Joyful Easter wishes!

The morning air is crisp and light, the first tendrils of sunshine break over the tall hills that surround our town and home alike. A beautiful sense of serenity and energy alike permeates these early hours and one cannot wake up with a smile on their face in their heart alike.

It is Easter and there is so much loveliness to this special day. No matter your personal beliefs, this is the second Sunday of spring and that alone is worth celebrating, slipping on a vintage flower adored hat for, and treating yourself to a chocolate bunny (or five!).

{Vintage Easter card image source}

On this most elegantly lovely of morns, know, my dear friends, that I am thinking of you and sending joyful wishes for a fun filled, fantastic celebration your way!

Happiest Easter, start of spring, and the return of sunshine!

10 Easter perfect vintage dessert recipes

Though the days of collecting candy eggs in a brightly coloured straw basket might be behind many of us, that doesn't mean that we can't still indulge in the sweet, sweet side of Easter time and the return of spring alike.

There are certain foods that suit this gentle season especially well, many of which have been beloved staples for decades, if not centuries, and that speak to the shift away from winter and straight into spring that those of us north of the equator are (or will soon be, depending on whereabouts you live) experiencing.

For me personally, on the sweet front, some of the key tastes that I associate with Easter include - besides the endless classic that is chocolate - strawberry, blueberry, carrot, banana, lemon, almond, pistachio, and vanilla. I have childhood start of spring/Easter/May 1st/Victoria Day memories associated with each, so its no surprise that those particular tastes would jump out at me come the return of the Easter Bunny.

In general, with Easter and springtime fare, we often move away from some of the heavier, richer desserts and sweet treats of fall and winter and more towards things that are light, not only in terms of possibly being airy (chocolate soufflé, anyone?), but also in regards to their very flavours themselves. Heady notes of fragrant spices, mountains of dried fruit, harvest season apples and pears, thick sauces, and steamed puddings give way to everything from tulle cookies to mousses to the very first in-season fruit salads.

Though the weather may not be 100% ideal quite yet, this is a beautiful time of the year in so many ways, not the least of which happens to be what we can bring to our tables. It is my sincere hope that the following selection of ten springtime perfect vintage recipes will help to make March (as well as April, May and early June, too!) all the more fun, festive, and, quite literally, sweet for you, whether you observe Easter or not.



1. Aside from the fact that some of the bunnies here look a little sinister, this is one seriously adorable mid-century Easter cake that has the added bonus of being within the dessert decorating skill range of most of us possess (because, let's face it, pro looking cake decorating is a genuine talent that not everyone is blessed with).



2. Soooo many yums!!! I adore a creamy, sweet meets tart citrus dessert like this ultra simple to make no-bake Lemon Pudding Cheesecake from the 1950s - that would be a fabulously refreshing way to cap off any spring or summer meal.



3. Use any jam or jelly your heart desires in this lusciously silky mid-century Chiffon Pie, that's can easily be jazzed up further by the addition of some festive shaped candies or piped rosettes of whipped cream on top.



4. Cute as a button and super easy to both whip up and decorate, this colourful 1940s "Confetti Cake" is both wonderfully pretty and a great option for not only Easter, but also Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays, anniversaries, and all kinds of important events.



5. Where would any Easter weekend be without this perpetual favourite? Instead of the store bought variety, why not try your hand at preparing a batch of hot cross buns at home this year. It's surprisingly simple and scents the whole house with the most enchanting - not to mention inviting - of aromas.



6. Speedy, fun and a great way to use up any leftoever wintertime peppermint candies that you might have to hand, this highly tasty looking mid-century Chocolate Topping Pie is served cold, thus making an ideal choice for late spring and straight on into the summer, too.



7. Springtime and pastels are a natural pairing, as is spring and strawberries, so why not toss together this absolutely delicious looking 1950s pink frosting topped strawberry chiffon cake - an airy mid-century classic - and nail two seasonal favourites at the same time?



8. Should you happen to be looking for an especially elegant dessert choice come Easter time, may I suggest this sophisticated 8-layer Chocolate Torte, which you could easily top, if so desired, with candy, fresh fruit, nuts, sprinkles (jimmies), or Jordan Almonds for especially festive touch.



