Easter Centerpiece - Paper Mache' Egg Tutorial

 You do realize that Easter is March 31st right?  Tomorrow we are halfway through the month, so if  you haven't started your spring/Easter projects yet, I am sounding the alarm.  It's time to get started!!!  This is the centerpiece I made or my dining table this week.  The book page paper mache' eggs are so much fun and may be one of my favorite projects ever.  You will want to try these for sure.  They are simple, beautifully decorative, and inexpensive.  Three great words don't you think?

It is vitally important to understand that I have glitter in my veins.  I am a true sparkly girl.  Glitter, sequins and rhinestones are my friends.  Now you understand a little more about me.  My centerpiece sparkles and that makes me happy.  If  you are not a big sparkle fan, don't put glitter on your eggs.  They are beautiful without it, just better with it in my estimation.

When I am walking through stores, there are things that catch my eye and I don't know what I will do with them at that exact moment, but they jump in my cart.  Did you ever have that happen?  Later, I discover the perfect place for them.  Always.  The little sparkly bunny came from Tar-jay (better known as Target) and it was available in pink and turquoise.  I liked turquoise so he came home with me.  He was $3.00.  How could I pass him up?  Obviously, I couldn't.

The basket was also in the cheap bins at Target for $3.00.  I bought a tall one and an oblong one.  They are metal and I used both of them immediately.  The oblong one was used for a floral arrangement, and the other is here in my centerpiece.  I was happy because I didn't want a wicker basket, but something you could see through.  Good old Target came through!

Now, for the paper mache' eggs.  Easy peasy.  I used the cheap plastic easter eggs for the base.  They are 18 for $1.00 at the Dollar Tree.  Every store has them this time of year.  I used a package of regular egg size and some smaller ones.   I used book pages from my Complete works of Shakespeare that I have been using for all kinds of projects.  This time, I used some of the engraving pages and they made fabulous eggs.

I know, they look kind of scary in the full page, but when you tear them into strips and apply them to the eggs they look downright awesome.

I added a little water color to some of them and some glitter to jazz them up just a bit.  I also used sheet music and regular book pages.  Look how awesome they look.

Oh, I really do love the way they look.  If you have never done paper mache', here is all you have to do.

Tear a bunch of pages into strips and then into smaller pieces.  Use Mod Podge or white glue and coat a plastic egg with it.  I just used my fingers.  Apply strips of paper to the egg and then smear some more glue over the top to make sure it sticks.  Because of the shape of the eggs, it is impossible to get all the creases out, but do run your fingers over the paper several times to get any air bubbles out.  Keep applying paper until the entire egg is covered (it can go in any direction) and none of the color of the egg is showing through. Run your hands over the eggs several times to get them as smooth as possible. I laid them on a plastic trash bag to dry.  Warning:  You will have glue all over your hands, but it will wash off easily or peel off when dry.

I had this beautiful glitter that I bought at Tuesday Morning for super cheap.  Glitter can be a little pricey, especially this super fine kind.  I paid $4.00 for all of this.  One vial of Martha glitter will cost more than that and you will use very little on a project like this.  These have shaker tops which I love.

After the eggs dried, I used some water color and applied it to some of the eggs so they weren't all white.  I made it very watery so it didn't cover up the print on the paper.  Then I applied a little more glue and sprinkled colored glitter on some of the eggs.  They are so pretty!

All of the eggs that don't have colored glitter have clear glitter applied.  They look SOOOOO beautiful.  I am sorry the picture does not capture how much they really sparkle.

To make my centerpiece, I used a little silver tray I already had from the Dollar Tree.  I wanted the centerpiece on something that is easy to move, since we put the leaf in the table often when we have company for dinner.  I used a package of green paper shred and covered the tray and the interior of the basket which I had placed on it's side.  I scattered eggs around and sat Mr. Bunny in the shred.  I added a tiffany blue bow from some wired ribbon that I already had and voila!  I had a centerpiece.

I made lots of eggs and will be showing you other ways to use them.  These could be made by children also if you are looking for a fun spring project.  Just make sure they are wearing old clothes or covered with something.  They will get glue everywhere.  If you filled the eggs with some kind of treat first and then paper mache'd them, they could be opened at an egg hunt or for Easter.  If you wanted colored eggs, you could used colored tissue paper and use the same process.  They would be gorgeous!

Here is the centerpiece from another angle.

Total measurements for the centerpiece is a little over 8 inches high by 15 inches long.  It is so colorful and sweet to look at.  I can't wait for the grandsons to see it!

The weather has been cool and yucky.   I decided to take matters into my own hands and create spring here in the little yellow cottage.  Our house is all decorated, wreaths are made and hung, and it is going to be 70 degrees this weekend!  Yahoo!!  It is time and we are ready for some warmth and sun.  Flowers and trees are starting to bloom and we started making plans for our annual egg hunt today.  Aren't you ready for some spring weather?  Hippity, hoppity, Easter's on it's way.  Let's get this party started!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Think spring rather than just Easter when decorating.  Most of my decorations will transition through spring.  This centerpiece will be easy to replace once Easter is over and I spent slightly over $10.00 on it and the eggs will be usable or years to come.  Think outside the box when looking at items to decorate with.  You don't have to spend a lot of money.  Just be creative.  donna

Santa's Belly and Harvest Angel Candles Made For Cheap!

