Mar 11, 2013

Easter Egg Garland Tutorial

Easter is quick approaching and since I have recently just finished re-decorating my dining room, I wantedto spruce it up a little with some Easter inspiring decor. This year I decided on decorating with hollowed egg shells. I wanted to keep it simple and creative.

I thought to make a garland out of hollowed eggs. So in this post I am sharing with you the tutorial of how I hollowed the eggs and made the garland.











What you need:

Eggs
Wooden Skewers
Large paper clip or embroidery needle
Straw or coffee stirrer
Acrylic craft paints
Antiquing medium (I found this in the same rack as the acrylic craft paints at Wal-Mart’s craft section)
Sponge brush
Long bristle brush
Approx 5inches of sturdy wire (I used what I had at hand which was jewelry crafts wire)
Hot glue gun and glue sticks.
Straps of cut muslin about 2 inches wide (fraying adds to the charm) and a cut yardage of lace. Length of both depends on how long you want your garland. 



Technique:

-Using your needle or bent paper clip, poke a tiny whole, (wide enough to allow a skewer through) on both ends of the egg at length.
-Insert the skewer into the egg to break the yolk.
-Hold the egg over a bowl or glass; place your straw on top hole while blowing the contents of the egg to come out of the other end into the glass.
-Gently wash eggs and let them dry.

Tip- Save the egg carton for safe storage of your eggs. You can re-use your eggs for decoration for as long as they last J

  To Paint:

-I used acrylic paint of different light pastel colors such as pink, yellow, green and blue.
- Paint eggs with sponge brush, then let them dry by inserting a skewer in the hole at one end and use a cup to rest skewers and eggs in it, making sure eggs do not touch while drying.
- For spotty eggs I slightly damped the long bristle brush then using the antique medium I flecked the brown medium on the eggs.

Eggs, muslin and lace garland:

-I created what looked like a long sewing needle with the sturdy wire by bending one tip of the wire to a closed hook.
-Using twine I stringed the eggs, leaving a gap and securing eggs in place by gluing eggs at the hole, to the twine.
- At one end of the strand, tie in a knot the muslin, lace and twine together.
- Wrap the muslin strap over the twine on the beginning of the string then while curling your muslin, wrap around the twine at the gaps between the eggs. Secure as needed with your hot glue gun. After wrapping the entire garland with muslin
- Back to where you have the knot start wrapping the garland again, this time with lace going in the opposite direction of the wrapped muslin and secure at the other end of twine with hot glue.

And there it is...



Of course I had decided to paint extra eggs to scatter around my vintage farmhouse style room to add to the charm. I love the way the room turned out.

Here are more peaks at my dining room.


My flower boxes {may I remind you, I built these myself *wink! I couldn't help bragging, I am very proud of myself} are filled with sprouting blue bells! I cannot wait for the blooming flowers.




My son even added white and pink Allysum flower seeds and "Oh!..." the cute seedlings are growing already. I love Spring! Don't you?!!












I hope you enjoyed my post and tutorial. My next issue of Creating Vintage Charm magazine is going to be available by the end of this week. Here is preview of this coming issue.





If you wish to subscribe, you can visit my website at www.creatingvintagecharm.com. More details on how to get our hands on a copy coming soon. So stay tuned. 

2 comments:

Debbi said...

Sonia, that garland is adorable!! What a great idea...you should post that over in the EtsyCottageStyle.ning.com Creativity Challenge for eggs going on right now:)

Tea in the Library said...

Very nice indeed!