How to Decorate Paper Mache Easter Eggs

This past week, I've been decorating a bunch of paper mache Easter eggs for my "Three Winners" giveaway. I like the look of all kinds of Easter eggs, so I used a variety of different techniques.

For foil Easter eggs, I mod podged some small torn up strips of tissue paper onto the paper mache eggs.

I let that completely dry and then started painting them. I also have metallic paint, so on some, I put a coat of metallic on top of the matte layer. I think they turned out pretty cool! They look just like those candy foil eggs.

For another look, I used some recently purchased alcohol inks. I used the technique from Tim Holtz and his Alcohol Ink Air Splatter video, using canned air. I couldn't wait to try this, but I didn't have any glossy cardstock. Then I got to thinking this might work on paper mache Easter eggs if I slick on two coats of Mod Podge Hard Finish. And it worked!

(Remember to make a "sproooossssssssssshhhhhhh" sound when the air is coming out of the can. Makes it super fun - lol)!

If you miss a spot with the hard finish, it'll make a little stain, though it's easily covered with a couple more layers of darker color:

You can also do this air spray technique on other things:

I have a star paper mache box that I have two coats of hard finish on. Just haven't had the time to do this technique on it yet. A word of warning: the canned air canister get can super cold if you're using it a lot. I let it rest about 10 or 20 minutes when it got that cold.

Another technique I tried was dry brushing some of the already painted and dried eggs. I also dabbed on for a more spotted look Made for some cool effects.

Then I tried light brush strokes, which made for some cute dashes of color:

Next, I watered down some black paint, dipped an old toothbrush in it and brushed all over some eggs for a "prim" (i.e., aged) look.

Now I have quite a wide variety of paper mache Easter eggs. I hope you enjoyed my tutorial and can create even more awesome eggs!

Linking up to the following fabulous link parties: Blue Cricket Design, Sky to My Lou, Designer Garden, and:









And linking up to a Delightfully Decoupaged Party

Some Great Link Party Finds

In my blog hopping through the link parties this week, there are several projects I'd like to try:

Late Winter Yarn Wreath. I like the different colored yarns used, plus the "unkempt" appearance. I want to try this with some different texture yarns, like eyelash.

Cupcake picture frame. When I saw this, I knew I had to try this right away - due to the fact that I wanted to do Easter eggs instead of cupcakes. I got 'er done. Just haven't taken a picture of it yet.

Anthropologie frame tutorial. So pretty! I want to try this with fabric glued on the cardboard. At first I was thinking of using scrapbook paper, but that would be too expensive. So I'm thinking fabric. I have a lot of that, especially some that I wouldn't put in any quilts, but ones that would look good in a frame like this.

DIY cardboard barn star. Definitely something easy enough for me to do.

Chicken wire screen. Sooo creative! I have plenty of chicken wire left over from building my chicken-less chicken coop. (Hopefully this spring I can get chickens). I would do this using a window frame of some sort, since a panel like this wouldn't last long around my dogs and cats.

Running Rabbit Make-do. I have a thing for running rabbits, and this looks easy enough for me to do, with very little in the way of knowing how to sew or using a needle.

Stamped tile magnets. Super simple, yet they look so pretty.

Spring cloche hat. I may try this. I'm still not sure I could actually do this - if it's simple enough for me. All that bunching up looks complicated. I'd probably be trying to sew a regular hat and get the bunching by accident - lol!

Lampshade makeover. I have a couple really ugly lamps that would look much better with a face lift like this. If only I could do something about the bottom half of the lamp - haha!

Anthro-cameo collage necklace knockoff. This looks easy enough for me to do, and I've been wanting to get into jewelry making.

Nutter butter truffle cupcakes...need I say more!?! (insert drooling here)

How to recover a lampshade. Another good makeover for an ugly lampshade.

Luck of the Irish trees. I especially love the one made out of green clothesline!

Grungy rusty tin luminary. So perfectly prim and easy to do. I've saved plenty of tin cans so I can grunge them up once I can get outside with the spray paint.

Muffin tin wall hanging. Now how creative is that! I think I'll do this, only using small cookie sheets to create some sort of mixed media "scene."

stray sock doll tutorial. I thought this was cute, though I doubt I'll be doing it since I don't have a small child anymore. Plus, I love all my socks!

