I am stopping in now for what just might be my last post before Easter…I’m about to START smocking Easter dresses/a bubble for my chicken wings/buddy man.  Why yes, I should have started smocking approximately the day after Christmas, but Easter dresses didn’t cross my mind with baby and life filling my days–until about a week and a half ago when a cool Spring morning reminded me of the fresh newness that always seems to accompany Easter mornings.

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The vision I walked out to find in my backyard yesterday.

I was sitting in the parking lot of the girls’ school when it happened:  My windows were rolled down, the dogwoods were just beginning to reveal their blooms and our proud azaleas had already burst forth with reckless abandon…Easter…my heart stopped for just one beat.  We’re back in the “High South” where Easter (at least for children) is the most formal event of the year, and I haven’t even begun to think about what everybody is going to wear!

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Some random pictures from the fall that I never posted to follow...

It’s silly.  I 100 percent admit that it is silly to go to all the trouble to make “Easter dresses” that God cares not one bit about.  I said to a friend on the phone just yesterday, “Jesus is going to rise from the grave whether I finish these Easter dresses or not, but for some reason I feel like the day will not be complete unless I get them done.”

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My sweet girls

I’ve laughed with my grandma about the Easter mornings of my childhood.  My Mom would do the handwork for all FOUR! of our dresses and then my grandma would put them together.  The problem was that my Mom, while she may start smocking after Christmas, never seemed to finish her part until the day before the big event.  I don’t know that Grandma got to sleep on Easter Eve once between the years of 1983 and 1995.  While my hair was being pulled back and fastened with a bow (that my grandmother also made) that was the size of my head, my squeaky new white shoes were being buckled on my feet, and my Dad was flying to my grandma’s house on two wheels to retrieve all four dresses straight off grandma’s ironing board.

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Doing some of their own modeling. Thanks Mama B for our Thanksgiving dresses!

I cherish the memories though, of slipping all that lace, and starch, and handmade love over my head for the first time–twirling in front of my Dad as he admired how beautiful he found us–each one.  And then there was that hurried push out the front door to stand in front of the blooming azaleas and capture a shot with a camera of our brief moment of garment perfection–a miracle in itself for four clumsy little girls who were sure to stain and wrinkle and even occasionally rip our masterpieces.

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Keke baby, I bet you sometimes spilled food on your Easter dress, didn't you?

And after celebrating the greatest news on earth with friends who were also sporting their Sunday best, singing of the hope and joy that the resurrection brings, it was back to family home and food.  Our dresses were carefully removed and laid in a pile on the bed, the stiff shoes were taken off and our bare feet took to the grass–with only little white slips left on our bodies we would hide and hunt Easter Eggs with our cousins, and sit down to a meal of baked ham, macaroni and cheese, butter beans, deviled eggs, sweet tea…

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Keke, I don't think I ever did thank you for this impromptu tea party you served us.

And I haven’t even started smocking yet.

Mini Strawberry Tarts (from the last post)

Adapted from Stephanie Kling and the Food Network

Crust: 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 cup cold butter cut into small pieces, 1/3 cup sugar

Filling: 8 oz reduced fat cream cheese (softened), 1/4 cup sugar, strawberries (tops cut off and halved–longways), 1/4 cup seedless red currant jelly

To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350.  Combine ingredients in food processor until moist crumbs form (takes about a minute). Using your fingers, press dough firmly into mini-muffin cups SPRAYED with non-stick spray (makes about 2 dozen). Put muffin tin in oven for 10 minutes, or until crust is firm.

Remove and perforate each mini crust with a fork.  Bake for 20 or 25 minutes, removing from oven halfway through and pressing down gently on crusts with a spoon if they are puffing up (and they probably will do this).  Cook until golden brown and cool completely in pan.

Mix filling ingredients together in a mixer. Remove cooled crusts from pan by spinning them out with your finger individually (I wouldn’t try to beat and dump the whole pan if I were you).  Put a dollop of filling in each crust and top with a strawberry half.  (You can make these crusts ahead of time, but I wouldn’t assemble them until four or five hours ahead.  The tartlett will stay together fine, but that shortbread starts to get soggy dog if it sits for too long.)

