DIY Easter Centerpiece: Macaron "Paint" Palette

With the Easter holiday just one week away, I thought it would be fun to share a simple DIY for a macaron "paint" palette.  I created this centerpiece originally for my oldest daughter's Art Party, but a friend recently suggested that it would also make a lovely, somewhat unexpected addition to an Easter feast tabletop.  The timing of her comment was perfect as I was already planning on making one for my friend Ashley, who is both a baker, food lover and artist.  I haven't put together an original birthday gift like that in some time, and I was again reminded of the satisfaction that comes with making something.  

Supplies are minimal, although somewhat specialty--a wood paint palette, macarons in varying hues and buttercream for "glue".  The wood paint palette was $6 at a local art supply store (I suggest calling ahead as not every store I phoned carried this item in its classic, wooden form).  I procured the macarons from two different local bakeries--one that baked more subtle, pastel hues and another that focused on more intense flavors and colors (Le Panier and Bakery Nouveau in Seattle).  If you don't live in a city where you can find such sweets so easily, consider ordering them from bakers on Etsy (this one looks top notch!). The prices are the same as, or cheaper than, what you will find in an actual brick and mortar bakery so that's good news.  You'll need about 10 macarons for the palette, but consider buying a few extra, just in case.  In the end you can always eat them if you don't use them! 

Once I adhered the macarons to the palette, I knew I couldn't go back and rearrange.  So, first I laid them out on the tabletop in the approximate shape they would take on the palette.  This simple step gave me a chance to move colors around, eliminate a few shades entirely and essentially figure out what looked best together.

The "glue" was simply one stick of butter creamed with 1 cup powdered sugar...that's it!

A tiny dollop is all you need to secure the macaron to the palette.  Be sure to place it delicately on the palette to avoid crushing its thin, outer shell (speaking from experience!).  I propped the pictured macaron paint palette on a pedestal cake stand, but you could also turn a vase upside down and use that as a stand in a pinch as well.

In the end you'll have a beautiful centerpiece that you can eat for dessert and enjoy thoroughly.  Add a paint brush if you'd like and consider flanking the centerpiece with simple bouquets of tulips in similar hues.  Save the eggs for the hunt!