Thursday, March 29, 2012

Debbie's Eggcellent Adventure

...Or How to Blow an Entire Afternoon
and two dozen eggs.

Has everyone seen the newest tomfoolery on the internet about which we now have to warn our impressionable children?

It's something called The Cinnamon Challenge. Apparently Einsteins of all ages are attempting to swallow a tablespoon full of cinnamon whilst chronicling it on the world wide web.


At least that's what I was muttering as I watched the reports of teens being taken to the emergency room for collapsed lungs and worse just because they had seen something on the internet and felt the need to try it themselves. 

But here's the thing:

Do you want to know what I was doing as I watched the reports of said Cinnamon Challenge? 

I was trying to decoupage an Easter egg. 


And do you know why I was trying to decoupage an Easter egg?

Because some really cool bloggers were doing it on the internet,
and I wanted to do it too. 
Knucklehead

Now, I don't know how many of you have tried to decoupage an entire egg, but I must warn you that it can make you very cranky. No matter how many tips you try, you still end up with hot mess that sticks to your fingers as you attempt to smooth away wrinkles that will not smooth. The decopushers won't tell you that, but it's true.  An egg, you see, is what they call egg shaped. And egg shaped items just don't want to have little wet  pieces of tissue glued to them. If they did,  they would be square.

Hot mess


If the other little bloggers jumped off a bridge, would you jump off too?

Yeah, well, maybe. 

It probably wouldn't have been so impossible had I not been determined to blow out my own Easter eggs first. Yes, I'm well aware that you can purchase ready -to-decorate eggs for about a buck a bag,  but I thought it would be thriftier to do it the old fashioned way.

Eggs are around $2.00 a dozen here.
Blonde knucklehead.

I blew, and I blew, and I blew until I was dizzier than usual and kind of grossed out to boot. Let's face it. No matter how hard you scrub an egg, you just can't remove its rite of passage.  And don't tell me to use a straw. That's how I broke the first dozen.  

So I finally had a bowl full of egg shells and tried every blog tip in the book to get rid of the wrinkled, sticky finger look. I am convinced it really can't be done. It's kind of like the Cinnamon Challenge.

The only way you can decoupage an egg is with the cut and paste method. 
Just cut out the pattern and paste it.
I used a glue stick 
before I covered over it with the Mod Podge. 
.

That's how I got this look.  
I did a grand total of five of them. 


I'm using the rest of them to make an egg bouquet for the table. 
I'm not finished yet, but I felt like posting now anyway.

I just (sponge) painted them and then used my paper punch to punch out polka dots. 
 It's not hard. I was just tired from all that blowing.


Then, I set them in some mini tulip liners
from Hobby Lobby


And stuck a painted wooden skewer through the whole thing. 


That green striped one in the back was a blog post all on its own. I don't even want to tell you how I did it, because I don't want to contribute to the delinquency of a blogger.

And that's how I spent my afternoon.
So tell me, how did you spend yours?
And does anyone have a recipe for a 24 egg omelet? 

Sharing at Inspiration Friday

ETA:
UGH! 
Is anyone else having trouble commenting today?
Driving me crrrazy. 

57 comments:

corners of my life said...

Pretty darn cute I'd say.

Chatty Crone said...

May I say I am SHOCKED that you are scolding yourself. Those are beautiful and beautifully done - I think they are lovely girl. I mean it and what a good idea.
Love, sandie

Lynn said...

LOVE IT! And yes, I've been there-without the straw too! Blew so hard I thought I would have an aneurysm!!! Made 2, still have mine, won't even ask Ma about hers-don't want to know...
Your eggs look great, the cupcake liners are really cute. As for cinnamon, I like mine in apple pie:@)

Elizabeth Dianne said...

Debbie, these are incredibly beautiful--when I first saw them I thought they were hand-painted and yea, well, now I have a bug on to hand paint some.

We will see if I tackle that--probably not this year--

But thanks for giving me a good life--the rite of passage really gave me a chuckle.

Barbara F. said...