9 & 10. Serve up a slice of chocolate pecan pie or treat your loved ones to a few Easter Egg Peanut Clusters. Both look and sound fantastic, not to mention festive as a spring garden full of fluffy white bunny rabbits.


And for even more vintage Easter dessert goodness, be sure to check out these past Chronically Vintage recipe posts featuring just that!


-Apricot Baskets


-Easter Egg Cake


-Easter Glory Cake


-Easter Sunday Pie


{To learn more about a specific image, and in many cases to view a larger version, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.}

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Okay, I am officially hungry after gathering those all up! In particular, I'm craving pecan pie and might just have to give this delightful chocolate version a spin (come the warmer weather, you just know it would rock with a scoop of vanilla, berry, coffee, banana, orange, or cherry ice cream, too!).

Which of these ten lovely, Easter perfect treats are calling to you the most as we get ready to embrace spring's return with open arms and eager dessert plates alike?

Flickr Favourites: Easter 2014 edition

{Girl with Easter Basket and Bunny ~ ChrisWarren1956}  


{Easter Delight ~ Patsy L Smiles}



{Celluloid tiny rabbit 13 ~ grindstonegirl}      
{Buster Brown Easter ad - 1959 ~ PorangiKui}  


{Easter 1940s ~ hbk1955}  


{Mini Easter Basket Favors ~ such pretty things}


{Gail Patrick Easter, 1938~ carbonated}

{Whitman's Sampler Easter ad - 1948 ~ PorangiKui}

{Lilacs ~ Cindy {K}}  


{Betty Bunny ~ ozfan22}

{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on its title to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}


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Twelfth century French occitan troubadour Bertran de Born once said of this glorious day, "Well pleaseth me the sweet time of Easter, that maketh the leaf and the flower come out", a sentiment which all those who live in Northern Hemisphere can certainly relate to. By now, with May rounding the bend in just ten days, most of us have shaken free from winter's icy shackles - and if not, then we at least know, we're very close to that point arriving.

Here, the snow shovels have been tucked away again, the winter boots cleaned, stuffed with crumpled up paper, and stored out of site until next fall, and slowly Mother Nature is beginning to slip out of her ski gear and into her resort wear. There is life, fresh and sparkling, dangling in every drop of dew and on each soft-as-a-cat's-paw-pad flower petal.

We've had spring, if only on paper, for a month now and still two more wait before us, promising everything from snow cones to the first dip of a foot in local waters every bit as chilly as a frozen dessert. Rain is plentiful, but so is hope and beauty. Pond sized puddles catch reflections of rainbows, the farmer's market will soon overflow with carrots, berries, early greens, tender stalks of asparagus, goat's cheese, and new season potatoes. The mood that fills us all, old and young alike, is one of cheerfulness bordering on glee.

We made it through another lengthy Canadian winter, stronger and wiser, I'm sure, for having done so. Now it's time to celebrate - to sing, and dance (if only in spirit) and give thanks for the bounty, blessings, and unrivaled gentle soul of spring. It is a time for fresh starts, age old favourites, sweet treats, walks in the tender sunshine and Sundays, like today, spend in the cherished company of those you care about.

With all my heart, I wish you each a glorious, peaceful and endlessly lovely Easter and rest of the spring. May it be every bit as sweet as a chocolate egg the whole season long!

Flickr Favourites: Easter 2013 edition

{Vintage Easter Postcard ~ Suzee Que}

{Bunnies ~ saturdayfinds}

{Easter 1925 ~ gill4kleuren}

{Easter Ham ~ gairid1791}

{Dapper Easter Chick ~ Bluebird Becca}

{Vintage Easter Bunnies ~ saturdayfinds}

{Cute bunny ~ mountainpugs}

{Fuzzy Easter Friends ~ ilovetocreate}

{Easter egg cookies ~ citrusandorange}

{Vintage Easter Card ~ Zero Discipline}


{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on its title to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}

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Easter means many things to many people. It is a day of reverence and serenity, fellowship and a celebration of life. Spring, merely a few days old, has sprung once more, even if the  great outdoors still looks more like it's gearing up for Christmas, depending on whereabouts in the world you live. It is sweet and gentle, tranquil, earnest and beautiful.