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt jelly until it turns into liquid. Gently brush strawberries with jelly, or spread a little on top of the strawberries with the back of a spoon if you don’t have a brush–like me. Chill in the fridge until you serve them.

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Serve them at your family Easter picnic, but be sure you take those dresses off before you offer one to your child.  Strawberries STAIN 🙂

13 Responses to “Easter is Coming…and those Strawberry Tarts”

  1. Carrie says:

    Abby
    i am a random reader but love your blog so much and get so happy when you post! we live in birmingham so i completely understand this post! I grew up in a family of 4 girls too always dressed in our gorgeous dresses for Easter. I was just saying yesterday to someone “I know this is so trivial but I want to be with my family on Easter bc my mother has worked so hard on my sons outfit and she needs to see him it!” It is embarrassing but oh so important too! My little boy will be dressed in his first “real” Easter outfit and it is all I can think about. Thankfully we have a Savior who still died for US no matter what we or our children are wearing 🙂

  2. I started on the twins’ Easter dresses around Christmas but I have yet to finish them. You are so right when you talk about your mom getting them to your grandmother the day before…I feel like that will be me this year! It isn’t about the dresses but I’m like you…it doesn’t feel like Easter without them. Sweet post Abby!

  3. Konie says:

    Could eat those little girls up with a spoon!!!!!!!!!

  4. Caroline says:

    Greatt memories!!! Thanks for bringing back the freshness of those good ole days of Easter 🙂

    LOVEEEE those pics of the sweet chicken wings and their little outfits.

    Looking forward to this weekend! All my love!!

  5. Meredith G. says:

    My mom smocked dresses for my sister and I when we were little and now my daughters are wearing them. My oldest has already outgrown all of my old smocked dresses though and that makes me a little sad. Wish I know had to do it to carry on the tradition. The picture with the horses is beautiful! Thanks for posting!

  6. Meredith says:

    That was supposed to say “wish I knew how to do it to carry on the tradition”. I should proofread BEFORE I hit submit.

  7. Mandy says:

    I’m right there with you, sister! Just starting on my smocking for this year and I need to pick up the pace! I’ve smocked my daughter’s dresses every year and was sure she’d refuse this year since she’s almost 7, but she said she wanted me to (but I’m thinking I may need to order something- just in case)! It is sweet to see them all hanging in her closet, and hopefully they’ll be just as special to her as the ones that my mom smocked for me are! Happy smocking!

  8. Katy says:

    I love it Abby! I have a dress all cut out, the fabric pleated, sitting on my dining room table waiting for me to smock and put together in time for Easter. May your children be ever cooperative as you sit down to smock and may you not miss a stitch or cut a pattern piece out wrong.

    (Old Irish Blessing….I’m sure it’s out there somewhere)

  9. andi says:

    I love it!!!! 🙂 I miss Easter outfits…now it is just some shorts and a button down. 🙁 Did you know we called benjamin Buddy man too? Sweet niblet will be so cute in his bubble! Love the modeling pics!!!! I started smocking a day gown with Mrs. Caradine when pregnant with Benjamin and finished it after David was born. Only thing I ever smocked. She offered a remedial course when she was done with me. I had to make up my own pattern because I had no idea how to do it! :))) You on the other hand will create a lovely masterpiece! Can’t wait to see it!

  10. Nancy says:

    Your girls are beautiful & I can’t wait to see your creations for all 3 of your babies!

  11. Amanda says:

    I love your writing. It brought back all the Easter memories of my childhood. My mom always sewed for other people and at the last minute always found time to sew heirloom dresses for my sister and I.

  12. Gina says:

    Thank you for the recipe!! I plan to make a strawberry pie for Easter but will definitely try these sometime. Love your childhood memories and your girls look adorable in their cute outfits. 🙂

  13. annette says:

    Thanks for the tart shell recipe.
    Reminds me of my mom and turned out great!
    Worked with my kid on them.

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