Introduction: How to Make and Operate Confetti Eggs
The confetti egg tradition began in France. During Easter celebrations, men and women would smash these eggs onto the head of a potential romantic interest, and if the feeling was mutual, then the couple would "hook up." The custom moved over the Atlantic to Mexico, and the sexual connotation was lost, and cracking an egg on someone's head was a general sign of playful affection. Our family has adapted this Easter tradition to be more environmentally friendly, replacing the confetti with birdseed. It's a great addition to any Easter egg hunt, especially for high energy little kids who like to play tricks on their elders. Enjoy!
Note: Both the making and breaking of confetti eggs are messy, but completely safe for anyone over 2 years old. Using birdseed cuts down on the mess, since it doesn't stick around as long as confetti. Definitely an OUTSIDE activity!
Note: Both the making and breaking of confetti eggs are messy, but completely safe for anyone over 2 years old. Using birdseed cuts down on the mess, since it doesn't stick around as long as confetti. Definitely an OUTSIDE activity!
Step 1: To Begin
Take a raw egg and use a pin to poke a small hole in the bottom. Break away the shell until you can fit the tip of your little finger into the hole.
Step 2: Preparing the Egg
Dump out the contents of the egg, and rinse out the egg shell. You can wipe the shell dry (carefully!) and draw with a crayon (again, carefully) before the next step to create an interesting effect.
*The green egg you see here demonstrates the kind of effect that you can get using a crayon after the dyeing process is completed
*The green egg you see here demonstrates the kind of effect that you can get using a crayon after the dyeing process is completed
Step 3: Dyeing
Dye the egg. For bright colors, put 1/2 cup of warm water and 1 tbs. of white wine vinegar into a cup and add 10 drops of food coloring. Leave the egg in for a few minutes for the best effect.
Place the eggshell upside-down in an egg carton over a paper towel and let the inside dry.
*Food coloring is an easy and permanent color choice. Egg dyeing kits come with less permanent options for younger, or messier, DIY-ers to use.
*Using the tool that comes with egg dyeing kits can be useful for keeping your hands clean when removing the egg, but the metal can scratch the delicate surface and affect the final appearance of the egg.
Place the eggshell upside-down in an egg carton over a paper towel and let the inside dry.
*Food coloring is an easy and permanent color choice. Egg dyeing kits come with less permanent options for younger, or messier, DIY-ers to use.
*Using the tool that comes with egg dyeing kits can be useful for keeping your hands clean when removing the egg, but the metal can scratch the delicate surface and affect the final appearance of the egg.
Step 4: Filling and Decorating
Fill the egg halfway or more with birdseed.
Glue a piece of tissue paper over the hole to seal it.
Have fun decorating! You can use puffy paint, acrylic paint, gilding, rhinestones, stickers...anything you can think of.
Glue a piece of tissue paper over the hole to seal it.
Have fun decorating! You can use puffy paint, acrylic paint, gilding, rhinestones, stickers...anything you can think of.
Step 5: Enjoy!
Crack the egg over the head of a loved one to show how much you care.
*Use plenty of force on the first try (though not so much as to hurt them), since repeated tapping gets annoying pretty quickly.
*Use plenty of force on the first try (though not so much as to hurt them), since repeated tapping gets annoying pretty quickly.