Easter egg decorating ideas range from the simple to the outright eggs– travagent.
Your ambition probably comes down to whether your eggs are for Easter decorations or you’re just looking for an Easter craft idea for the kids. Either way, there are plenty of decorating ideas that will allow all ages and skill levels to get involved in this popular Easter tradition.
From decoupage to negative printing, these Easter egg ideas will inspire you to get creative.
Ideas for decorating Easter eggs
If using real eggs make sure you are up to date with Easter egg decorating, otherwise foam or plastic eggs will work with many of these ideas.
1. Wrap Easter eggs in fabric
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Scrap fabric and spray glue or school glue are all you need to recreate this abstract idea. Cut a colorful piece of leftover fabric into strips 1 to 2 inches wide. Then spray the egg with glue (or brush on glue) and layer the strips until the egg is covered. This technique works for hard-boiled, Styrofoam, or plastic eggs.
If you don’t have leftover fabric, get creative with what you have on hand. “I love covering craft eggs with scraps of delicate floral fabric, but vintage lace can also look effective,” suggests style by Pippa Blenkinsop, Homes & Gardens Editor.
2. Decoupage Easter Eggs with Flower Stamps
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“For a pretty Easter decoration, paint craft eggs in pastels and decorate them with vintage flower stamps,” says Blenkinsop. For a more permanent solution, use decoupage medium (like Modge Podge) to seal the stamps. If you don’t have stamps handy, stickers or flower cutouts work well too.
3. Tattoo your Easter eggs
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Love the look of hand-painted Easter eggs but don’t exactly have artistic talent? This idea mimics the look of a hand painted Easter egg and couldn’t be simpler. Instead of paint, gather spring-themed temporary tattoos and apply them as you would to your skin: place the tattoo side down on the egg. Then press with a damp paper towel for 30 seconds and gently peel off the paper backing.
4. Recreate this herb-printed Easter egg decorating idea
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The secret to giving your Easter eggs a negative printed look: sheer fabric or tights. Simply place a fresh herb (leafy varieties like cilantro and parsley work well) on top of your egg and wrap the fabric or tights around it. Tie off the top and dip the egg in your paint.
No herbs on hand? Try small flowers, leaves, or clover.
5. Use a marker for modern Easter eggs
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Do you prefer neutral pastels? There is no need to dye your eggs at all. Instead, use a black marker, permanent marker, or small brush to draw linear shapes and abstract patterns onto your Easter eggs.
6. Tie the eggs with twine
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Make use of your Easter eggs by using them to determine place settings during Easter dinner. We printed guests’ names on simple cardstock labels, punched a hole in the end, and tied them around the eggs with twine.
7. Hand paint speckled Easter eggs
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Elevate the look of a plain dyed Easter egg with a speckled design. This nature-inspired look is easy to recreate. Once your eggs are painted or dyed (and dried!), use a toothbrush and brown paint to stamp a speckled pattern onto your eggs.
8. Dress up plastic Easter eggs
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This next Easter egg decorating idea is both pretty and functional. Once you’ve filled plastic eggs, use decorative washi tape to hold them closed while you add a pattern. Your eggs will look more festive and you don’t have to worry about them coming open.
9. Fill in hollowed out Easter eggs
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Hollowed eggs make a pretty, organic receptacle for wildflowers. “This is one of my favorite ways to decorate for Easter,” says Lucy Searle, Editor-in-Chief of Homes & Gardens. “I display eggshell vases in a collection of egg cups and place them in the center of my table.”
To make eggshell vases, tap the bottom of the egg on a counter and gently peel off the top. Then pour out the contents of the egg and rinse. Fill it with water and add your flowers.
10. Personalize your Easter eggs
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Use monogrammed Easter eggs as place card replacements during holiday meals. To make these oh-so-simple ones, simply add an iridescent letter sticker to each egg. Or, for extra points, draw the initials of each guest on an egg with glue and place the sequins on top with tweezers.
What can I decorate Easter eggs with?
What you use to decorate your Easter eggs will depend on the look you want and the time you want to devote to the process.
Easter eggs are most commonly decorated with simple dyes such as food coloring or color tabs dissolved in vinegar. If you have food coloring on hand, simply squeeze a few drops (at least 10) into 1/2 cup of hot water and add a tablespoon of vinegar, which will enhance the color. The more food coloring you add, the richer your colors will be, and different colors and shades can be made by mixing food coloring.
You can also make dyes from natural sources like beets, cabbage, and onions. To do this, boil the vegetables in water and leave for a few hours. Strain the liquid and mix with 1 tsp. vinegar per half cup of liquid. Turmeric and colored Jell-O powder can also be mixed directly into boiling water with a dash of vinegar to make coloring.
Coloring is not a requirement for decorating Easter eggs. Instead, you can use washi tap, scraps of fabric and glue, paper decals and decoupage medium, glitter or ribbon to decorate your Easter eggs.