Shake and Decorate an “Egg Plant”

04/02/2021

Shake and decorate hollowed-out Easter eggs, then save them as keepsakes to display from year to year as a whimsical “egg plant” centerpiece. The lovely eggs, together with other favorites, can be “blooming” out of a pretty Easter basket, a medium-size flowerpot or several mini containers lined down the center of your table or along a windowsill.
Here are three easy steps for an afternoon of fun:
1. BLOWING EGGS
To empty an egg, poke a small hole with a straight pin at each end of a washed raw egg. Carefully wiggle a toothpick or wooden skewer into one of the holes to break the yolk. Place a drinking straw over the hole on top, and blow through the straw, collecting the contents of the egg in a small dish. Rinse out the empty shell and let dry. Store in an empty egg carton until ready to use.
2. SHAKE AND DECORATE
First, poke wooden skewers into a chunk of floral foam. Set aside. Scoop several tablespoons of brightly colored sand (available at toy and craft stores) into a clear plastic sandwich bag. Squeeze household glue from a plastic bottle in a simple design, such as zigzags or an alphabet letter, onto a blown egg that is still white or dyed in a light color. Carefully set the egg in the plastic bag and close it lightly in your fist, keeping locked air inside. Gently shake the bag of sand to coat the glue on the egg to reveal the design you made. Remove the egg with your fingers and slip it onto one of the wooden skewers through the hole in the shell, making sure the skewer doesn’t go through the hole at the opposite end.
3. DISPLAY
Set the floral foam with skewers and decorated eggs in a flowerpot or Easter basket. Rearrange the skewers to balance the arrangement of budding egg “flowers.” Add other decorated eggs you might have saved from previous years. Cover the foam with green moss or colorful Easter paper grass.
Extra idea: This year I lined a medium-size Easter basket with plastic, scooped potting soil inside and sprinkled wheat grass seeds on top. I kept it damp until the seeds sprouted. The green grass grew tall with sunshine and watering in just 10 days.

Share with friends!

You might also like:

Stuffed French Toast For Family Gatherings

By Donna Erickson | 10/03/2024

  Make a weekend breakfast extra special with this stuffed French toast recipe featuring oranges and fresh pecans, which are abundant this time of year.  The whole family can participate in the preparation the night before, from beating eggs to spooning the cream cheese mixture into pockets in the French bread.  When you wake up…

Swedish Cinnamon Rolls

By Donna Erickson | 11/14/2023

Throughout Sweden, there are a variety of ways to make, shape and bake these delicious cinnamon rolls.  There is even a national Cinnamon Roll Day every October! I learned how to make them in friend Inger’s kitchen when I was teaching at a college in Jönköping. Inger always found a little job for my two…

Make An Apron For Kids With A Kitchen Towel

By Donna Erickson | 11/14/2023

  “Look, Mom, muddy hands!” This might be a familiar chorus you’ll be hearing as your kids dig into the joys of outdoor activities. Face it, kids and messes go hand in hand when it comes to being creative and having fun.    Let’s start with the kitchen, often referred to as “Mess Central” in…

A bundt cake

One-Step Lemon Bundt Cake

By Donna Erickson | 04/04/2022

Dog-eared recipes deserve some review now and then, and I’m glad I rediscovered this classic from my mom’s recipe box. It’s a never-fail, fabulous one-step pound cake that is a perfect “first” cake baking experience for kids. ​Read the recipe together, and let them search for the dry ingredients in the pantry, measuring cups from…

A tray of plants

Sprout Seeds Indoors In Eggshells

By Donna Erickson | 04/04/2022

Kids and dirt seem to have a natural attraction for one another. Why not promote a love for a favorite activity this season by giving children a chance for some responsibility and fun by messing with dirt, sprouting seeds and tending their own little plants indoors? They’ll give your family vegetable garden a head start…

Process of planting seeds

Make Seed-Starting Pots With Newspaper

By Donna Erickson | 04/04/2022

It’s growing season, an ideal time for your family to poke around and play in dirt. Begin indoors! Popular plants are easily started inside during spring months to give a jump-start to your summer garden. ​While many serious gardeners purchase seed-starting kits, you’ll discover with this kid-friendly activity that you can save money by making…

A flower vase with fake flowers

Stunning Tissue Paper Flower Bouquet

By Donna Erickson | 04/04/2022

You and your kids will be inspired to create a blooming bouquet of colorful paper flowers to celebrate the arrival of spring. In fact, these flowers can be enjoyed just about anytime and anywhere. ​You’ll only need basic items such as an empty cardboard egg carton, tissue paper from gift bags, some long, thick pipe…

A plant with colorful decorations

Force Branches Into Bloom

By Donna Erickson | 04/04/2022

Bring spring indoors, even if it’s just a handful of sticks, and look for new beginnings as you share your time and talents with those you love. Take a nature walk in your yard and look for young budding branches. With garden shears, clip off branches that are about 20 inches long. Good choices are…

Donna's Day

Bake Rustic Fruit Tart

By Donna Erickson | 08/23/2021

Opportunities for families to experience life’s simplest pleasures abound during summer’s final days. They take minimal planning and yield happy rewards. We enjoy impromptu evening bike rides, or a jaunt in the country to pick berries. On the return home, I choose juicy nectarines, peaches and plums at a roadside stand – a perfect combination…

Donna's Day

Watermelon’s Last Hurrah

By Donna Erickson | 08/23/2021

As summer wanes, I’m all for bringing on one last hurrah for watermelon. It’s such a convenient, “good for you” cool-down snack that quenches thirst and satisfies the sweet tooth, all in one. Refreshing with a squeeze of lime, or kicked up with a dusting of ground chili pepper and salt, it’s versatile and fun…

Posted in

Donna Erickson

DONNA ERICKSON

Donna's Day

Categories

Sign Up For My Newsletter