Create mosaic art using eggshells

#Middlebury

The day after Easter, like the days following many anticipated holidays or celebrations, feels anticlimactic. You might spot a lone jellybean the kids passed by during their frenzied Easter-egg hunt Sunday morning. The shredded paper grass from their Easter baskets reappears in nooks and crannies all over the house, and then there are those decorated hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator still waiting to be eaten. If “Easter egg salad” sandwiches are on your menu the week following Easter, save the colorful shells for a craft your older school-age kids will enjoy.

Here’s how to make beautiful mosaic art from dyed eggshells: On a newspaper-covered table, sort eggshells by color. Place in zipper-style plastic bags and let your kids smash the shells lightly with their fists. Remove from bags and set in piles. Also, mix some white household glue with a few drops of water in a small bowl.

Simple Collage
On a piece of heavy construction paper, paint a design with a brush dipped in the glue mixture. Sprinkle the shells on the glue design and press lightly. Your kids may want to add other art materials to the project, such as cutout felt, feathers, uncooked macaroni, sequins and glitter. If you have been on a spring nature walk, add collected small, lightweight “finds” such as tiny smooth pebbles and pieces of twigs or pods. Add more glue solution when needed. Set the picture aside to dry before displaying.

Create mosaic art using eggshells.

Colorful Picture
Draw a picture with a marker or pencil on a piece of cardboard. The plain side of cardboard from an empty cereal box is perfect. You may want to draw a fish, a bird, geometric shape or a team logo. Glue dark yarn around the outline of the drawing, if you wish. Let dry.

Brush glue in the empty spaces. Press bits of colored eggshells, one at a time, on the glue to fill in the spaces. You also might want to add lentils, seeds or small dried beans in different colors. If the drawing is large, your child may wish to work on it in stages and come back to a different section at a later time.

Set the completed mosaic aside to dry before displaying it on a plate rack.

Donna Erickson’s award-winning series “Donna’s Day” airs on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.com and link to the NEW Donna’s Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is “Donna Erickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.”

© 2019 Donna Erickson
Distributed by King Features Synd.