Eggs, Eggs, Eggs

This week my art classes made decoupaged Easter eggs. The girls blew out about 45 eggs to use in class. We used decoupage, tissue paper and thinned glue. I mix up regular glue with water (50/50) in an old glue bottle (Elmer's type works fine) and squeeze some out onto a plate or old lid for every two kids to share. The kids dip their middle fingertip into the glue and rub it onto the egg where they want to place the tissue paper. Then they have their pointer and thumb fingers clean for ripping and placing bits of paper. I also set several wet rags around the table for people to wipe off their hands as needed.

We talked about Easter and new life, and about symbols of new life. Rabbits, butterflies, seeds, flowers, lambs, eggs and the cross are all signs of new life. I had small squares of tissue paper cut, and I gave the kids a quick lesson on cutting shapes. Since tissue paper is so thin, it is easy to cut multiples of any shape by folding and/or layering the paper before cutting out a shape. I copied around a dime and cut out a batch of dots to use on an egg.

Each student was allowed to do two eggs. I had plastic plates for them to work on, which they labelled with sharpies. After covering their eggs in tissue paper, the kids brought them over to a decoupage station I set up. We gave each egg a thin coat of decoupage. We used plain decoupage, (Modge Podge), but glitter podge is also nice for this art/craft project. You could sprinkle loose glitter on before the decoupage dries too. When done, we set the egg plates in the hallway to dry until the day was over. I periodically went out and turned each egg over so they dried more evenly and quickly without sticking to the plates. I have done this project other years in my classes and it is always a hit.

Here is how the table looked after both classes were done. (below) I stepped across the hall to Mrs. S's class and saw that they were doing these great tessellated eggs.

And when classes were over for the day, L and M brought me the cool clay eggs they made in Mrs. B-H's class. They made polymer clay canes then sliced them to make tiles to cover blank wooden eggs. Mrs. B-H baked the eggs according to package directions and her classes got to take home a great Easter project. Here is a good page for clay cane tutorials.