Easter Peep Trees

Yesterday was Sunnybrook day at church.  Sunnybrook is a Christian ministry-based childcare organization who help children who have difficult young lives.  Kids who live in the country life of Sunnybrook get to express their belief in God, grow in education and experience all that family living has to offer, therefore developing them into their full potential. (www.sunnych.net).

Sunnybrook day at church is complete with Sunday School, "Big" Church as my stepdaughter calls it, and a Pot-Luck Lunch.  I had to decide what to cook.

I didn't want just vegetables or a dessert, but wanted something unique and bright as the children of Sunnybrook. With it being the weekend before Easter I assumed the luncheon would be Easter-themed.

So here's what I came up with.

Materials you will need:

1) 2 small flowerpots

2) 2 - 6" styrofoam balls (or in my case, 4 halves)

3) 2 extra pieces of dry foam (any shape)

4) Toothpicks

5) Dowel rods (I used 20 skewers, because I had them in the cabinet)

6) Wire (able to be twisted, but strong-holding)

7) 12 boxes of peeps (any colors you want)

8) Extra candy (edible grass, jellybean eggs, etc.) used for decoration

First, gather your flowerpots.  You can decorate these if you want.

Next, take 10 skewers and wrap them tightly together with wire.  I cut 3 - 6" pieces of wire and wrap in 3 places.  You will do this twice for 2 peep trees.

Since I couldn't find 6" foam balls at the last minute, I took two halves and toothpick-ed them together. Put as many as it takes to make the ball solid where it will not move. Also do this twice.

Next, cut your extra foam pieces to fit the size of your flower pot, leaving about 0.5" from the rim(s).

Then, take the pointed end of your skewer group and punch a whole about 3/4 of the way through the foam balls. Pull the skewers out again.  Then, punch the styrofoam in your extra foam that are in the flower pots.  After you have inserted the skewers into the flower pot foam, place the styrofoam ball on top. Do this twice. At this point it should look like this:

Then, add your edible grass or decorate as you wish.

Place each peep bird onto the styrofoam ball with toothpicks.  Some near the bottom may have to have several toothpicks to hold it in place.  You can make flowers or patterns or whatever you like.

Tips:

1) Do you project in a cooled area.  Heat makes the marshmallows fall off the toothpicks.

2) Add weight to the flower pots or adhere the pots to the bottom plate. 

The trees become heavy with the birds placed on.

To find out how you can help the children of Sunnybrook, visit www.sunnych.net/help.