Au Naturale Mosaic Eggs

Designed and Decorated by Cheryl Ball

The perfect springtime project for those inspired to use natural elements in their creativity and their everyday lives. Aleene’s® Quick Dry Tacky Glue™ helps you tap into your refrigerator – and your imagination – to decorate these au naturale, delightfully colorful eggs!

Materials List

• Aleene’s® Quick Dry Tacky Glue™
  
  

• Miscellaneous

  •   Purple cabbage – one head
  •   Excelsior – natural or colored
  •   Turmeric spice
  •   White vinegar
  •   Paper towels
  •   Beets – 3
  •   Eggs – 2 per color
  •   Scissors
  •   Twigs
  •   Tongs
  •   Wood eggs – natural or painted
  •   Silk leaves
  •   Newspaper
  •   Measuring cup
  •   Cooling rack 

  Instructions

  1. The color for each egg is derived from a natural source. Pink from beets, yellow from Turmeric and blue from purple cabbage.
  2. Boil six eggs until hardboiled then dry with paper towels.
  3. Cover work surface with several layers of newspaper then a few paper towels – the dyes are very strong and may dye kitchen surroundings. Place cooling rack over paper.

  PINK:
  1. Cut up beets into chunks and place in pot. Cover with water then add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar.
  2. Let boil 30 minutes then strain out beets and let reserved liquid cool.
  3. Place two dry hardboiled eggs in dye and let sit to desired intensity of color.
  4. Remove eggs with tongs and let dry on cooling rack.
  BLUE:
  

  1. Cut up half a head of purple cabbage and place in large pan. Cover with water and add ¼ cup white vinegar. Let boil for 30 minutes then strain out cabbage and reserve liquid.
  2. Place two dry hardboiled eggs in dye and let sit to desired color.
  3. Remove eggs with tongs and place on rack to dry.

  TURMERIC:
  

  1. Place 3 cups water in non-stick pan. Add 2 tablespoons of Turmeric and bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer about 15 minutes.
  2. Take off heat and let cool.
  3. Pour liquid into measuring cup.
  4. Place two hardboiled eggs in dye and let set to desired color.
  5. Remove eggs with tongs and place on rack to dry.

  Assembly of eggs:
  

  1. Select two eggs of the same color to begin working with. Crack eggshells and peel off in large sections if possible. Place on paper towel. Repeat for other colors of eggs.
  2. Carefully peel shell pieces from inner membrane and place on paper towel.
  3. Determine design for each egg – gradation of color, center stripe or dots – or any design of choice.
  4. Select colored shells you would like to begin working with. Working in small sections at a time, use tip of bottle to apply a thin layer of Aleene’s® Quick Dry Tacky Glue™ on wood egg. Place shell in glue and press lightly to secure. Continue with next piece, placing right next to last but leaving a very thin gap between. Refer to photo. Continue process for entire egg, adding different intensity of color for each design. Repeat step for all eggs. Let dry.
  5. Nest – Use hands to form a nest from excelsior, pressing tightly so it will stay together. Add Quick Dry Tacky Glue™ to ends of twigs and insert into nest as shown. Pull plastic backing from silk leaves then glue leaves in place at tips of twigs. Let dry.

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