Robin'S-Egg Place Card

• or hard-boiled eggs, one for each
• place card, clean and dry
• Wooden skewers
• Small, stiff, flat paintbrush
• Acrylic paint: light blue, brown, and white
• Long, narrow block of Styrofoam
• Newspaper
• Transfer letters (in a size that will spell the desired name on the egg)
• Crafts stick or pencil
• Small bird's nest, from a crafts supply store
• Small natural-color feathers, 5 to 7 for each place card

1. 1. Paint the egg blue: Place it on a skewer, angling so the top of the skewer supports the egg. Use the paintbrush to cover the entire surface of the egg with blue paint. Insert the skewer into the block of Styrofoam (see tip, below) and allow the paint to dry completely-this usually takes about 5 minutes.
2. 2. Spatter the egg: In separate containers, dilute the brown and white paints with water. If you wish, cover your worktable with newspaper. Arrange the egg on the skewer in the Styrofoam. Dip the paintbrush in the brown paint, hold it in one hand above the egg and run your thumb along the bristles or tap the handle to create a spray of paint. Revolve the egg to splatter the entire surface. Let the paint dry completely, then repeat the process with the white paint. Let the paint dry completely.
3. 3. Cut out the transfer letters so you can apply them individually.
4. 4. One at a time and working very gently, apply each letter to the egg, rub over the acetate with a crafts stick or side of a pencil tip to transfer the design, and then discard the acetate.
5. 5. Place the egg in the nest and tuck a few feathers around it.

eggs, place card, skewers, paintbrush, acrylic, styrofoam, newspaper, transfer letters, crafts stick, birds nest, naturalcolor feathers

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/robins-egg-place-card-351950 (may not work)