With each passing year, I find myself more and more eager to celebrate Easter and spring, however short-lived the latter may be here in Canada. Sure, right now, we're teetering between rain and snow still, but there are signs and feelings that any day now spring will truly arrive. The birds begin their chorus earlier in the morning, trees that once seemed devoid of life have perked back up, their branches ready to shot out new buds at a moment's notice. The wind, though nippy, isn't quite as harsh, it's mellowed just a touch and knows that in a matter of weeks, it will be blowing about the hems of sundresses once more.

This weekend we gather with family and friends to embrace whatever Easter means to each of us. For me it is all of the things above, as well as a time to reflect on the blessings that have come our way throughout the first three months of this year. To focus on the good, the positive, the optimistic, and the joyful. We're a quarter of the way through 2013, and already so many wonderful things have transpired, just as I like to believe more will continue to as the rest of the year unfolds, much like the petals on the first blossoms of spring.

From the bottom of my heart, I wish each of you a blessed, wonderful Easter that's every bit as sweet as the chocolate eggs hiding in nooks and crannies around our homes, and hope dearly that the beauty of this day carries on throughout the spring for all of us.

Special Easter edition of Saturday Snapshots: April 7, 2012

 

“Easter spells out beauty, the rare beauty of new life.” ~ S.D. Gordon 

{Becomingly decked out in some of the most iconic hues of the decade, this 1950s mother and her three children are ready to celebrate the holiday in seasonally perfect style.}

{If there was an award for the cutest vintage Easter picture ever, this darling portrait from 1943 would be a serious contender.}

{The fact that this vintage image of a wee little youngster perched on the Easter Bunny's lap is undated, lends to its appeal and relatable quality, as one can't help but find themselves remembering similar scenes from their own childhood decades ago.}

{Best dressed 1930s little boy ever! Seriously look at his style, swagger, nonchalance, and ultra adorable little suit - it's all too fabulous for words!}

{A golden blonde haired little girl - identified as Kathy - plucks an Easter egg out her basket in this sweet slice-of-life shot from the mid-1950s.}

{Smart navy suits were on the agenda for mom and pop in this Easter image from 1954, whereas the three lads preferred shades of brown and grey. I really like how everyone is posed in this shot, with the parents subtly framing their children - it would make for just as lovely a photo with a family today as it did nearly six decades ago.}

{The gang's all here and their own the prowl for Easter treats in this fun vintage image that's set against a charming suburban springtime landscape.}

{Cheerful smiles and elegant attire abound in this great shot of two graceful, lovely older ladies decked out in their timelessly pretty Easter best.}

{Pastel baskets, new clothes, and sunshine add up to a timelessly sweet Easter photograph of two children - identified as Lois and Keith - who appear to have been having a terrific holiday.}

{A photo booth snapshot of a young 1930s lass in Easter bonnet, that looks just as marvelous as though it had been taken in a portrait studio. There is such a sense of chippernesss, youth, and festive Easter fun that echoes throughout this endearingly fantastic vintage image.}

{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}

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This year, more so than for many of its predecessors, I've felt a sense of renewal and rekindled possibility. Uprooting one's life can do that to you. Switching sides of the country, setting up a new home, buying your first car, spending time with family once more, all of these things contribute significantly to the feeling of revitalization that I'm experiencing right now.

It's beautiful, let me tell you. Lovely like the first gloriously warm rays of springtime sunshine, or the scent of delicate little pale purple lilacs sprouting in the garden. These recent life changes, naturally, do not have the ability to revamp my whole world, erase certain problems, or override all of my worries. What they have done however, is fill my heart and spirit with a deeply rooted sense of felicity and contentment, which I was yearning heavily for.

How fitting then, that I get to experience these feelings during the season and holiday that is renowned for being all about rebirth, life, hope, and happiness. I know that, much like spring itself, these emotions and experiences will not last forever, but while they're here, I'm savouring and enjoying them as the sweet-as-chocolate-Easter-eggs gift that they truly are.

May joy and merriment, peace and fulfillment be yours this Easter, and throughout all of your days, dear friends.