How to Build Your Own Faberge Eggs

Jeweled Egg

Peter Carl Fabergé created his famous Easter eggs for Russian Czars Alexander III and Nicholas II between 1885 and 1917. The eggs, also made for other wealthy clients, were created with exteriors of gold and jewels and a surprise inside each. The first egg contained a miniature hen, crown and pendant. Create a Fabergé-style egg of your own with simple craft items and pre-made miniatures.

Things You'll Need

• Images of Fabergé eggs
• Styrofoam egg
• Utility knife
• Clay
• Craft glue
• White paint
• Pencil
• Colored beads
• Colored jewels
• Gold paint
• Fine paintbrushes
• Colored paint
• Miniature items

Instructions

Fabergé Egg Models

1. Use the utility knife to cut the Styrofoam egg in half horizontally. Hollow out the inside of both halves of the egg, leaving a half-inch layer of Styrofoam as the egg shell.

2. Roll a quarter-inch-thick worm shape of clay long enough to go around the flat edge of the top half of the egg. Glue the clay worm in place and allow the clay to dry overnight. Apply a quarter-inch-thick layer of clay to the flat edge of the bottom half of the egg. Press the top half of the egg into the bottom half so the clay worm creates an impression in the soft clay on the bottom half. Remove any excess clay that may extend beyond the sides of the egg. Separate the two halves and remove any excess clay from the inside. Allow the clay to dry overnight.

3. Paint the egg inside and out with white paint. Set aside to dry completely. Add another coat of paint as needed to create a smooth white surface and allow to dry overnight. Place the two halves of the egg together. Sketch a pattern on the white paint with the pencil. The pattern should go all the way around the outside of the egg. Follow an existing Fabergé egg pattern or create your own pattern in that style

4. Apply colored beads or jewels with glue as needed according to the pattern sketched onto the egg. Add gold details with gold paint. Use other colors of paint as desired following the pattern sketched onto the egg.

5. Set the finished egg aside to dry overnight. Open the egg and place a miniature figure inside. Reclose the egg.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a charm designed for a bracelet as the miniature treasure inside the egg.

References

• PBS: Fabergé Eggs
• Mieks: Fabergé Eggs