Happy Monday one and all.  Today is the official day to celebrate Veteran's Day, although yesterday was the actual date of the Armistice ending World War One on the eleventh day  of the eleventh month at the eleventh hour.  Thank you to all who have served and are serving so that we may live free.  I pray peace on our world that war shall be no more.

Now, for a really scary update in case you haven't thought of it in these terms -- THANKSGIVING IS NEXT WEEK!!!  EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK.  That means Christmas is right around the corner  (actually 43 days from today) and if you are working on project for gifts, it is time to  get with it.  Since I have been busy making Halloween costumes for the grandsons, and crafts for the Elves' Faire at their school, I am a bit behind on my own projects.  So yesterday, I began in earnest.

If you have neighbors, co-workers, friends, or distant family that you like to remember at holiday time but don't have a huge budget (that would be us), or you like to have a hostess gift to take when going to parties, here is just the project for you that will cost you very little!

These are made using saints (or devotional) candles that I bought at The Dollar Tree.  Saints candles are usually decorated with the likeness of Saints and are very colorful.  These candles come in plain glass and you can do innumerable things with them.  They are only a dollar each.  My.  Kind.  Of.  Price.

This is a blank slate, a palette you can do anything with.  I decided to make "Santa's Belly's" out of these candles.  When I say Santa's Belly, what do you think of?  Red coat, black belt, big buckle - right?

You can buy 9x12 sheets of felt for $.25 or $.35 at JoAnn's or Michael's.  I had two red sheets and one black that I used for this project.  That is a total of $.75 for felt.  Cheap enough, right?  You need a little hot glue, some cardboard (like from a cereal box), white glue, some glitter and I decided to use these cute little snowflakes from a garland that I bought at Hobby Lobby for half price at $1.50.  I got ALL these snowflakes which is so much cheaper than buying them in small individual packages.  You just have to cut them apart.  Easy peasy.

Fold the sheet of felt in half long ways and cut.  This will wrap around the candle with some left over and you have enough for two candles from one sheet.   Place the felt in the middle of the candle, leaving some of the glass exposed at the top and the bottom.  Run a bead of hot glue down the glass, and press one end of the felt to it.  Now, tightly wrap the felt around the candle holder so that you have a bit of felt overlapping your original glued edge.  Trim any excess felt, run some glue down the edge of the glued felt and press the seam down until it holds.  You want a very slight overlap.

Cut across the 9" end of the black felt sheet about 1 inch from the end.  This will be the belt for your Santa. Place the black felt strip in the middle of the red felt and glue one end over the seam.  Wrap the strip around tightly, cut off any excess and glue the felt so it overlaps the first edge you glued down.  If you have some black ribbon on hand, feel free to use that in place of the felt.

Now, to make the belt buckle.  Cut a rectangle of cardboard about 1.5 x 1 inch.  Spread some white glue or Mod Podge on one side of the cardboard and sprinkle with glitter.  Glue the "buckle" to the center front of the belt.  This is when I decided to add one of the small snowflakes for a little extra decoration. I put a little hot glue on the back of the snowflake and center it on the belt buckle.

I plan on giving these to everyone who comes for Thanksgiving.  I also made some burlap angels that look like this.

I used some burlap ribbon that I had left from my Thanksgiving decorations.  I did the same thing with the burlap that I did with the felt.  After you glue the burlap to the middle of the candle, make some wings.  Cut a 10 inch piece of burlap ribbon and twist it in the middle like this.

I put some hot glue on the inside of the twist to hold the shape of the wings.  Put hot glue in the center of the "twist" and press the wings to the top of the burlap in back over the seam.  Now, shape the wings using your scissors.  I kind of cut an arch from the bottom, angling in to the top so they look like wings.  Use your judgment.

Wrap some sisal twine around the middle and tie in a bow.  I glued a couple of snowflakes to the bottom of the twine for weight and decoration.  Look how pretty this havest angel looks on my mantle. Here is another on the book case inside our front door.

These harvest angels look so beautiful with my thanksgiving decorations.  I will be giving these on Thanksgiving also as they will transition to the Christmas holiday season with ease.

Now, lets talk economy here.  The candle cost a dollar, half a piece of felt was 17.5 cents maximum, a little hot glue, glitter, and cardboard, say 10 cents.  The snowflake cost about a penny.  Same for the angel.  For less than $1.30 you have a beautiful hand made gift to give and everyone loves candles (these are unscented by the way).  All you have invested is a minimum of money and a little time to let someone know you are thinking of them.  How awesome is that?

If you want to buy these candles, they are in the section with all the vases and candle holders at The Dollar Tree.  I am sure they can be found elsewhere, just not positive where.  If you find them other places, please let me know so I can tell my readers.

Have fun with these projects, and maybe you will come up with some ideas of your own.  Let me know how it goes.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

A handmade gift says I was thinking of you.