My parent’s neighborhood is alive with the sound of kids on spring break. If your children attend year-round school, then they’ll likely be at home for the next couple weeks, and by day three you’ll be scrambling for ways to keep them busy.
Easter may be three weeks away, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a jumpstart on the preparations with a little help from your spring breakers. The following simple Easter egg decorating projects are ideal for children ages 8 and up. Not only are the crafts great boredom busters, but also at the end of the day you’ll have wonderful homemade gifts to give on Easter Sunday.
EASY ENGRAVED EGGS
Materials:
Hard-boiled eggs
Vinegar
Crayon
Bowl
Directions:
Take an egg and write your name on it with the crayon.
Place the egg in a bowl of vinegar and let it sit for two hours or until the vinegar stops bubbling.
Replace the vinegar with a fresh supply and let the egg sit for another four hours. The vinegar will eat away at the eggshell, except for the area where the crayon was used.
Remove the egg and very carefully, scrub the egg with a toothbrush to remove the crayon wax.
When you are done your name will look like it was carved into the eggshell.
FANCY FEATHER EGGS
Materials:
3 eggs (You can use plastic eggs or hard-boiled eggs)
3 package of feathers (one bag per egg—-use pheasant heart, pheasant almond, guinea feathers or any one you find most attractive)
Wooden skewer
Paintbrush
Scissors
Raffia
Thin wire
Dried grasses
Dried flowers
Thick, white craft glue
Directions:
Cut off downy section from each feather; sort by size and color.
Insert skewer into small end of egg, and use as handle while covering egg.
Squeeze glue over entire egg; spread glue in even layer with paintbrush.
Beginning at narrow end of egg, place small feathers around the tip, slightly overlapping each feather as you go. Gently smooth each feather into the glue with your fingers.
Add a second row of feathers, overlapping slightly the first row of feathers. Repeat, until entire egg is covered. Make sure all feathers are smooth and flat. If they aren’t, then glue down again with a tiny dab of glue. Add several layers of feathers over the bottom of the egg to cover the ends of the last row of feathers. Allow glue to dry thoroughly.
In the meantime, prepare egg nest: Wind a length of raffia around and around to form a shallow bowl, wiring raffia together as you go. Embellish nest with dried grass and flowers.
When eggs are dry, place in nest and display.
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