Orange Julius. I love Orange Julius and haven't had it in years.

Oddly inspired painted heart box. I love her creative ways in which she painted this. These are some techniques I'm going to try.

Jumbo Button Wall Decor. I love buttons, though I don't have access to the equipment that's required to make those holes. Maybe one day.

Upcycle clutch. Gorgeous, though I'm challenged in the sewing department. This one is just for eye candy, not something I'll attempt to do.

Sunflower Cupcakes - just way, way, waaaay too cute. Decorated just like sunflowers!

Sheep cake and cupcakes. Wowzers, you need to check this one out! What amazing talent. I love, love, love it! Wish I knew how to decorate like this.

Prairie Patch's First Ever Perfectly Prim Link Party

Since I've had a lot of experience in marketing online, I share many tips on my other blog. I recently came upon the amazing discovery of link parties! They bring so much traffic to your blog, as I wrote about, and as many of you know!

I haven't seen a link party which is devoted to showing off people's prims, so I decided to make one. Today - and for the next several days - I'll be having the Prairie Patch's first ever perfectly prim link party. It's my plan to do this on a weekly basis, though the first party will last a little longer. Following week's may have specific themes, but this first one will be anything you want to show off that's prim-related.

This will be a great way for those who are into various crafts that aren't prim related to get some exposure for your blog in the prim circle. What's prim, you may be asking? Anything that's antique or antique looking. You can look at the various thumbnails in the link party for a better idea.

So let's have some fun!!

How to Make Dessert Looking Soy Tarts

Here's a tutorial on how to make dessert looking soy tarts. Of course, the scent best used is something yummy and dessert-like. I used Chocolate Brownie for these.

I'm not going to spend time on how to do all the melting and such, since this tutorial is primarily showing how to make a different looking soy tart. Making candles is super easy (easy enough for me to do, so it MUST be easy)! There are some very good tips over at Nature's Garden Candles on how to make candles. Once you get the basics down, you'll feel more comfortable experimenting around with making soy tarts. I just think of them as wickless candles.

You don't really need any fancy molds, though I did use one for the walnut on top.

All I used was toilet paper rolls and a small yoohoo or juice box...box for the molds.

I threw out the top one since it had little dents that made it not all that circular. The lower two were better, since I was going for a little brownie bite type of look.

After I melted the wax, I poured just a little bit into a pie tin. (Make sure there are no holes in it.... I forgot to check...OOPS)! Pour enough wax to have a thin layer covering the whole bottom.

Put the toilet paper rolls in. By the way, I cut them in half and put the cut half up, so the halves with the straighter edge would be in the wax. You're only going to be filling up an inch or less, so you don't need the entire roll. Plus, you get twice as much out of this "trash" item!

Wait until the wax in the pie pan cools off enough to harden. In this way, it'll help hold the hot wax that you'll be pouring in. Otherwise, it seeps all over the place, even if you tape it up, line it with wax paper, etc. (I learned the hard way!)

Then pour just a little bit of hot wax into one toilet paper roll. Wait to see if it'll seep out. If not pour a little bit into the next roll. Wait, and then repeat with the next. Let those first layers cool, and then repeat by pouring just a little bit, waiting, etc.

Wait until these harden. I usually wait a day, but I'm sure several hours would be fine. You'll probably have plenty of wax left, and that's okay. Just keep it in your pot and remelt it for the next step.

Once your toilet paper and juice box molds have hardened, carefully peel the molds off.

Then melt some more wax. You may have to add more wax and fragrance oil according to how much you have left from the previous step. (This is where some experience in candlemaking helps). Once it's fully melted, you play the waiting...and waiting...and waiting game. I think it took me probably an hour for the next step: grainy!

Once you see the graininess starting to form, it won't be long! As it gets a little bit thicker, I spoon a little layer over my "cakes" or "bites."

Then when it gets really thick...

you quickly start glopping it on to your base. You can even wait until it gets thicker and treat it like a thick frosting. Note, though, that once the wax starts thickening, you have to move fast because it gets thicker and thicker.

And there you have a tutorial on how to make dessert looking soy tarts. Since I haven't used other types of wax, I have no idea if they get grainy like soy wax does. If someone knows, please post a comment!

Participating in the following link parties: Making the World Cuter, and...