Elegant Easter eggs

Hands-on time: Less than an hour.
Total time: Craft air-dries in three to 12 hours.
Skill: Easy and child-friendly.
Cost: Less than $15 for the supplies (enough to decorate several dozen eggs and other projects).

Materials and Tools

• Six eggs (wooden, hard Styrofoam or papier mache)
• White acrylic paint for the base coat
• Liquid Rainbow paints by DecoArt in assorted colours (I used Tropical Turquoise, Fuchsia, Great Grape, Lemon Lime and Primary Blue)
• Paint tray
• Blotter paper
• Egg holders (or use the base of tea-lights or an egg carton)
• Paintbrush, flat feathered rake comb tip, 6mm to 13mm (Royal Soft-Grip No. SG 930)
• A container of water (to clean the paintbrush between each colour application)
• Paper towels
• Feathers, decorative pebbles, shredded paper and short clear glass vases (optional)

Announce the arrival of spring with elegant feathered-looking Easter eggs. You will treasure these multi-coloured decorations for years to come.

The secret to achieving the feathered finish is in the paintbrush and type of paint used. It's easy to create a basket weave design using the irregular bristles of a feathered flat brush. The Liquid Rainbow paint in assorted bright colours will provide a high-gloss finish.

To start the textured finish, put assorted paint colours in a tray. Have a container of water and some paper towels at hand to clean the brush between each colour application.

Apply a base coat of white acrylic paint to all the craft eggs and let them dry on egg holders. You can also use the metal base of tea-light candles or an egg carton (turned upside down).

Dip the brush into one colour and remove excess paint on blotter paper. Apply light, short strokes randomly around the surface of the egg. Clean the brush and apply a second colour using strokes going in the opposite direction. Overlap each additional colour, alternating the direction of the brush strokes. Once the eggs are completed, set them aside to air dry for three to 12 hours. Since the paints have a glossy finish, there is no need to apply a varnish topcoat.

Display your eggs in a cheerful arrangement. Line the bottom of glass vases with decorative pebbles, add a layer of shredded coloured paper and top off with a few eggs and a couple of feathers.

Tip

• Inserting a small stick or twig into Styrofoam eggs will make it easier to paint them. Once the eggs are painted, you can place the sticks in a square Styrofoam base to let them dry.

Variations

• To give your eggs glam appeal, apply a topcoat of Liquid Rainbow shimmering or glitter paint. Easter eggs can also be marbled, striped, sponged, speckled, pearlized and crackled. They can be adorned with embellishments that you have around your home, such as sequins, ribbons, lace remnants, sparkles, seed beads and even buttons.
• An idea for place settings: Using the paint directly from the nozzle-tip applicator, write a personal message or a person's name on the painted eggs. Once dry, place an egg in a small nest made of shredded paper or in an egg cup for each dinner guest.