How Not To Decoupage Easter Eggs With Napkins

Decoupaging faux Easter eggs with napkins is easy right?  Think again. It's harder than it seems.

Here's my experience and what I did instead to get beautifully decorated eggs without the mess.



Last year, motivated by all the creativity I see on online, I made a sweet carrot garland and this year, this week actually, I whipped up another note card banner for my hood.

Actually, since I originally wrote this post, I've made a lot more Easter crafts including my:

• Dollar Tree Tin Tile Bunny Wreath
• Greeting Card Easter Banner
• Button Tail Bunny Banner
• Bunny Brunch Stickers

But way back then, I was so impressed with the two projects I had, I decided to raise the bar just a little bit higher and try some of those pretty decoupage napkin Easter eggs. 

I figured, how hard could they be?

Well, let me tell you...too hard for me, that's for sure.

No, let me correct myself. They weren't too hard.

Just way too labor intensive and time consuming for this hit and run craft girl.

This was my experience.

How {Not} To Decoupage Faux Eggs With Napkins

Ok, so this is a long story and it's a bit of a wandering tale, because what I tried first didn't work and what I did second wasn't much better. 

Turns out third - and ultimately fourth - time was the charm.

Supplies for my egg craft:

• Faux Easter eggs
• Pretty Napkins
• Glue
• Egg Whites
• Foam Brush
  
• Paint

Here's where I started:

I grabbed a few brown paper mache eggs from the craft store.

Back in 2015, I couldn't find any white plastic ones, of course now they're everywhere. So I would chose those today.

However, that meant that I wasn't going to be able to cut the flowers out individually and add them to my brown eggs for that sweet dainty look I adore, but I wanted decorative eggs with staying power.

And I wasn't blowing out any yolks, so I went with the best faux I could find.

They were on sale, too, less than a dollar a pack.

Next, I chose a napkin pattern.

I picked up two packages of floral napkins from the clearance aisle, as well. I could've gone with a pastel pattern, but I do love to decorate with red.

And these fit right in.

Then I chose my decoupage medium.

I was going to use Mod Podge, but I don't always like the smell. Several websites suggested using an egg white as your medium, so I went with that.

Glue...au natural.

Spoiler alert. It doesn't work.


It all started out rather well.

I just brushed the egg white onto the egg, tore some paper strips from the napkin and went over the top with more egg white. So far, the process was very uneventful.

Ok, now before we continue I would like to point something out here. Do you see the white cuff?

Yes, that is my jacket.

When I say that I like projects that are super quick and easy, I'm not kidding.

You see, I craft when I can...very little bits of time, in between carpooling kids to and fro, running errands, cleaning, laundry, cooking, etc.

This is how I really, truly work.

If I can't accomplish it in a jiffy, it's not happening.

Ok, moving on...


I covered about half the egg with paper and then set it in the egg carton to dry and started on another egg. Again, so far, so good.

I made three of the flowered pattern and then moved on to the polka dot napkins.

Here's where the trouble began.

The floral napkins were single ply, sturdy and easy to work with. The red napkins were two ply.

If I tried to work with both, the top layer slipped off.

When I removed the bottom layer, the napkin tore when I tried to paste it on the egg, it was too thin.

Also, when I tore the red napkin, it had white edges that looked terrible.

I was getting frustrated and thought, ok, I will just make them all floral.

This is where the my glue failed.

Well, as they started to dry, the napkin started to peel away.

I got out a hairdryer to speed the process and secure the paper with my fingers.

That was ok, until some of the napkin starting coming off in my hand.

Update! Here's a tip I learned since this project...works great!!

Then I started wondering about the egg whites.

Will it keep the paper on forever?

Is someone or something going to try to snack on it over the summer when they're stored away?

Will it mold?

Ugh. I don't like unanswered questions, so I got out my washable school glue and started painting a layer on the eggs ~  y'know, in case.

Well, that was a very messy process.

Again, I brought out the hairdryer and started to dry the eggs.

The paper was bubbling, my fingers were sticky and I really didn't want a bunch of uniform eggs.

I like diversity. It adds interest, all one pattern is boring.

So I painted the rest.

By this time, I was so frustrated with the idea of decoupaging anything else, that I grabbed two of my craft paints and another foam brush.

In a few super short minutes, I had a bunch of painted eggs. They were bright, dry and best of all, done.

And you should see how they look now, displayed in my beautiful DIY wooden egg holder!

I admit it, when it comes to crafts, I'm a product girl.

I only mildly enjoy the actual doing phase and only when it's easy. I much prefer the idea brainstorming phase and the admiring it when it's completed phase.

Which is exactly where we are now. Looking fabulous on my table or in my aged clay pots.

...and I couldn't be happier.

Especially since now I have my dinner and dessert napkins for Easter brunch.

That's one less errand to run.

And yes.

I am still wearing my coat.

😉

What Do I Do Instead?

Ok, so I did promise to share what I do now instead and it's so easy.

I use stickers to decorate my eggs. 


These are very large designer style home decor Easter eggs, but the technique can be used to decorate standard sized eggs, as well. 

No napkins, no sticky fingers and no frustrating do overs. 

I promise. 

How do you decorate your eggs?

Happy Easter!