How to Make Papier Mâché Eggs

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Papier-mâché eggs are both easy and fun to make. You can paint them bright colors and use them as Easter decorations, or you can paint them to look like real wild bird eggs and display them in your room. They do take a few days to dry, but they are a great, hands-on activity, which many children love. When you are finished, you can even fill them with candies, and crack them open later!

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Making Basic Eggs

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  1. The cup will prevent the balloon from rolling away while you work.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make Papier Mâché Eggs
    This will be your papier-mâché glue.
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make Papier Mâché Eggs
    Newspaper works best, but you can also use plain newsprint paper from the craft store instead. Don't cut the paper; the ragged edges will help the paper seal together and give you a smoother finish.
    • Consider using both newspaper and tissue paper. This way, when you do multiple layers, you will be able to see which one you are working on.
    • Avoid using plain printer paper or construction paper. Both are too thick and too stiff for this project.
    • You can also use gauze strips for your project.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make Papier Mâché Eggs
    Drag the strip across the edge of the bowl as you pull it out. This will remove any excess glue. Place it down near the top of the balloon. Use your fingers or a paintbrush to smooth the paper down so that it lays flat against the balloon.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Make Papier Mâché Eggs
    Overlap the strips slightly as you work from one end of the balloon to the other. Work your way from the top of the balloon all the way down to the tail end. Do not cover the tail, or you won't be able to remove the balloon.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Make Papier Mâché Eggs
    You don't have to dip these strips of paper into the glue. Simply stick them to the wet paper that's already on the balloon, and use your fingers or a paintbrush to smooth down the edges.
    • Consider using a tissue paper or plain newsprint for this layer. This way, you will be able to see what's cover and what isn't.
    • Two layers is ideal for eggs that you want to cut open. If you want a sturdier egg, apply a third layer. You may have to use some extra glue for this one.
  7. Use a clothespin to clip the balloon to a hanger or clothesline. Wait for it to dry completely before moving on. It may take up to 2 or 3 days.
  8. Once the egg is completely dry, gently tug the balloon tail up so that you expose a bit of the balloon. Pierce it with a pin or pair of scissors and wait for the balloon to deflate. Once it is completely deflated, pull it out and discard it.
  9. Watermark wikiHow to Make Papier Mâché Eggs
    Use the same technique as you did for the rest of your egg. If you wish to fill your egg, then do so before covering up the hole.
  10. To make the paint really stand out, coat the entire egg using white primer and let it dry. Once you have your white base, you can paint your egg any color you want.
    • You can also add embellishments like rhinestones and feathers to your papier mâché project.
  11. Once your base color has dried, you can paint designs onto it. You can also draw designs using glitter glue or puffy paints instead.
    • Great Easter designs include: stripes, dots, and squiggles. Try to use soft, pastel colors.
  12. Once all the paint has dried, spray or paint the eggs with a glossy sealer. You can even use a glittery sealer to give it some extra sparkle.This will help make them more durable.
    • If you'd like, you can cut the egg in half using jagged, zigzag lines so that it resembles a cracked open egg. When you are done, you can fill each half with fake grass, and place a little chick or bunny figure in each.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Making Tissue Paper Eggs

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  1. The cup will hold the balloon sturdy while you work.
  2. 2
    Pour some liquid starch or decoupage glue into a bowl. You can also mix your own glue by using 2 parts white school glue and 1 part water.
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Watermark wikiHow to Make Papier Mâché Eggs
  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make Papier Mâché Eggs
    This will make the base for your egg. One sheet will be enough to coat three eggs.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make Papier Mâché Eggs
    This will make the outside of your egg. You can make it all one color or many different colors. Some crafters have noted that lighter colored tissue paper, such as yellow, shows the layering and overlapping more.
    • To make polka dot eggs, punch a ¾-inch (1.91 centimeters) circle in the center of your square using a scrapbooking hole punch. Discard the circles, and use the squares so that you get white polkadots on your egg.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make Papier Mâché Eggs
    Brush on some of your glue onto the balloon, and press a piece of white tissue paper onto it. Smooth it down with a brush dipped in more glue. Overlap the pieces as you cover the entire egg.
    • Start applying the tissue paper at the top of the balloon and work your way towards the tail. Don't cover the tail up. [1]
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make Papier Mâché Eggs
    If the tissue paper on the balloon is already damp, you do not need to apply more glue. Simply press a piece of colored tissue paper onto it, and smooth it down with a little more glue. [2] Remember to overlap the pieces by a little.
    • If you are making polka dotted eggs, be careful not to cover up the white polka dots!
  5. You can do this by clipping the tail of the balloon to a hanger or to a clothesline. This can take 2 to 3 days.
  6. Make sure that the balloon is completely dry, then gently tug on the balloon tail until you expose a bit of the balloon. Pierce the balloon with a pin or a pair of scissors. Wait for the balloon to deflate, then pull it out and discard it.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Make Papier Mâché Eggs
    Small candies, such as chocolate eggs, work great! Be careful not to overfill the egg; it is still very fragile. If you do not wish to fill your egg, you can move onto the next step.
  8. Watermark wikiHow to Make Papier Mâché Eggs
    [3] Use the same technique as you did when first covering the egg. Let the patch covering the hole dry before moving on.
    • Because these eggs are made from colorful tissue paper, they don't need to be painted. You can still decorate them, however, with glitter glue if you'd like.
  9. To open the eggs, simply tear them apart. They make great gifts for Easter baskets!
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Can I fill a paper mache creation with something to make it heavier?
    OKcowgirl03
    Community Answer
    Sure! Candy works well if you want it to be like a pinata.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 12
  • Question
    Which one is stronger?
    Elliote Smoke
    Community Answer
    Method 1 will give you a stronger, more durable result, as newspaper is thicker than tissue paper.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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  • Question
    Which method is better to create the eggs?
    Elliote Smoke
    Community Answer
    It depends on what you are looking for. The 1st method is better for making stronger eggs, for example, to put heavier objects in. However, the 2nd method is better if you want to put candy in, as they are much easier to open up, especially for children. If you're thinking of using them for decorations, method 2 would make for prettier, delicate decorations indoors, but method 1 is more advisable for outdoor decorations as the eggs will be more durable against the weather.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      Tips

      • For a vintage design, use newspaper and don't paint the eggs. Instead, give them a coat of glossy varnish.
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      • You should tear newspaper and newsprint, but you don't have to tear tissue paper.
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      • You can also do this project using regular balloons as well, but it will take more time to dry.
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      Warnings

      • Do not get impatient when it comes to drying. The papier-mâché must be completely dry before you remove the balloon. If you remove it too soon, the whole egg will collapse!
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      Things You'll Need

      Making Basic Eggs

      • Water balloon
      • Newspaper
      • Paintbrush
      • Water
      • White school glue
      • Small cup
      • Scissors
      • Clothespin

      Making Tissue Paper Eggs

      • Water balloon
      • White tissue paper
      • Colorful tissue paper
      • Paintbrush
      • Liquid laundry starch or decoupage glue
      • Small cup
      • Scissors
      • Clothespin


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      References

      1. ↑ https://helloglow.co/diyconfetti-eggs/
      2. ↑ https://helloglow.co/diyconfetti-eggs/
      3. ↑ https://helloglow.co/diyconfetti-eggs/

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      • Sherry McFall

        Jan 19, 2017

        "I teach crafts at Sunday school and needed to know if I had to use newspaper first before using colored tissue ..." more
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