Spring imagery is some of my personal favorites. The pastel colors and general adorableness are as heartwarming as they are appealing to the senses. It isn't just bunnies and baby chicks; bird nests are a prominent image, symbolizing nature and new life. Check out these three bird nest inspired desserts. Not only are they impressive and simple to make, they're tasty, too!

Kick things off in the kitchen with these neat chocolate spoon nests from Cute Food For Kids.

Making them is a cinch, and they're absolutely adorable. These make great gifts or even baked sale goodies! Learn to make them with the fully photographed and simple to follow step-by-step instructions here.

Here's another fun treat you can make with your kids: Rice Krispie Treat Easter Basket from Beauty and Bedlam.

Incredibly quick and easy - they're your basic Krispie Treats with a creative twist! Find the full instructions here.

If you're feeling a little more adventurous, you can tackle this beautiful Rich Chocolate Cake with Ganache Frosting and Truffle-Egg Nest, courtesy of Martha Stuart.

It's a little more time-intensive and definitely not as kid-friendly, but the end result is fabulous. It would be great for a party or social gathering. Find the full instructions here.

Our first ever feature is Kai, an artist from the swamps of Sweden. He's known as Mant-Ra on DeviantArt.

What is your specialty and medium of choice?
I am not really sure if I have a medium of choice. I enjoy working with lots of different things. I have a love for organic materials such as bone, horn, wood and leather, but I also enjoy working with some metals, copper being my favorite. In terms of more traditional art I like to work in acrylics, oil and water colours, also various types of pens. I also sculpt in both polymer and natural clay.

How would you describe your style?
Somewhere between surreal/dreamlike, tribal and post-apocalyptic. And various other things.

How did you get started with your craft/artform? Was it difficult to learn?
I didn't find it difficult. But most of the time I didn't really decide "Now I am going to learn this thing!" either... I just kind of taught myself along the way.

Tell me a little about your creative process. What inspires you?
I am inspired by my dreams, artist friends and myths/legends. Often I have an idea of what I want to do right from the start, but sometimes I just play and let things happen. I generally don't have a lack of ideas or end up doing nothing.

Approximately how long does it take to finish a new piece?
Anywhere from an hour to a few months... it depends entirely on what I am doing.

What is your favorite piece so far? Can you tell me a little about why it is special to you?
It's really difficult to choose something to be honest...I am very, very fond of [these] (pictures featured). They are special to me because they feel closest to what I want to achieve.

Do you have any advice or tips for fellow crafters?
Never stop doing what you really want to do yourself! Don't get too influenced by "what will sell."

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A very special thank you to Kai! Be sure to check out his ETSY and DEVIANTART!

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Would you like to be featured? Send me an e-mail at LampshadesAndLollipops@gmail.com.

This St. Patty's Day, you can get your fill of a variety of green-colored promotional food items, courtesy of major fast food chains such as McDonald's, Burger King, Dunkin' Donuts, and Bruegger's. Expert nutritionists are cautioning consumers against excessive intake of falsely colored substances in spirit of the holiday.

The good news is that you won't need to worry about artificial coloring for these delectable St. Patty's Day cupcakes. This particular recipe just teaches you how to make the awesomely adorable shamrock decorations for the top.

Check out the full recipe here.

And for the cupcakes, might I suggest some Coffee Chocolate Cupcakes with Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting?

It's not too early to start thinking about mother's day gifts! This chocolaty treasury was made by UnisexySupplies. Aren't the colors just fantastic?

'Mothers Day Special' by UnisexySupplies

Womens Suit and A-Line ... treazureddesig... $7.95	16" Cream PILLOW C... JillianReneDec... $48.00	Mother's Day Specia... WhiteNoiseMake... $29.00
Double Bed cover, Vinta... MeshuMaSH $60.00	Ruffled Lacy Scarf in S... ForYouDesign $25.00	Fingerless Gloves with... HandMadeInItal... $24.00
Eagle Art Large Archiva... Splodgepodge $20.00	brown and white. OMBRE.... stonesartisanj... $78.00	3 cute giraffe beads, b... MindieleeSuppl... $4.10
Vintage Bally Two Tone ... Chronologies $18.00	Floral Trio - Set of Th... Tessyla $55.00	Keep Calm and Dream On ... Tessyla $20.00
Photo of Miniature Libr... modulem $15.00	Brown White Polymer Cla... PenelopeStern $12.50	Mocha Latte Fragrance O... fragranceoil $2.25
Adrian - Felt Donkey. A... TwoSadDonkeys $56.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

The other day, I was talking to an acquaintance of mine about art. They totally floored me by showing me some recent pieces they'd finished and sharing all the projects and ideas they'd thought up. The excitement they were exuding was almost tangible. I was jealous! I've been in such a lull and unable to think up fresh ideas in so long.

Once in a while you may find yourself running into a creative roadblock. Here some of the things I do to get myself back on track.

1. Brainstorm anything and everything - It's not always about having the ONE GREAT IDEA. Statistically speaking, the chance that you will suddenly dream up the ONE GREAT IDEA is pretty slim. Sit down and try making a list or doodling every idea that pops into your mind. The more you get down on paper, the better the chances for great ideas that you can act on.

2. Look for inspiration in everything - You need to be open to new ideas, even from places that you least expect it. Awareness is key!

3. Utilize image websites - If you've never heard of Pinterest, you should check it out. It's just one of several social image sharing sites that can help spark some great ideas. DeviantArt, Flickr, and Photobucket are some other popular ones. Just be careful to not steal someone else's ideas! There's a fine line between being influenced by someone and copying their work.

4. Stumble! - StumbleUpon isn't just an awesome time waster. If you configure it to allow a wide range of content, you will be pleasantly surprised to find great stuff that you'd otherwise have never known about.

5. See amazing ideas in action - One of my favorite things to do when I am feeling a lack of inspiration is to see new ideas in action. What better way to do this besides watching some TED talks? You're guaranteed to find something that interests you because there are so many ideas that cover such a wide range of topics. YouTube can also be a great place to find neat ideas, too.

What are some things YOU do to inspire greatness?