Barbara's Bakin' N bits

Egg Decorating Basket Projects

Make your egg decorating an elegant affair this month, with pretty projects to do with friends or family. Start with simple wooden eggs and learn how to cover them in richly colored paper or sparkling glitter. Then, nest your lovely creations in sweet (and easy to make) doily baskets. Decorated wooden eggs make beautiful keepsakes or even gifts that can be enjoyed spring after spring.

Project 1: Doily Baskets

Delicate and dainty doily baskets are perfect for displaying a collection of beautifully decorated eggs on a table, mantel or anywhere you please. You may want to work on your baskets first, so they're ready and waiting when your eggs are complete.

Gather Your Materials: Use just three simple items to create your baskets: stitched fabric doilies, fabric stiffener (both available at fabric and craft stores) and a bowl to shape your basket. Use a bowl that's just a bit smaller than your doily. Print and take our handy Materials List with you when you're shopping for items.

Step 1: Soak the doilies in a bowl of fabric stiffener until lightly saturated.
Step 2: Line the bowl you want to shape your doily around with plastic wrap (either inside or outside is fine). Place the doily over the bottom or around the inside of the bowl to create your desired basket shape. As you smooth out and shape the doily, try to push out excess stiffener.
Step 3: Allow the doily to dry completely (approximately 2 hours), and then carefully peel away from the bowl.

Tip: You can personalize and decorate your baskets further after they're dry by threading ribbon through the holes around the top edge of the doily. Try thin silk ribbon in spring pastels like yellow, pink and green.

Tip: Create a soft, colorful nest for your eggs inside the doily basket by shredding extra decorative paper and crumpling together.

Project 2: Paper-covered Eggs
Also called "washi eggs" this traditional Japanese craft is perfect for adding an elegant and unique touch of spring to your home.

Gather Your Materials: This craft often uses real eggs that have been hollowed out, but we'll be keeping it simple with wooden eggs, available at many craft stores. The only other materials you'll need to cover your eggs are: origami or scrapbooking paper, paintbrushes and decoupage glue. Print our Materials List to be sure you have everything you need.

Step 1: Using a tape measure, mark the egg's length on your piece of decorative paper, adding a 1/4" to the measurement. Next, measure around the circumference of the egg and mark on the paper, adding 1/8" to the measurement. Cut out a rectangle of paper using these measurements.
Step 2: Fold the rectangle of paper in half lengthwise. Using your scissors, cut 1/4" wide strips along both sides of the fold. Be sure to stop 1/4" before you hit the fold. Your rectangle will now have a fringe-like appearance.
Step 3: Unfold the rectangle and wrap around your egg so the fringe is at the top and bottom of the egg. Using your brush, apply the decoupage glue where both sides of the paper meet to adhere to the egg.
Step 4: Start with just one piece of fringe and trim at an angle to create a pointed tip. Brush the trimmed strip with glue and press gently onto the egg, carefully smoothing out. Repeat this with every other piece of fringe all the way around the top and bottom of the egg. Use remaining pieces to fill in gaps and trim as necessary.
Step 5: Brush glue over the entire surface of the egg to seal and smooth out any bubbles.

Tip: The more eggs you do, the better you'll get at making them smooth. If some of your eggs don't turn out as smooth as you'd like, you can glue down extra pieces of decorative paper to cover up bubbles or bumps.

Project 3: Glitter Eggs

This sparkling spring craft is even easier than paper-covered eggs, and makes a fun activity for family and friends of all ages.

Gather Your Materials: You'll also be using wooden eggs for this craft. The only other items you'll need are: small sponge brushes, decoupage glue, glitter (a variety of spring-inspired colors), disposable containers and wax paper for drying. Fabric softener, bowls, doilies, plastic wrap.
Tip: Feel free to paint the eggs any color you desire prior to covering in glitter, in case a little bit of the wood peeks through. Simply paint eggs and let dry prior to your decorating party.

Step 1: Set up a decorating station by placing a small amount of decoupage glue in one disposable container and placing each glitter color in its own disposable container. Set out wax paper nearby for drying.
Step 2: Use the sponge brush to add a thin coating of decoupage glue all over the egg.
Step 3: Quickly roll the glue-covered egg in the glitter until completely coated. You can use small tongs or spoon glitter over the egg to help keep it off of your fingers.
Step 4: Place eggs on wax paper to dry for about an hour.

Tip: Get creative by coating half of your egg using one glitter color, and the other half in another.
Display your pretty eggs and baskets in your home throughout the spring season. You can also use them as table décor or gifts for the spring holiday next month.  This is explained very well at Home Made Simple