Eggshell Art

 

The obvious snack choice today is: eggs! Enjoy them hard-boiled, scrambled, poached or fried. Do you think they're good for you? Yes! You're eggs-actly right.

 

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Things to gather in advance:

 

Eggshells

Zip-lock bag

Vinegar

Food coloring

Small containers

Spoons

Paper towels

Cardstock

Paintbrush

Glue

Craft sticks

Straight pin

 

            One of the most egg-citing things about art is that you can use just about anything and make it into a piece of art. The kitchen is a great source of art materials when you're experimenting and having fun. So let's try some eggshell art.

 

            Ask your local grownup to save eggshells from breakfast or baking in a little container under the sink. You might ask to crack the eggs yourself to help out. Crack the yolk and white into a container while still holding the two halves of the shell. It's a little tricky, but you can do it! Then rinse the two halves under running water, rubbing the clear membrane off the inside of the shell so that it can dry hard and crisp.

 

            After you have a good supply, say, 12 eggshells, then put them into a zip-lock bag, and using your fingers or a drinking glass that you press down, crush the eggshells into tiny pieces. Put on a paint shirt or roll up your sleeves and be careful not to spill in this next step.

 

            Next, take several used yogurt cups or other recycled containers, or small glass bowls, and into each container or bowl, pour 1 tablespoon of vinegar, ½ cup of hot water, and five or six drops of food coloring. Put a different color into each bowl. You can mix the colors if you wish, to get shades of purple or orange or whatever you'd like.

 

            Gently place some crushed eggshell into each container or bowl. Stir until they absorb enough of the color. With a spoon, lift the eggshell back out of the "dye" and onto paper towels, taking care not to stain your hands or clothes or anything around. So be neat, and it'll pay off!

 

            Wait a few minutes until the colored eggshell fragments are dry. Then you can do all kinds of things:

 

1.       With a paintbrush, paint a pattern on a piece of cardstock and sprinkle colored eggshells in place with your fingers. Let dry.

2.       With your fingers or a craft stick, stir a teaspoon or so of glue diluted with a little water and add colored eggshell until the mixture is mostly eggshell and not so much glue.
Then "sculpt" into a three-dimensional shape. Let dry on waxed paper.
Try to make a chicken! That would be meaningful!

3.       If you have one spare egg, and if there's an adult around to help you, you can take a straight pin and stick it into one end of the egg. Wiggle it around a little to make a decent-sized hole, but be gentle so that the egg doesn't crack. Now make a similar-sized hole in the other end of the egg, again trying your best not to crack it or break it. When you're ready, stand over the sink or a bowl, and put one end of the egg to your lips. Now blow with all your might to drive the yolk and egg out the hole in the other end, down the sink or into the container so that you can fix a nice scrambled egg for a snack (see below). Keep blowing 'til the egg is hollow, then rinse under the faucet and blow some more. Finally, you can paint glue on that egg and sprinkle the colored eggshell on top in one or more colors. You can make a "drying stand" out of a paper clip or two so that it doesn't stick to the paper towel or countertop as it dries.

 

Scrambled egg snack: melt a teaspoon of margarine in a small frying pan and heat on medium on the stove, and meanwhile beat the egg yolk and white with a tablespoon or two of milk, adding a little shredded cheddar cheese if you have it, and salt and pepper, and pour onto the sizzling margarine in the pan. When it begins to set, take the fork and scramble it around. If you're alone, eat it right out of the pan - that's fun! - or if you're with other kids or in a group, allow one egg per person for a light snack.