To me, Easter has always been one of the most exciting holidays. As a child I would relish the beautiful colours of the season, the sensory delights, the anticipation.

Just the thought of that gorgeous Bunny popping into our garden was always enough to keep me up for hours, hoping to catch a glimpse.

And Easter morning was always filled with homemade goodness and chocolate delight. It’s the memories of childhood Easters that provided the inspiration for this collection and collaborative photo shoot.

Originally, the Molly and Mama Easter collection for 2013 was little more than a dream, a scrap of an idea, a few colour swatches and a sketch or two in my notebook. Naturally I was drawn to the pastel shades for Easter and chocolate brown was always a given.

But the pink and green shades really call to me, and so I began a plan to incorporate these beautiful colours into a collection of dresses, skirts, appliquéd t-shirts, bonnets and accessories.

As the pieces came together, the vision for the shoot began to emerge. All those things we associate with Easter became a source of inspiration – bunnies and bonnets, chocolate and chickens, pretty bows and special clothes. But how was I going to bring these ideas to life?

Luckily I knew a natural light photographer who could share my vision. I sat down with Melissa from MiaMia Photography and the creative juices began to flow. From little cardboard cut out bunnies, to sweet little bantam chicks, we dreamed up some creative and inspiring ideas. The stage was set!

A beautiful paddock with pleasantly rural surrounds was just moments from my front door. It provided a wonderful back-drop for the photos. Our two gorgeous little models could barely contain their excitement as we set the scene on the day.

It was late afternoon and the sun was starting to dip. The light flowed across the grass touching everything in its path. It lit up the girls and brought warmth to their faces.

And in what felt like a blur of sunshine and smiles, the shoot was over. It was a wrap. And although we captured just a little bit of Easter magic, it will stay with me always. It was just like going back to the Easters of my childhood. Seeing the look of sheer delight and joy on our little models’ faces was a dream come true!

This sweet story and beautiful collection of images first appeared in Tickle The Imagination Magazine. The feature titled ‘Easter Wishes’ begins on page 132 of the online version of the Celebrations Issue 10, 2013.

I had so much fun putting this beautiful collection together. It was such a wonderful pleasure to make every single piece; from the applique tees, to the skirts, dresses, tutu, bonnet, and hair accessories. A labour of love!

How do you celebrate Easter each year? Do you have any beautiful traditions or creations to share? I’d love to see them. Happy stitching, Lauren x