An Etherial Hanukkah Garland/Bunting Banner With Eggshell Mosaic Stars!

Ahhh, eggshell mosaics have found a place in my heart! And combined with color washed water color paper, well, the results are just simply wonderful! I’m starting to feel just a bit like an artist as opposed to a crafter, ha ha. And, while I’d love to show you how great this Hanukkah garland really looks, in it’s full glory, I’m not exactly sure where I’ll be hanging it just yet. So just take my word for it…it looks great— a little artsy, a little bit different and just lovely if I do say so myself! (Humbly of course! I can’t take credit for the creative gifts I’ve been given. I can only take credit for trying my best to develop these gifts in order to share with others…..and believe me I’m working hard at it!)

You’ll Need:

• dyed eggshells
• water color paper
• modge podge or thick mixture of glue and water
• cereal box cardboard
• recycled aluminum foil baking tray
• a 3″ scalloped circle punch (optional)
• string or yarn for hanging
• hot glue and/or regular glue

How To Make An Eggshell Mosaic:

1. Apply a wash of color to your water color paper. The more uneven the color the better!
2. Dye your eggshells with a vinegar/hot water/food coloring solution (the yellow shells) or craft dye made with alcohol and used up markers (the pink shells) see post about making that here.
3. Laugh about the fact that you’re dying eggs (shells that is) for Chanukah!  Just as a side note, in the Jewish tradition, whole hard boiled eggs are a symbol of mourning, we eat them before the fast on T’Isha B’Av and they are served as part of the first meal in a house of mourning. So…..given that, I’d never consider making beautiful things from hardboiled eggs, but we can have fun with the eggshells!
4. Once your eggshells and paper have dried, cover paper with eggshell mosaic by brushing on modge podge or glue and then cracking smallish pieces of shell into the glue with the push of a finger. Try it and you’ll see what I mean. I love this part!
5. Set aside sheet to dry, and then go over the whole thing with a coat of modge podge or glue/water.
6. And your mosaic should look something like this:

How To Use Your Eggshell Mosaic To Make A Hanukkah Garland:

1. Cut out pieces for your star/flowers by drawing a template on a piece of cardboard and tracing around that on the back of the eggshell mosaic. Cut out pieces with scissors, yes some of the eggshell might crack and fall off, but that’s okay.
2. Glue pieces to a piece of cereal box cardboard and then cut out entire shape.
3. Using the scalloped craft punch, cut out pieces of color washed water color paper.
4. Make foil dreidels by cutting apart an aluminum baking tray, drawing a dreidel on the foil with a pencil and then adding more details with a pencil. Cut out dreidel, turn over and glue to scalloped circle with hot glue or any glue.
5. Punch holes in your scalloped circles if you like.
6. You can also make another element for your garland by cutting out shapes from the aluminum foil, and “embossing” designs on them with a pencil….some Hanukkah menorahs might be nice, a few candles…..letters spelling out Chanukah Sameach (Happy Hanukkah)?
7. String garland together using a thick needle and the yarn or string or ribbon of your choice.
8. Keep in mind, that because of the weight of the eggshell mosaic, a garland like this works best hung on a wall. If you want to hang your creation in an open space you’ll need to hang individual stars from the top not the sides as I’ve shown here.
9. Hang and enjoy!

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