Take a simple egg shell and transform it into an unusual egg mobile with some rubber stamped decorations and bead adornments. Rubber stamping on eggs is not difficult although it is a little fiddly and a steady hand is required to avoid breakage. Take a look at Stamping on Eggs for more information about this technique. This egg mobile is adorned with beads that catch and reflect the light. The stamped egg mobile is easy to adapt and customize as required by using different stamps, inks or egg dyes.
The egg is embossed and this entails stamping and embossing the images in stages.
Illustrated Step By Step Guide
The egg is embossed and this entails stamping and embossing the images in stages.
Illustrated Step By Step Guide
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: An afternoon
Here's How:
- Prepare the eggs by blowing and dyeing as required. Egg dyes are available from craft stores, however food coloring, acid dyes or even natural dyes such as onion skins all work well.
- Unmounted stamps are best for this project as they form themselves to the shape of the egg. However it is possible to use mounted stamps by rolling the stamp slightly around the shape of the egg. This is prone to smudging so it is a good idea to practice before starting.
Press part of the stamp into the ink pad and gently stamp an image onto the surface of the egg. The unmounted stamp will partially wrap itself to the form of the egg. Just a part of the stamp will show on the egg. - Stamp over part of the egg and then pour embossing powder over the images. Knock any unwanted powder onto a sheet of paper and return this to the pot. Emboss the images remembering that the egg will get hot therefore holding the egg on a knitting needle will save your fingers getting too heated.
- Continue stamping and embossing, working in small patches until the entire surface of the egg is covered.
- When the egg is covered and embossed to your liking prepare the beaded tassels. The tassels are made from lengths of wire threaded with beads, fastening one end to stop the beads from falling off by bending the wire back on itself, and forming the other end into a loop to hang from the egg.
- Take a length of wire which, when folded in two, is approximately 3 inches longer than the egg. Poke both ends of the wire through the top of the egg and pull the wire through. Thread the beaded tassels onto the two ends of wire coming from the bottom of the egg and wrap the wire back on itself to hold it firmly.
- Hang up the egg mobile and admire your work!
Tips:
- The egg will retain its heat meaning that the embossing powder will stay sticky for longer. Therefore be careful how the egg is laid down to cool to ensure that the embossed image does not smudge.
- It does not matter if you over emboss an area when building up the pattern.
- Try embossing patches with different colored embossing powders. This can give a rich depth to the finished effect.
- Follow the rubber stamping theme through by hanging charms made from rubber stamped shrink plastic.
- Make a long mobile by adding many eggs, or combine them on a coat hanger (making sure that the eggs do not knock against each other as the fragile egg shells may shatter.
What You Need:
- Unmounted rubber stamp
- Pigment or embossing inks
- Embossing powder
- Heat gun
- Beads to form tassels (depending on the length and number of tassels required)
- Craft wire (approximately .4mm)
- Eggs (use blown eggs)
