With poultry-keeping come eggs and with eggs come eggshells (at least, if everything is working correctly). We enjoy our birds and the eggs are certainly delicious, but what about all those eggshells? Sure, you can throw them in the compost pile or crush them to give back to your flock as a source of calcium. But what else can you do with eggshells? If arts and crafts are your thing, it turns out you can do plenty with eggshells!
Here are just a few projects that are a fun way of using eggshells:
1. VOTIVE CANDLE HOLDERS
Supplies needed: glass candle holder, craft glue, Mod Podge, sand, votive candle, eggshells
Tips: Check out a dollar store (where everything is a dollar) for supplies that will save you money.
If you want to use colored eggshells for this project, dye the hard boiled eggs before starting. Dying tiny pieces of eggshell is taxing!
Keep candles away from curious pets and small children.
Steps:
Affix bits of eggshell to the glass candle holder using the craft glue. Create a pattern or go for randomness.
Once glue is dry, apply Mod Podge to seal the shells in place (several coats may be required).
Fill the bottom of the candle holder with sand and set the votive candle in the sand.
2. CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS
(Photo courtesy of sunflour)
Supplies needed: Blown egg (see steps below), large bore needle & syringe, Mod Podge, ornament hangers
Tip: This project is a great way of preserving your birds first egg!
Steps:
Using a large bore needle ( 18 gauge ), make a hole in the round end of egg*. Insert the needle on a syringe into the cavity and move it around gently to bust up the yolk. Using the syringe/needle remove the egg - save it to eat if you'd like.
*The hole should be a little larger than the needles diameter - you can enlarge the hole a bit, if needed to get the cleansing done.
Use the syringe/needle to wash the inside out with a very diluted liquid dish detergent - repeat until you think all the egg has been washed out. Then use the syringe/needle to rinse the inside of the shell with fresh water a few times. (Between steps remove the liquid with the syringe/needle.)
When finished the egg will still have a lot of water inside it so set the eggs on paper towels in an egg carton or a bowl with the hole pointed down. It can take a few days for the eggs to be completely dry inside.
Once the eggs are dry, give them several coats of Mod Podge to protect them.
Attach the ornament hangers and enjoy seeing your bird's first egg every Christmas!
Note: The hangers pictured above were recycled from antique broken Christmas ornaments.
3. EGGSHELL HERB HOLDER
(Photo courtesy of CuzChickens)
Supplies needed: Eggs, fresh herbs, egg carton
Tip: These fresh herbs smell great on the kitchen counter and they'll be at your fingertips when you want to cook with them.
Steps:
Crack the eggs near the top only. Remove the raw egg and as much of the membrane as you can. Rinse them out and let the eggs dry.
If you'd like, write the herb names on the outside of the shells. Put the eggshells in an egg carton to hold them steady on your kitchen counter.
Cut small bunches of your favorite garden fresh herbs, put them in the labeled eggshells and fill the eggshells halfway with water.
There you have it, three easy craft projects made with eggshells! If you like to craft with eggshells, tell us about it!
Here are just a few projects that are a fun way of using eggshells:
1. VOTIVE CANDLE HOLDERS
Supplies needed: glass candle holder, craft glue, Mod Podge, sand, votive candle, eggshells
Tips: Check out a dollar store (where everything is a dollar) for supplies that will save you money.
If you want to use colored eggshells for this project, dye the hard boiled eggs before starting. Dying tiny pieces of eggshell is taxing!
Keep candles away from curious pets and small children.
Steps:
Affix bits of eggshell to the glass candle holder using the craft glue. Create a pattern or go for randomness.
Once glue is dry, apply Mod Podge to seal the shells in place (several coats may be required).
Fill the bottom of the candle holder with sand and set the votive candle in the sand.
2. CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS
(Photo courtesy of sunflour)
Supplies needed: Blown egg (see steps below), large bore needle & syringe, Mod Podge, ornament hangers
Tip: This project is a great way of preserving your birds first egg!
Steps:
Using a large bore needle ( 18 gauge ), make a hole in the round end of egg*. Insert the needle on a syringe into the cavity and move it around gently to bust up the yolk. Using the syringe/needle remove the egg - save it to eat if you'd like.
*The hole should be a little larger than the needles diameter - you can enlarge the hole a bit, if needed to get the cleansing done.
Use the syringe/needle to wash the inside out with a very diluted liquid dish detergent - repeat until you think all the egg has been washed out. Then use the syringe/needle to rinse the inside of the shell with fresh water a few times. (Between steps remove the liquid with the syringe/needle.)
When finished the egg will still have a lot of water inside it so set the eggs on paper towels in an egg carton or a bowl with the hole pointed down. It can take a few days for the eggs to be completely dry inside.
Once the eggs are dry, give them several coats of Mod Podge to protect them.
Attach the ornament hangers and enjoy seeing your bird's first egg every Christmas!
Note: The hangers pictured above were recycled from antique broken Christmas ornaments.
3. EGGSHELL HERB HOLDER
(Photo courtesy of CuzChickens)
Supplies needed: Eggs, fresh herbs, egg carton
Tip: These fresh herbs smell great on the kitchen counter and they'll be at your fingertips when you want to cook with them.
Steps:
Crack the eggs near the top only. Remove the raw egg and as much of the membrane as you can. Rinse them out and let the eggs dry.
If you'd like, write the herb names on the outside of the shells. Put the eggshells in an egg carton to hold them steady on your kitchen counter.
Cut small bunches of your favorite garden fresh herbs, put them in the labeled eggshells and fill the eggshells halfway with water.
There you have it, three easy craft projects made with eggshells! If you like to craft with eggshells, tell us about it!
