Egg-citing Ideas For Easter
Create unusual eggs for a delightful and spirited centerpiece for the holiday table.
Marbleize
For sophisticated egg dyers there's a kit for marbleizing gorgeous eggs in minutes. And they're edible! Use one color for each egg rather than the multi-colors the kids will surely find appealing. Fill a beautiful porcelain or ceramic dish with these eggs rather than placing them on a bed of green "grass" as in the usual Easter basket. Add mismatched floral napkins to the table for a spring-like bouquet. Remnants of fabrics are great for making napkin squares.
Tie Dyed
The plain, old-fashioned egg dyes are always reliable and the colors are brilliant. Nothing says Easter like those bright fuschia, electric blue and passionate purple colors. Use these colors for a tie-dye effect. Before dipping each egg into the dye, wrap it with string. Just wrap the string around the egg one way, then the other and around again in another direction and tie, leaving a length of string for dunking. Dip the egg into the dye as usual, then remove. Let dry and when the string is removed these areas will be white. Or, you can wrap the egg with crisscrossing rubber bands (carefully) for the same effect.
Sponge-It!
For a sponging technique without paint or dyes, wad up a piece of colored tissue paper, dampen and dab onto the egg. The color will come off giving the white egg a dappled, delicate sponging effect. Let it dry before handling.
A Blooming Basket
Once you've got the eggs decorated you'll need a container for the centerpiece. Take a plain loose-weave basket and weave flowers and ribbons in and out of the reeds around the base and through the handles. Freesia and honeysuckle are nice with daffodils, daisies and roses Gracefully wind vines of ivy along the top rim of the basket and around the handle. Insert sprigs of airy filler like baby's breath behind the flowers. Fill the basket with a lace doily or napkin and some greens. Then arrange chocolate bunnies in the basket with the eggs.
Copyright Leslie Linsley, author
Reprinted with permission, HouseNet, Inc.