Making Paper Mache Eggs

Apart from paper and glue for making paper mache, you need something that is in the shape of eggs. For this purpose, you may use oval balloons, plastic eggs or dry egg shells. If you want to fill the egg with goodies, then balloons or egg shells may work. For pinatas, you have to use large balloons. They are good for decorating purposes only. Now, let us take a look at how to make paper mache eggs with balloons.

•Gather the materials needed as per your requirement. You need, balloons of the required size. If you want to make Easter eggs, then go for small-sized ones and for pinatas you need bigger ones.

•As far as glue is concerned, you may use liquid laundry starch or diluted white glue (2 parts with one part water). Most people opt for homemade glue with water and flour. You either mix the flour with water and use it as glue or cook a cup of flour in four cups water.

•Apart from the balloons and flour, you need paper towels or tissue paper (both white and colorful ones), newspaper (cut into one inch strips), poster paint and paintbrush.

•Once you are ready with the materials needed, you can start with the making or paper mache eggs. Blow the balloon and apply the paper strips on it, using the glue. If you want to fill it with goodies, leave a small gap near the knot of the balloon.

•Once the whole balloon is covered, let it dry, before applying the next layer. You have to apply at least three layers of paper mache on the balloon.

•Make sure that each layer is dry, before you apply a top layer on it. You can use colorful paper as last layer. If you want to paint on it you may either go for white paper or those with the color of your choice.

•If you want to fill the paper mache eggs with trinkets or goodies, all you have to do is to deflate the balloon (after the second or third layer has dried completely) by pushing a pin through the gap left near the knot of the balloon. Remove the deflated balloon from the paper mache egg and fill in the goodies through the gap.

•If you find it difficult to fill these eggs through the small hole, make a small cut and insert the goodies. After that insert half of a thread loop inside the cut, that has to be held together. Now, apply some glue
on paper strips and stick over the cut. The person who receives the egg can open it by pulling the thread.

•Now, cover the gap with masking tape and use paper strips to cover the tape. You can apply the third layer of paper mache at this stage. Once you complete application of paper mache, let it dry completely. It will take at least two days for the paper mache to dry. You may either hang them with cloth clips or else place them on a wire rack.

•If there is any decoration left, you can do after the eggs get dry. You may make use of poster or acrylic color for painting paper mache eggs or apply glitter or tie ribbons around them. Your paper mache eggs are ready to use.

The above said is only a brief overview about how to make paper mache eggs. One of the common queries about this craft is, "how to decorate paper mache eggs?" Decorating paper mache eggs is all up to your imagination and creativity. You may use a wide range of materials for this purpose. Whether it be colored or designed paper, lace, paint, glitter or anything of your choice, you can use them as you like. So, try this method and come up with some unique paper mache eggs.