Holidays & Occasions Easter 20 Easter Egg Ideas That Are Oh-So-Cute And Easy We're showing off our creative side with some new Easter egg ideas that go beyond traditional dyes and store-bought kits. By Brennan Long Brennan Long Brennan is the associate director of social media at Southern Living. For the past eight years, she's collaborated with print and digital editors to shape the brand's voice across social platforms. Today Southern Living hosts a passionate audience of millions on Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on February 1, 2024 Close Photo: Sara Albers Although there's always room in our baskets for traditionally dyed eggs, this Easter we're showing off our creative side with some new egg ideas for your Easter basket. If you're ready to take a break from those traditional supermarket dye kits, listen up. We've collected some inexpensive, easy, and oh-so-cute ideas that can be recreated from the comfort of your own home. If you're ready to try out some different colors and patterns, then grab an extra carton, get the kids involved, and have a full-on DIY afternoon. From marbled eggs and speckled shells to marvelous Mod Podge and gilded gold, it's time to take your Easter egg-stravaganza to the next level. Here are 18 ideas for Easter egg coloring, just in time to welcome spring and give the Easter bunny something to truly ooh-and-aah at. 01 of 20 Paint Pen Eggs Laurey W. Glenn All you need to make these simple Easter decorations are hard-boiled eggs and a few white and metallic paint pens. Brown eggs work best here, but you can have fun creating your own patterns and designs. If you're a little stuck on how to decorate, head on over to Pinterest for some inspiration. 02 of 20 Mod Podge Easter Eggs Laurey W. Glenn In the South, we love our decoupage. Water balloons, non-stick cooking spray, and a little Mod Podge come together to make these vibrant eggs, which will add color to centerpieces and tabletop accents. 03 of 20 Gold-Leaf Eggs Photo: Laurey W. Glenn Turns out, you don't need a goose to lay the perfect golden egg. Using Mod Podge and gold leaf from the craft store, you can turn your eggs into priceless treasures. After you've covered the eggs with gold leaf, paint over top with a second layer of Mod Podge to protect the shiny surface. 04 of 20 Marbled Easter Eggs Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller These marbled eggs use one of our favorite beauty products: nail polish. To make them, simply add room temperature water to a disposable plastic container and pour in a few drops of nail polish. Feel free to mix up different colors of polish (we used blue and white here) and swirl with a plastic fork. Drop in one egg and give it a swirl or two before lifting out and placing on your drying carton. Repeat with the remainder of your eggs, adding a few more drops of polish to the water as necessary between eggs. 05 of 20 Yarn-Wrapped Easter Eggs Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Wrap your head around this clever approach to egg decorating. Instead of dyeing Easter eggs, why not use yarn as a colorful, budget-friendly alternative? Start with plastic Easter eggs in various sizes. Using a foam brush, apply a coat of Mod Podge to the top of the egg. Take the yarn and place the end at the very top of the egg, using your finger to hold it in place. Begin to wrap the string around the egg, making sure the string touches without overlapping as you go. Apply more Mod Podge as you work your way down the egg. Snip the end of the string once you reach the bottom of the egg. Apply a small dollop of Mod Podge to ensure the end of the string stays in place. Hold it with your finger for a minute or two until it’s secure. 06 of 20 Paper Mache Easter Eggs Laurey W. Glenn To make these paper mache eggs, start by tearing the paper into strips about an inch thick. Liberally coat the top of the egg in a layer of Mod Podge. We used a foam brush, but any brush will do. Start layering paper strips on top of the Mod Podge, tearing large strips to create smaller pieces as necessary. Overlap the strips so that every part of the top of the egg is covered. Fill in any holes with tiny pieces of paper. Once you're satisfied with your paper placement, coat the paper with another layer of Mod Podge. Allow the top to dry completely before fitting the bottom and top together. Tie the larger ribbon around the egg and knot. Finally, take the thin ribbon and wrap it around the egg, finishing it with a bow. 07 of 20 Eggshell Planters Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Welcome spring with something green that will last beyond the Easter holiday. We use eggshells here to create our very own tiny planters, and believe it or not, this eggshell method is one of the best ways to start a seedling. Once the plant begins to