This week we started doing artwork and projects geared toward Easter, as it is just around the corner. All three kids helped make hanging Easter eggs for the playroom. These eggs have a stained glass look, using tissue paper, acrylic paint, self laminating sheets/pouches, glue and egg cutouts from Michaels. The great thing about this project is that even small children can do it. Charlie and Alex were able to pick up little pieces of tissue paper and place them on the sticky part of the laminating sheet/pouches. They even pressed down and smoothed out each piece of tissue. My boys just turned two in December (two months ago), so this really is an art project very small children can do. Brielle enjoyed this little project too!

IMG_8224

 

IMG_8262

Here is how we made these bright colorful Easter eggs to hang in our playroom. They can also be hung in a window, as the light going through makes it look very pretty.

Step 1: I gathered supplies from around the house and purchased the rest of the supplies from the Dollar Tree and Michaels.

25 pack of tissue paper (although we only used a few sheets): $1 from the Dollar Tree

Crafting glue from the Dollar Tree. I purchased two packs, but to make all three of our Easter Eggs I didn’t even use one full container and I was quite generous when using the glue. I like this glue from the Dollar Tree. I have used it for a variety of projects and it works really well. It may not cost much ($1), but it sure works great!

IMG_8245

I purchased 6 wood cutouts from Michaels. I purchased 6, so that they could be glued together with the tissue artwork between two pieces. I was able to make 3 total using the 6 cutouts. These cutouts were regular priced at Michaels for $1.99, however everything was 25% off in the Easter area.

IMG_8190

We already have a bin of acrylic paint and paintbrushes at our house, so I simply selected colors that matched the tissue paper colors we used. Of course, they were Easter colors.

To make the inside of the eggs I used self laminating sheets/pouches. I had these in our home office left over from an old project. I only used 3 sheets- one for each Easter egg. These self-laminating sheets/pouches do not need a laminating machine. You just open it up and peel off the instruction sheet to reveal the sticky part.

IMG_8193

Step 2: I traced the egg shape onto the laminating pouches and cut out the eggs.

When I did this I made sure the edge of the pouch remained in tact on one side of the egg, so that after the tissue paper was applied I could easily close the pouch. It opens like a booklet, so where it connects at the corner/middle of the booklet, I kept the side uncut for at least part of that edge of the egg. You want to make sure you don’t cut the booklet into two separate pieces, otherwise it will be hard to put them together. Keeping it in a booklet, even with the egg shape, makes it very easy to seal together after the kids put on the tissue paper. See my example photos below. I used a sharpie on the outline.

Step 3: I cut the tissue paper.

I cut up three different sheets of tissue paper. The colors I used were pink, green, and yellow. You can use more of course. The Dollar Tree sells 25 sheet packs for $1 and the pastel pack comes with more colors than three. I simply chose three, as I knew we wouldn’t even use three full sheets of the cut up tissue. You can use a scissor, but if you have a paper cutter it goes much more quickly. It took me about 2 minutes to get it all cut into small squares and rectangles. Just make sure to keep the paper cutter out of reach of small hands!

Step 4: I peeled off the instruction sheet on the laminating pouches and then let the kids apply the tissue however they wanted.

Just make sure they don’t close the pouch before all the tissue is applied. Once it is closed it can’t easily be opened again. After they placed all the tissue paper I then closed the pouch and sealed it by pressing firmly around the edges.

Step 5: I painted the egg cutouts and then glued them together.

I painted the eggs after the kids went to bed. If you have older children they can easily paint the wood egg cutouts. After the paint dried I placed one of the inside of the eggs (the tissue artwork) between two wood eggs and trimmed off the excess. I then glued all three layers together: wood egg cutout, tissue artwork in the laminating pouch, and then another wood egg cutout to hold it all together. The wood pieces came with holes drilled on the top and a ribbon. I cut off the ribbons. I made sure the holes aligned so I could hang them up once they were complete. .

IMG_8243

Step 6: I hung the eggs from the playroom ceiling using 3M wire hooks and ribbon. 

I have experience using these in the pasts, as I hung canopies above the twins’ cribs using these simple little hooks. When removed they don’t damage the ceiling and they don’t leave a residue. Of course I have a bin in my pantry of 3M hooks! 

The kids love the Easter eggs hanging in their playroom. They love them because they made them!

The kids love the Easter eggs hanging in their playroom. They love them because they made them!

This is an easy art project to complete. The best part about it is that they can easily be stored laying flat in our Easter storage bin. That way we can bring them out for years to come to make our house look festive for Easter. They are study too, as they are made from wood, so they will last longer than most of the paper and construction paper projects that kids often make.