I am a woman of a certain age, and I need to take the easiest routes possible. Now, yours are beautiful and one of a kind. But I simply don't have the patience to try this myself. I do, however, take a cinnamon supplement from Costco - it is a capsule and goes down really easy. Powerful antioxidant. :) xo.

Gina said...

LOL! Your decopauged eggs really look great! I tried this a few weeks ago and mine were a disaster!
Had I used real eggs at least I could have gotten an omelette out of it. ;D

Knitty said...

And if all the bloggers on the internet told you to go suck an egg, would you?

Hehehehehe

Your eggs are lovely, and yes, I've done the same type of thing more often than I care to recount.

I used to have tablescape envy and when every other tablescaping blogger had a pair of white birds (salt and pepper shakers actually) from Target, I had to have them too. HAD to! I went to four Target stores before finding one pair left on the shelf.

Salt and pepper have never touched their innerds. Hubby just looks but doesn't ask...

Babs said...

Gosh,Debbie, your eggs look great! no..better than great..gorgeous blue and white ones, and cut as a button..for the polka dot ones. The glue stick is a great idea. I think I'd like that better than slather ing the mod podge on first, and then again afterwards.
Babs

Mary said...

Blond knucklehead LOL! So funny, so true, so laughing...with you, not at you :) Your cut and paste method got you wonderful results! The polka dotted eggs are so cheery with the tulip liners too! Now go take a nap, then get up and eat your omelet...

Vee said...

They look very nice! I'm really drawn to the blue and white ones. Would you believe that I spent the afternoon also trying to emulate what's going on in Blogdom? Of course you would! =D

The Decorative Dreamer said...

Look at you! You go girl! I am quite impressed. I think the cut and paste method is totally the way to go! I am feeling quite knuckleheaded myself. I may just have to try this too. Maybe. Only if I do I will be sure and use faux eggs as I've never tried to blow out an egg before and don't think I have the guts to start now. LOL! I love those blue and white ones, they really are very pretty! Nice job!

The Polka Dot Closet said...

Well at least you weren't sucking cinnamon into your lungs! I cut my napkin into strips, there is no way to do it with a whole napkin silly!!! I said I cut it into strips. I have to say yours are absolutely gorgeous!! You hung with it and made yourself some heirloom beauties!

Carol

Mevely317 said...

I recall "blowing" eggs in Girl Scouts, but suspect we just threw everything out after the fact. Your creations are amazing!!!

Nancy's Daily Dish said...

I LOVE this post. Your humor is great, and the eggs, despite all the mishaps, turned out gorgeous! I want to be like you and make some too! =)

On a serious note, I have heard about the cinnamon thing and my kids also said kids are doing something with crackers where they have to eat so many in so many seconds and it does the same things. Dingdongs! Glad my kiddos haven't latched on to this stuff. And I hope they never do!

Thanks for a fun and pretty post!

elizabeth said...

LOL! I can so relate to having a craft idea go so very wrong. Yours look pretty cute to me, but I could sympathize your frustration!

Sooner Laura said...

Debbie, these are beautiful! I have done the blown out real eggs several times. My trick is making a pretty big hole and then covering it with paint or glitter or in your case, maybe a polka dot. You will pass out trying to blow an egg out through a "pin" hole. Now go make a quiche.

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

cute, cute, cute!!


Thanks for asking on the baby front...not yet, there was another surgery and months of recovery left...thanks for the prayers

FrouFrouBritches said...

So stinkin' cute! Of course, I love the green stripe one. Can't wait to hear the story about that. You know I love me some polka dots and an egg bouquet in a teapot? LOVE teapots! So cute!

As far as decopauging eggs goes, I'll leave it to you. I'd just end up hurling eggs in frustration.

Crickit said...

These turned out adorable! I really love the polka dots! Good job... hope you have gotten your breath back :)

Unknown said...

I love your eggs! They are beautiful! And can I just say that my heart leapt when I saw your comment on my blog today? I miss you!

At The Picket Fence said...

LOL! Debbie you are "cracking" me up...get it...hee hee! :-) Now I know not to ever try the decoupage route but skip straight to the cut and paste/sponge paint route. Thanks for dispelling the myth ;-) for us and sharing this at Inspiration Friday!
Vanessa

Ann said...