outgrow the shell, crack the bottom and transplant the shell directly into a garden pot. 08 of 20 Chick Easter Eggs Southern Living Trade in your usual dyed eggs for these cute peeps. Paint your hard boiled eggs with a sponge brush dipped in yellow paint. To help speed up the process, use a hairdryer to quickly dry the paint. Once the egg is totally covered in yellow paint and dried, cut triangles out of orange washi tape. Draw on the eyes with a marker. Cut off the tips of yellow feathers and glue the tufts to the top of the egg. 09 of 20 Chinoiserie Eggs Melissa Fenlon If you're looking for a batch of homemade eggs to match your whimsical Blue Willow china, then this DIY egg design is for you. Start by cutting out floral shapes from your paper napkins. Separate the two-ply napkins and just use the top layer for this project. Brush a thin layer of matte Mod Podge onto the section of egg you are starting with. We like having space between the floral napkin cut outs, rather than wrapping the egg with one big piece of the napkin. Place the cut-out napkin piece on the Mod Podge and smooth out with your finger. Then brush a thin layer of Mod Podge on top. Repeat these steps until your egg is covered with your pattern. Let dry. 10 of 20 Floral Fabric Easter Eggs Sara Albers We can hardly wait to add these colorful egg bundles to our Easter tables. You too? Just pick your favorite fabric pattern, grab some Mod Podge and get to work. 11 of 20 Speckled Dyed Eggs Using Rice Southern Living Rice is most definitely a favorite starch among Southerners, and it just moved even higher on our list with this DIY egg decorating tip. If you are looking for a speckled Robin's egg look, rice will be your best friend. Fill a sealable plastic bag partway with rice, then add 10-15 drops of food coloring, seal, and shake. Add the egg to the bag and shake again. Just be sure to dye your egg a solid color first if you are looking for a brightly pigmented egg or contrasting base color. 12 of 20 Marbled Whipped Cream Eggs Southern Living You already know the basics of egg dying, but did you know that you can create a marbled effect by pulling out that tub of whipped cream you have in your fridge? Yes, it is THAT easy and fun. We also tell you how to achieve this look with shaving cream. 13 of 20 Blueberry-Dyed Easter Eggs Photo: Laurey W. Glenn You love them in blueberry muffins, but you will love them even more for their natural dye. Long before blueberries became a go-to snack, they were used for their deep pigmented juices, which can be a natural dye. You can also check out our article on making natural food coloring to see a rainbow of options. 14 of 20 Beet-And Onion-Dyed Eggs Southern Living There's no question that beets can be a powerful stain for vibrant Easter eggs, but did you know that yellow onions can also be used to dye eggs? Yes, they can. For springy pink and orange eggs that speak to the season, all you need is a stroll down the produce aisle. 15 of 20 Baking Soda Eggs Southern Living Get the kids involved in this family-friendly egg dying technique that will make you feel like you're completing an elaborate science experiment. If you want to create a unique pattern on your eggs, decorate them with some glue about an hour before you dye them. It adds a unique touch that detailed-oriented guests will notice. 16 of 20 Gold Speckled Easter Eggs Rachael Walker If you want just a touch of shine on your formal lunch table, these eggs are sure to fit the bill. You'll need gold paint, a push-pin, a toothbrush and some other supplies that you probably already have to put these elegant eggs together. 17 of 20 Painted Vine Easter Eggs Photo: Helen Norman The secret to the best color? Rit fabric dye. You can even mix dyes to get custom colors. Once dry, hand-paint vine and flower designs on your eggs using a fine-tip art brush and water-based gouache paint. Hand-letter initials on some eggs to use as place cards. 18 of 20 Kool-Aid Dyed Eggs Image Source/Getty Images Did you procrastinate on buying the egg dying kit? Well, if you can't seem to find traditional dyes anywhere, head over to the juice aisle and pick up a few packets of Kool-Aid powder. It's even easier than the vinegar method. 19 of 20 Red Easter Eggs Inna Mykhalchuk/Getty Images In the Greek Orthodox religion, it's traditional to dye Easter eggs a deep, vibrant red. Pick up some red food dye and vinegar and follow our steps for achieving this brilliant color. 20 of 20 Silk Tie Easter Eggs FiberArtsy Annette Browning Take a silk tie, cut it, wrap it around an egg, and let it boil in a water-vinegar mixture to create some of the most vibrant eggs you’ve ever made. We provided a step-by-step guide, based on tips from fiber artist Annette Browning of the blog FiberArtsy. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit