She has an Old pastel Quilt under the tree.

Sign on top Says "Happy Easter"
Bunny's surrounding the Fireplace..
Bunny's on the End Tables..
Bunny's Everywhere....
Then here we have 15 month old Ethan who just learned to get up on the chair by himself. So he decided to help his MiMi & Mommy do dishes....He's one serious little fellow....

Next is a video of him helping..not sure it will work or not but maybe...

Hope you all had a Great Day today! I'm off to create 30 Rice Bags for the Eye Doctor.
Until we meet again may your days be filled with happy Moments!

Blessings
Tonya

Sunday, March 10, 2013

And the Winner is...Drum roll please...

What a Beautiful Spring like day we had here in Ohio...66 degrees with Sunshine calling the kids, critters and us big kids all outside to enjoy it!
Being so busy enjoying the wonderful weather we were blessed with today I almost forgot I needed to draw a winner for my Easter Egg Giveaway...
But Alass...the sun started to takes its leave so I came in turned on my computer and I remembered it was time to draw the Lucky winner....
I called Hailey my 10 yr old niece and ask her to run out to the trailer and draw a name for me...So she ran out in her Pj's and picked my lucky winner!

First I'd like to Thank all of you who entered my little giveaway.
I wish you could all be winneres....I had such a great time creating all the Eggs for our Forever Trees & can't wait to send along a tiny Touch of Spring to the winner!

And The Winner is ..................................................Cyndy from CrafterStitchers.

Cyndy can you please email me your shipping address.
You can find my email address to the top left under Special orders on this blog.
If I receive it tonight or in the morning I'll ship your little touch of Spring Easter Eggs out in tomorrows shippment.

Again Thank you all for entering the Giveaway and do have a wonderful week ahead!

Until we meet again may your days be filled with Warm Moments & Happy Memories!

Spring Blessings
Tonya

Friday, March 8, 2013

Sign Up for My Easter Giveaway Ends Sunday Come Sign up!

Hi everyone...just a quick reminder ..To sign up for my Easter Giveaway
Sign up ends Sunday Noon Sooooooo.......... Stop over to my last post...
Easter Eggs Done,Tree's Decorated & there's a Giveaway in the Air! and sign up.


Have a Great Weekend!

Blessings
Tonya

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Easter Eggs done, Trees Decorated & there's a giveaway in the air! Stop in & enter!

Happy Happy Day to you all...I've finished hand stitching over 200 Easter Eggs & 50 hand Stitched Carrots... they turned out so adorable. We decided we wanted all pastel Eggs made from old & new Fabric, old worn used Rick Rack, lace, buttons & whatever else I could find in my old sewing chest to use...I had a blast hand stitching all of these.
Peggy & I both went with the pastels this year..with all new bunny's we've been collecting all year from Good Will... Today I'm going to share my decorations & Forever Tree. I'll share Pegs later this week.
So you can see the Eggs up close I took several close ups. I love the Carrots they are so Cute. Hailey helped stuff them.
Tree top Carrot with a Bunny Stuffed down in it!
Middle of the tree
Bottom of the Tree
Shelf Above one of my Windows
Shelf Above my other window

My Old Chair Covered in a King Sized Quited pillow Sham 
A hand Stitched SunFlower hand Towel over the Back My Old Bunny's!
More old Bunny's sitting on my antique 5 Gallon Tin
 Table Top Bunny's and a Bowl of the Rag Wrapped Rags I made last year.
I just love the Stuffed Chocolate looking bunny in the center of the Eggs.
Bunny's by the Tree & on top of the Fish Tank
The ledge behind my Sofa Bed & some extra Eggs..
Bunny's by the TV & China Cabinet
Last but certainly not least Tasha Bunny & my Favorite Bunny on the sofa bed
So there it is My Little slice of Spring in my little Living Room.
Can't wait to share All of pegs decorations with you....her tree is 7 feet tall & covered in  Beautiful pastel hand Stitched Easter Eggs & Carrots!

Now comes the surprise...there is a give away in the air... I decided that we shouldn't be the only ones to enjoy all these beautiful Easter Eggs....

I saved back a few of my Eggs just for one of you out there in Blogland to hang on your forever Tree or display them in a bowl.


The rules are easy:
1) Everyone who is a follower is invited to join in the Giveaway.

2) Please leave me a comment on this post only saying that you would like to be entered in the Giveaway.

3) Please add your name & Blog name in the Comment.

4) The Contest will end at Noon Sunday March 10th.

 I will have my niece Hailey pick a name out of the Basket Sunday Evening.
I will post the winner Sunday Night.
 Be sure to check back late Sunday evening to see if you are the winner.
If you are the winner please send me you Shipping name & address no later then 12:00 noon Monday so I can get the Eggs shipped out On Wednesday so you have them in time to put them on your Forever Tree.

Until we meet again may your days be filled with Sunshine in your heart!

Blessings my dear Friends....
Tonya