OMGosh Debbie! Those are SOOOOOOOOO cute! And, do I have your permission to send this into a magazine? Such as Woman's Day or Good Housekeeping or something?

YOU, my friend, need a wider readership! Terrific!

Cheers!
Ann

Linda (More Fun Less Laundry) said...

HI Debbie, I remember trying to blow eggs and thinking I was totally incompetent! I have never tried again after that wasted dozen, but I must admit I'm happy to hear that it probably wasn't me! Your eggs are wonderful! Protect them! And yes, I have seen the cinnamon thing. Now we probably won't be able to buy cinnamon without showing our licenses. Linda
p.s. I was having the same commenting trouble earlier today but the problem seems to have cleared up!

Sooner Laura said...

I'm leaving you another comment becuase I just whipped out a little post of my own with pics of some interesting eggs created by my kids. Wanted you to know I put in a link to your post so folks can see some really pretty eggs.

Renée said...

Your thoughts and eggs are so prize winning. I absolutely love the dots and flowers. You certainly sacrificed to share those!

I'm not sure what is up with your blog, but it's probably your browser or mine. I don't get a change on my sidebar till a full day after you have a new post. Just know, I keep thinking why didn't I see this and that's why I'm always late to reply.

Anonymous said...

These are adorable.

I had trouble commenting earlier today also. Yes, it's always something!!!

Have a great weekend.

Angel said...

Ha! This is great! Thanks for the laughs today Debbie. I love your fearless pursuit of new adventures (even if they do come under the heading of "knucklehead" ideas). :) At least you have something beautiful to show for your efforts, right? I say your project is most "eggcellent"!

Scribbler said...

I have been getting weird error codes for two days, trying to link and trying to comment. Maybe the blog world is ending?

Anonymous said...

Gee, wish I'd spent my afternoon like you did. However, I will have many afternoons in the foreseeable future to do just that!

Thanks for your kind and comforting comments about my recent humiliation. I've captured the whole week and the details of the plot line as it grew to the climax yesterday - about four pages of prose if you're ever up to it.

There are evil people in the world. That's all there is to it.
Can't be helped til Jesus comes. So, trying to move on. Hope to be working at the library by the end of the month. Really need the down time to heal - soaked today and listened to my pastor's sermon on Girding Your Mind.

Packed away the old - box in an attic - purging and looking forward to new. Perhaps one of those nifty decoupaged eggs will be in my future - looks lovely!!

Joy!
Kathy

Pat@Back Porch Musings said...

I just saw Ellen's comment...I too have had these error msgs. Also, my typepad id won't work on comments about half the time.

Your eggs are beautiful! I haven't decoupaged anything in a long time. I don't think I have the stamina for doing eggs!

Happy Weekend!

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

No matter how hard or how much hair ya pulled out, they are beautiful.

They look like they'd be quite tedious to say the least.

I spent the day outside on my hands and knees tryin' to clear the weeds outta my flower gardens. With this warm weather the weeds have gone wild and are winnin' the battle.

God bless ya and have yourself a delightful weekend sweetie!!! :O)

Dayle ~ A Collection of Days said...

You succeeded in making me laugh about a dozen times, so maybe that makes up for the lost dozen eggs or so.

I'm quite impressed with your varying talents, my dear, and I know I sound like a broken record, but I will probably continue saying it.

As for how I spent my afternoon, today was a beach day. Woo-Hoo!

Christine said...

For rest of us knuckleheads (and I consider myself to be one), you did all the hard work for us.
They look great.
Thanks for sharing with us.

Denise at Forest Manor said...

Debbie, I literally laughed all the way through this post. Then I had to read it again this evening, out loud, to my husband. And then I had to read the comments out loud, and we both laughed at all of it. :-D

Thank you for sharing this funny eggcellent adventure. And as Mary said, we're not laughing at you, but with you. You're a braver woman than I; the thought of trying to blow eggs out through a tiny pin hole. Ohhh -- the headache I would get does not bear thinking about. You stuck with it, and you have some darling eggs to show for it. They're all pretty, but I especially love the polka dot egg bouquet. Precious!!

