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An Easter Egg made of Papier Maché (or paper mache) is a lovely way to create a very special (but easy) container for all those Easter chocolate rabbits, eggs or other sweet treats.

What you need:

•  Balloons
•  Glue – homemade or store bought and watered down
•  Paper – newspaper, tissue, gift wrap, specialty paper, etc.
•  Decorative items such as beads, lace, etc.
•  Paint and brushes
•  Newspaper or a plastic drop cloth to cover the work area

The Basics

First the Glue. The glues used vary according to who you ask, but one very simple glue is to mix one part water with three parts white glue.  Or you could use full strength liquid starch for your papier maché paste.

Then there is this version of papier maché paste – five parts water to one part flour plus 3-4 teaspoons of salt, boil for 3-4 minutes.  (The salt deters the development of mold.)  Stir the mixture until its smooth.  Let it cool completely before using.  If it sets up too quickly, just add a bit of water an mix well.

Tip: Before you make the glue, be sure you have all of the newspaper (or whatever paper you will be using) torn into 1 inch wide strips.  They can be as long as you like but 6-8 inches long is probably the easiest to work with.  You can use other types of paper like colored tissue paper, gift wrapping paper, handmade paper, magazines torn into strips, even brown paper bags can be used for some projects.

Decorative items such as glitter, beads, feathers, lace, ribbon, fabric etc. can be used to decorate the egg once it has dried completely.  You’ll also need craft paints and brushes.

Instructions:

a)      Blow up your balloon to the size required, tie the end to keep it at that size and rest it on a bowl or some sort of stand.

b)      Dip one strip of paper into the glue and get it quite wet on each side. With your fingers wipe off any excess glue and place the strip on the balloon, gently smoothing it down, but be careful not to tear the paper.

c)      Working fairly rapidly, add strips of paper, overlapping them as you go. When you’ve completely covered the balloon, decide which side will be the bottom half and make a flat area for it to sit without rolling.  Put it in a cool, well ventilated area and let it dry for about 24 hours.

d)      Repeat steps a) and b) at least two additional times to build three or more layers of paper on the balloon.  Be sure to allow it to dry for 24 hours before putting another layer on.   Add more layers until you have the thickness you require.  Don’t forget to keep the flat spot on the bottom after each layer – you’ll want it to sit flat when finished.

e)      Once the balloon has the necessary layers and is completely dry, use a pencil to draw a line around the middle of the balloon, then using a very sharp knife, carefully cut the shape in half length-wise, pop the balloon and discard that.  Now you should have a top and bottom to your egg.

f)        At this point you can cover the egg with paint and/or fabric inside and out, using a good craft glue to secure the fabric.  Make sure the fabric is smoothed over the shape to get rid of bubbles.

g)      Whether you are decorating the egg with paint or fabric, be sure to let it dry completely before adding other touches like lace, beads, glitter or anything else that takes your fancy.

h)      Fill with Easter “grass” or shredded paper and chocolates etc. then tie with a pretty ribbon to hold it together or fill and wrap only one section with cellophane and tie with a ribbon.  Using homemade chocolates adds a extra special touch.

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