Papier-Mâché Easter Eggs

Papier-Mâché Easter Eggs
If you don't mind a little mess, papier-mâché is a relatively easy medium for creating unusual homemade items. These handcrafted Easter eggs filled with goodies will brighten up any Easter basket.

Time frame: Two to three hours plus overnight to dry

Level: Moderately easy

What you need:

Newspapers
Five-inch balloon(s)
Shallow bowl
3⁄4 cup flour
1⁄2 cup water
Small wrapped candies
Masking tape
Colorful craft paints
Paintbrush
Clear acrylic finish spray
Cover your work area with newspapers or a plastic tablecloth.
Decide how many eggs you want to make and blow up the balloon(s). Tie a knot in the end(s).
In a shallow bowl, make a paste from the flour and water. The paste should be thick enough to thoroughly coat a piece of newspaper without dripping off. If the paste is too runny, add more flour; if it's too stiff, add more water.
Tear or cut a newspaper into one-inch strips. Dip the strips into the flour mixture and run your fingers down the strip to remove excess paste. Paste the strip onto the balloon in a vertical direction, going from the knotted end to the top and back down again. Repeat this process until the balloon is covered. Do not cover the knot of the balloon. Keep a one-inch "hole" in this area to insert the candies. Next add strips horizontally until the balloon is covered with a 1⁄4-inch layer of newspaper. Press the strips to the balloon and rub a layer of the paste over the top to smooth any wrinkles. Allow the egg to dry overnight.
When the egg is dry, carefully pop the balloon and pull it out through the hole. Fill the egg with wrapped candies and seal the hole with masking tape.
Paint the egg with colorful craft paints and allow it to dry. Spray the egg with clear acrylic finish spray and allow it to dry thoroughly. The kids could keep the egg to reuse as a decoration for Easter by carefully removing the tape to get to the candies, or they could crack the egg open by hitting it against a hard surface (such as concrete).