I had not heard of this cinnamon thing, but honestly; what will they think of next? I'm wondering if we should text our son (who's 22, BTW) and make sure he doesn't try this. I just know he has better sense, though. I'm a worry wart mom.

Thanks for your sweet comments on my Old Salem post. Have a great weekend!

Denise

Yellow Rose Arbor said...

The blue and white eggs are beautiful and the polka dot ones adorable!

You can make TWO twelve-egg pound cakes!! If you do, send me one!

Katherine

Donna@Conghaile Cottage said...

YES there was a COMMENTING PROBLEM last night and early today! BUT it wasn't US it was THEM and it's FIXED! OK NOW for your eggs! I am "IN LOVE" with your blue and white ones..."WANT,WANT,WANT"(do I sound spoiled)? What did you use for the pattern? Is that tissue? I too have done the BLOW THE EGGS OUT! I used to have chickens and did a few projects "WAY BACK WHEN"! I like yours MUCH BETTER THOUGH!
Thank you for this FUN POST! and NO I don't eat my cinnamon by the tablespoon...
Hugs,
Donna

Nikki (Sarah) said...

you got me laughing...this is too funny. I have an image of you blowing those eggs but I love your end result. An A+++ for trying this.

I just read what you wrote on Sharon's blog about fair and Justice. It summed up what I've been dealing with all week. Hey Debby...have an awesome egg free happy weekend.

Herballistic Garden said...

That's hilarious! But, your eggs turned out really great...not time wasted at all! How about a couple of cakes that take 10 eggs each!?
xo wendy
ps..thanks for visiting me. following you now. :)

Elizabeth Edwards said...

i've not been living under a rock ... but i've never decoupaged ever. it seems so cool. your egg creation look like such fun.

i have heard of the cinnamon challenge & it seems so dangerous & stupid!! why would you even try something like that??! duh! i fear for many kids out there these days. so silly. what will they come up with next? makes me nervous.

i'm following you now on GFC. have a great weekend. take care. (:

Debbiedoos said...

Hi Debbie, I came by yesterday and read this post. FUNNY! I could not comment, due to whatevs going on. I love it, and never could blow an egg if my life depended on it. Have a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by on the home tours too, they sure appreciate your lovely comments.

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Mar. 31st

Thank you for your comment in Vee's blog today (3/31 - Sat.)!!!

You are a brave one, to try to do that egg thing. Gracious me, brave. I'd never even try.

Years ago, my daughter in law made be a beautiful painted egg, like the Old World ones. Still have it. :-)

Again, thank you for your comment in Vee's blog today.

"I never considered a difference of opinion
in politics, in religion, in philosophy,
as cause for withdrawing from a friend."

~~Thomas Jefferson

Unknown said...

I am laughing so hard all I can say is "there oughta be a law"! This is way too funny but I am sure it was not funny at the time! I have felt just like you....they are beautiful!
Blessings My Friend,

Denise said...

Oh, those blue and white eggs are just lovely. They would look perfect in my kitchen. Can I borrow those too?

You're certainly more industrious than your big sister. Maybe we should get some help from Forrest about the use of all those eggs. fried eggs, scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, poached eggs, egg salad, deviled eggs, omelets, cakes.......

Manuela@A Cultivated Nest said...

Mmm...never heard about the cinnamon thing before. How weird!

Love your eggs! It is a hard shape to decopauge. I find your method best. Also cutting the paper into strips and then applying helps.

Your eggs are so cute and I love the mini liners and sticks. They look like egg flowers!

Always Nesting said...

I'm not laughing at you I'm laughing with you. Your end result is adorable but I hear you on the frustration. If a small project takes a chunk of my life that I will never get back, and I have to crush prozac in my glass of wine just to calm myself....then that's when I open the trash and throw away all traces of chaos. :)

Decor To Adore said...

Love the eggs in tulip liners. Genius!

As for pressing lip to egg. Go ahead. We all know where babies come from and it's not an all together clean process either. :)

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Well for some one who nearly passed out from blowing eggs, you certainly recovered well and did an EGGCELLENT job on these. Debbie! They are ADORABLE! WoooHooo for YOU!

