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Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Easter Egg Dioramas







Well...you know me I'm a sucker for a diorama...I love Easter Egg ones especially. I always wanted one as a child..now I make my own and so do the kids.

They are not hard to do you just need to think ahead as the paper mache takes a few days to dry.

Materials Required:

Paper mache part:

balloons
paper towels
white school glue
toilet paper roll
scissors
wax paper

Decorating Part:

acrylic paint
paint brush
thin cardboard
scissors
glue or glue gun
glitter glue
any extra embellishments from around the house
ribbon





Take your balloons...just your regular round ones...and blow them up just a bit. They will be egg shaped. I found you only want them to be about 5-6 inches high.


Another good hint is don't use white ones...the white make it difficult to determine how many layers of paper mache you have done.


Mix your white glue with an equal amount of water in a recycled container.

Rip up some paper towels into strips and start paper maching. We use paper towel as it soaks up the glue mix really well (less mess) and it also gives us a white base for easier painting.

You want to put on several layers but leave some of the balloon exposed on one side. Place on wax paper and let dry. You will have to turn it to get all sides to dry...it will take a couple of days.




If you want your egg diorama to stand..like on a mantel...take a toilet paper roll and cut off a ring about 1-2 inches high.




Wrap this ring in some layers of paper mache as well.

Place on wax paper and let dry...don't attach to your egg right now.






When your egg has dried cut out the window by using scissors. Go thru the side where you left the balloon exposed.




Cut a good window shape. Now you could decorate your diorama this way......






or this way you decide.




Start painting the inside first. I'm using a sky blue as I'm setting my scene outdoors.



You can paint your ground as well.




While I'm waiting for the inside to dry I started on the outside. Decorate anyway you wish.




When the inside is dry you can add more details.






Add some glitter if you wish.








Figure out what characters you want to set in your scene. Draw them out and cut them out of thin cardboard. (a cereal box works great). Make sure to add a tab at the bottom...you will bend this back at the end and glue into your egg.










Paint, color and decorate your figures. I painted mine with acrylic, added some fine marker for details, and glued on a pompom for the tail.





I found a small basket and glued in some tiny pompoms for eggs.



I added some embellishments on the outside and then glued the rabbit and basket into place with the glue gun.
If you want them to hang poke a hole into the top and thread a ribbon thru....If you want it to stand paint your paper mached ring to match and then glue into place...check first to see where the egg sits the best before gluing.









That's it. Make a bunch...your kids will have lots of ideas...we're still working on ours...one is a house with little windows and everything.










see you next time
gail


10 comments:

  1. Nice job on the eggs. I did Ukranian eggs with a friend years ago. It is very hard to get them symmetrical and nice. You did a great job. I do love them.
    Linda

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  2. I would like to link your site...terrific ideas! Gorgeous eggs.

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  3. Linda and Heleen: Thank you very much for your comments, they are greatly appreciated.
    Roseanna Bogley: Please feel free to link...your blog looks great, I love the nest, wish I was a knitter.

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  4. I love the eggs. I will have to try making them with my kids. I really enjoy your blog. I have given you an award on my blog. Thanks for all the great ideas.

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  5. It's such a clever little work of art. Well done. I'll have to pass on this idea to some friends.
    ciao,
    Elena :)

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  6. awe some ideas gail.it was really cool

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  7. Well done Gail!

    I work mostly with chicken eggs, your work inspires me to try something larger and less fragile.

    Really nice job on the instructions.

    Thanks for sharing,
    Dory

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  8. I very like this Easter diorama. So we did with Evunia similar:)

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  9. This is a great site. I have been using it since before xmas and find your ideas very creative. Thanks so much. I have an art background but sometimes "keeping it simple" is the hardest thing to do -esp for a Kindergarten teacher!!!! (and you ARE right - always take the time to tape around your paintings - the white edges are so artistic and so "finished")

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