I love washi paper! It’s so colourful and can be used for so many different things! I am careful with the sheets I brought back from Japan with me and I keep the pieces cut off from other crafts. Making a washi paper Easter egg has long been on my list of things to do. Our family has been having such fun immersing ourselves in the Japanese culture over the past three weeks I thought this was the time to try it out.
I thought this lovely red-themed washi paper was great for the colours of spring. Of course, you don’t have to use washi paper, you could use gift wrap, scrapbooking paper, or your child’s artwork for an extra-special touch.
You could do this with a blown-out egg, but I chose to use a styrofoam egg to make it less fragile. I’m not worried about the kids breaking it-but rather my own clumsy self!
I cut a piece of the washi paper that was just a little bit longer than the egg and wide enough to fit around it.
Then I cut a ‘fringe’ along the top and bottom of the paper, leaving the middle of the strip solid.
My next step was to mix some white glue with a little water to make a diy mod podge. I spread the mixture on the back side of the washi paper and then carefully rolled the solid middle part of the paper around the middle of the egg.
Then I curved over the fringe pieces one at a time lying them flat against the egg until all of the strips were nice and flat. I repeated this process with the other side of the egg. I then added some more Mod-Podge to the entire outside of the egg to give it a nice sheen and to help hold the paper all in place nicely. I used a tea light candle holder wrapped in tin foil to keep my egg up off of the counter until it was completely dry.
This is my result:
I think a bowl full of washi paper Easter eggs would make a beautiful centre piece (note to self: keep a look out for a pretty clear glass bowl in the second-hand shops!). Or to hang this egg from an Easter tree, I will screw in an eye hook from an old picture hanging kit we have in the attic.
The most difficult thing about this project was smoothing down the fringe. While I was doing this craft, the children were having a ball finger painting and turning themselves green! This craft might be a little too difficult yet for our 3.75-year-old without a little help, but I think our 6-year-old could manage it alone. I haven’t yet put the eggs and glue away so we’ll find out soon one rainy afternoon.
The next thing on my wish-list is an Easter tree…that will be next year’s big project!
If you’re looking for more inspiration, click over to our pages on Easter ideas and multicultural activities.
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