Oh, how I have missed you, and I loved your post for Palm Sunday. I tried to post, but you had disabled the comments. It was so well said, and we share the same phobias about pulp wood trucks. Girl, we are cut from the same piece of cloth in many ways, and that's one of the reasons I love you so much... you are a kindred spirit.

I'm on Mr. Magpie's computer and am out to visit the sweet folks like you who came by. This is awful not having my own computer, but hopefully that will change in the not too distant future.

Happy Easter, Sweet Pea!

Love you...

XO,

Sheila

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

How cute that is! Loving your egg bouquet, and of course, the blue cutouts too. Not to mention how funny you are! Once again, I am laughing all the way through your post. I know exactly how you feel. These bloggers make their projects look and sound soooo easy, but when I try it, I end up with a mess. I have trouble admitting to myself that I am just not a crafter, and so I keep on trying. How dumb does that make me? Don't answer that!
Logging trucks and similarly loaded trucks scare me too. I recently read that close to Easter, the new growth on the top of many pine trees looks like a cross. Have you noticed? laurie

Ms.Daisy said...

Debbie,
It is quarter to one in the morning and I am sitting here doubled over laughing! I love your sense of humor and just your thoughts of where the egg came from sent me almost off my chair. Thank you so much for the laughter it has been mighty rare around here lately!

L,
Jean

Tanna said...

hey, Debbie. LOVE the log truck parable. ;) He sends His lessons everywhere.

Your BLUE design egg is absolutely my favorite Easter egg ever!! And, all the rest aren't too shabby either! LOVE the blue ones!! I'm going to try to restrain myself from jumping off that cliff. LOL. blessings ~ tanna

Sharon said...

My goodness - could you get any cleverer (is that a word?) These eggs are adorable.

Oh my goodness, Debbie - your reporting of the blowing meltdown was too, too funny! The pictures I painted in my mind - priceless.

I had never heard of the Cinnamon Challenge. However, my boys have informed me of the Cracker-Eating challenge, and there's one involving chugging milk. Needless to say, I won't go into the details.

I think your finished products are so cute. I think they are the egg-actly perfect decoration.

Can't remember how I spent last Thursday afternoon. But, if you recall, I recently spent most of an entire day touching up a cigar store Indian...

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness, the blue and white are gorgeous. What a great idea!! I think I'm going to attempt them this week. Yes, I'm jumping off that bridge with ya! ;) You are too much...knucklehead. ;) So where are the holes? You covered them pretty nicely.
Loved your previous post. Sigh...so very true. He sees the whole picture.
Easter blessings, my friend.
MUAH!

The Polka Dot Closet said...

YOur Sunday postings are so fabulous, I can't stand that i can't YAK back! What a wonderful lesson, how fabulous your mind works! My son will be married here in Orlando, DC is so darn expensive, so when your daughter wants to marry some senator, tell her to get her butt home for the wedding!

Carol

Mrs. Kelley Dibble said...

This is job for French Toast Casserole, only it requires a mere eight eggs.

Eight beautiful eggs. OH! The labor of love is soooo worth it, I think. Wow. Beautiful stuff there, girl!

no spring chicken said...

Would I jump off a bridge if other bloggers did? Well, erh, I just might. And that has me mighty scared. My dad used to call me a knucklehead. Often. Thanks so much for the reminder... :{

Blessings, Debbie

Unknown said...

LOVED this post, Debbie.
I think the blue and white eggs are gorgeous. Mostly because you did them and not me. Mine would not be looking that pretty.
And then the ones with the polka dots..oh, now those are Cute. It's been a long while since we have dyed eggs. Maybe we should bring it back. Brenna always loved it. I just got tired of having 2 dozen un-eaten eggs in my fridge. Maybe that could change. I could add it to your 24-egg omelette.
xo
lynn

Sharlotte said...

Debbie,
These are so pretty! I love the tulip holders too...what a great centerpiece for Easter. I'm so late in posting, I hope you had a good one with your family.

PS...I love the blue eggs too - great idea using napkins - think of the possibilities!

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