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Embellished Eggs

Here's a look at a new batch of eggs--when we talk about baking up a pan-full here at the Polyclay Gallery, its not usually about breakfast! There are so many ways to decorate eggs with polymer clay, creating delicate and yet durable art collectables.

Here are two eggs with geometric canes inspired by Sandra McCaw's polymer clay style and also by fabric quilts. Seminole style patchwork trim on traditional clothing is done with colorful strips of fabric, and these patterns are formed with colorful stripes of polymer clay--manipulated carefully.

The egg at right is done in this style using matte clays, and the one on the left uses colors that contain mica for a lot of glimmer and glow. There are metallic and pearlized colors available, and others can be mixed--red and gold, or black and gold; these make wonderful color mixes. Try mixing gold and silver for a lovely color that goes with both. Eggs can be buffed to a smooth sheen, or glossed with Varathane to really show the brilliance and depth of the mica bearing clays.

Premo and Kato clays both have rich colors and mica bearing metallic or pearlized clays. Each lends itself well to many styles of caning and impressed techniques. Mixing and matching adds to the fun. The style shown below is done with pieces of clay placed over prepared eggshells and baked.

Then some of the exposed areas are beaded with glass and metallic balls, or glitters. I particularly like The Art Institute Glitter for its wide range of colors that withstand baking.


Here's how they look when they've been completed.

Glass bits and metal, stone and some plastics can safely be baked at the temperatures used with polymer clays.

Those decorative items that can't take baking can be added afterwards. The varying textures of the surfaces catch the light in interesting ways, especially when hung on a Christmas Tree---or an Easter Branch---with decorative lights.

Another style of egg decoration involves cutting polymer clay pieces to place over the egg shell in a style that mimics filigree. This can be done over clay covered eggs as seen in the basket below.

The newest versions leave some egg shell exposed, as seen here.


Click here to see read the Bead Bugle article "Embellished Eggs--Not Just For Easter"

These are holiday eggs (formed over REAL eggshells) that are pierced and emptied.

These have golden wire hangers as well. They make beautiful tree ornaments, or year round displays--eggs are a sacred symbol to a great many cultures.

Eggs like this are very time-consuming to make, as they require a lot of painstaking placement and several finishing steps...

That's AFTER blowing out all the eggs and making quiche or baking cookies!

Holiday baking can be a good time to blow out lots of eggs, and there are ways to do it more effectively and with no ear-popping results. Saving up blown and dried eggs throughout the year is the easiest way to do a large number.

These delicate yet sturdy eggs can be ordered individually, or by the dozen.  

All of these seen on this page are chicken eggs, but there are other sizes available as well--goose eggs and ostrich or emu eggs are substantially larger.

Also, larger eggs can be opened and meticulously lined and hinged to make treasure boxes in the style of Faberge.

Use them as an addition to an egg collection, to decorate a whole tree or just a branch!

These also look fabulous with an added silk tassel, and can be used to great effect as a drapery tie-back. This is particularly effective with velvets and Victorian motifs.

Another way to decorate eggs is by using slices of polymer clay canes applied to eggshells and rolled smooth, so that the egg is encased, then baked.

Varathane makes an ideal finish for a glassy shine, or a wonderful polished sheen  can be buffed onto the egg. Buffing is particularly effective after sanding and when using translucent clays.

These can be made to match your choice in fabrics, and other decorative elements are also available--electrical switch plate and outlet covers, boxes, vessels, lamps, clocks,and much more!

"Celebrations With Polymer Clay", now available from Krause Publications has How-To information for making both types of eggs.

Step-by-step pictures and directions make it possible to make these gorgeous and collectable eggs!


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