Being a working mother has made me terribly efficient at shopping. I can cram in a few purchases into the tiniest of time slots. Take last week for example. With a little bit of time to kill at the train station in Darmstadt after a meeting, I popped into the super market and bought a desperately needed new tin opener, some Easter treats and a few groceries. From there I went into a chain called Nanu Nana for a quick browse. Ten minutes later I was down on the platform with Easter napkins, a new baby card for a friend and two gorgeous wire baskets, reduced to €4.95 each, for me.

By the time I got the wire baskets home, a three hour train ride later, I was brimming with ideas for how to use them. For plants in the garden? As window boxes? Or maybe for hand towels in the bathroom? Or to hold bits and bobs in my craft room? Then it struck me – I’d use them as centre pieces for the table at Easter and our upcoming communion party.

Over on Pinterest I had a bit of a browse and I think I am down to two styles now. There’s the colourful, playful version, something along the lines of this. It would appeal to the children, but might end up being pulled apart my Number Three, now that I know what he did to my Easter garden. I love that it combines several of the Easter crafts I didn’t find the time for this year, like an Easter tree and painted eggs.

The Easter theme is done beautifully in this style of wire basket. I find it so understated and elegant, everything a family meal in our house is not. I wonder, would the calmness rub off on the children? It might be worth a try.

A good old root through my Easter decorations and a bit of a potter in the garden for twigs and moss is on the cards today I think. I imagine I’ll he clicking in and out of my wire baskets board over on Pinterest too as I faff about. After the busyness of the part few weeks, I can feel myself starting to relax at the very thought of fussing about with ceramic bunnies and mini eggs. I’ve a feeling this Good Friday really will be a good Friday.