I had grand plans to make leopard print Easter eggs this year, all gussied up and handpainted brown and black spots with badass brass studs around the circumference. Yeah! They were going to be sparkly. They were going to be Vegas. They were going to be amazing.
Yes, I had grand plans to do lots of things. Then life happened. Now I find myself waking up short on cat food and clean underwear. Now it’s time to take it down a peg or two.
So I am taking to easy road on this one. I got my leopard eggs, but I’m skipping the fussy stuff and going right for the peanutnutter and jelly of DIY supplies: duct tape.
When I was a tatertot, duct tape came in two colors: silver and fugly.
Nowadays it comes in pink and green and gold and stripes and argyle and even bacon. Yes, there is such a thing as bacon tape. I myself am rather fond of the leopard and the metallic gold. I keep them at an arm’s length at all times. You just never know when you will need a lick of leopard.
 |
| Substitute Easter grass for Mardi gras beads. You know, because it’s tasteful. |
On the How Easy Is This? Scale, on a 1 through 10, this comes in at a negative 2. If you can mess this project up, there is something wrong with you. It’s not the tape or the eggs, honey, it’s you.
I made all of those eggs in under 20 minutes. Not too shabby!
Could you use a box cutter to slice the circumference and keep the egg functional for storing chocolatey goodness, sure. I didn’t in this case because I like to reallocate chocolately goodness directly to its final *destination.
*That’s fancy talk for my mouth.
Patterned duct tape is easy to find in stores, but I realize not everyone will want to run out and buy a bunch of patterns. So why not make due with what you have an paint it? Just stretch the tape out on something you can remove it from later on (In my case, a plastic shoe box), paint on your desired pattern, et voila!
I know what you are thinking? Couldn’t you just paint the egg directly?
Yes, but painting plastic eggs is harder than you might think. For one thing, they are slippery bastards, and for another thing, the drying takes forever, and then, to top it all off, the stuff chips off after a while. With duct tape, that’s not a problem. These will keep for years and years, ready to hand them down to passing generations. Because let’s face it, the one thing posterity needs more than anything is more leopard in their religious holidays.
Happy Easter Y’all!
“…the one thing posterity needs more than anything is more leopard in their religious holidays.”
Best. Line. Ever.
Jesus would approve.
I have no need for Easter eggs but this line made me laugh. That’s the thing I love about Aunt Peaches, even if it’s not something I’m going to do, I still need to read the post because there’ll be something like this that needs to be savored.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Thanks Greenduckiesgirl, that made my day 🙂
Oh, heavens, I love the painted ones! The plastic box is a great tip!
who doesnt love duct tape? love the red and white ones. 🙂 what a great idea1
This just feels like such a waste to me. There is so much waste in this world already. I don’t mean to sound mean at all and I know if I didn’t post this anonymously I’d be seen as a mean person. I just wanted to say I’m a little bummed that it’s crafts like this (and this is nothing on the author, just the craft) that make me less and less interested in craft blogs.
And how is this helpful?
I think this person is just expressing an opion. You say “I want to hear what YOU think.”
I agree. Opinions are always welcome – good, bad or otherwise. But the crux of this comment is an accusation that I have created waste, and I take issue with that. Big time. Because 1. I didn’t waste anything – I created something that I wanted using materials I already owned. And 2. I didn’t make this for anyone else besides myself. I documented the process and shared that documentation with anyone who cares to partake — and if that is a waste, so is everything else on this website. I’m just sharing ideas. Experiences. Whether anyone in my audience wants to take my ideas as a suggestions isn’t up to me. I don’t get to make that call. I do, however, get to decide what I want to create and document and share on my own blog. I make what I like. For someone to infer that I ought to be spending my time creating a blogging about things that THEY like is not only rude, it is irrelevant.
Granted, that is my opinion.
I would like to note that I totally get the concept of ‘craft blog fatigue’…I get tired too. All craft bloggers do, as I imagine all audience members do as well. Lucky for all of us, there are elevnty five thousand other blogs to provide alternative options. Hooray for variety!
If opinions are always welcome then why the “but” that follows that statement? When people throw in the word “but” they don’t mean what came prior, hence the “but.”
Not all opinions are going to be “helpful” nor do they need to be. They are just that, opinions, food for thought. I wrote the above statement and your response is exactly why I kept anonymous. Because of your response I’m not going to even bother answering why it is wasteful because you clearly don’t really want to hear my opinion or you wouldn’t have said, “but.” All the best.
Point taken, *BUT* (loaded term), I wish you would have made it clear in the initial comment that your issue is with the use of plastic. The way I read it (as others did as well, from the looks of it), your criticism was in regards to something much bigger — the ‘waste’ of creating goods/crafts/items without immediate practical purposes. The waste that comes from being over reliant on plastic is a different issue, and yes, one I am guilty of on a daily basis. It’s everywhere. It’s easy. I ought to know better. Oddly enough, I avoid it more than most people I know and reuse it whenever possible, but it’s something to keep in mind moving forward. Uh oh…there I go using But again….
I really get tired of the “others read it that way too” argument. It makes me laugh when people throw that in there, the look at me I’m not alone so I must be right and you wrong, look, look! Really?
Plastic was not the only part I was referring to but it’s a large part. I don’t think it should be encouraged in any way because people claim to care for the planet but somehow there is a shitload of plastic floating in the ocean. So, no, I didn’t need to be more specific because plastic wasn’t the only issue with this being wasteful. What I needed to do was remember that most people don’t care about waste nor do they view most things as waste, even though I find those very things on the side of the roads, littering parks and other beautiful places. In a world where documentaries like the soon to be released “Revolution” coming out and information about the shitty state of the planet (because of us) here we are making duck taped covered eggs. I was a reader of yours, very much enjoyed some of your posts, typically the non-DIY ones. Then I came across this one. I was getting so fed up with some of the DIYs that are going on in the DIY blogging world. It’s like people just want to make so they have something to blog about, to one up someone else. They don’t bother to think, is this really useful? Is it harmful? I’m just fed up. So I’ve checked back to see if you reply because I believe in continuing conversation and not bowing out for silly reasons, but I am no longer following if this is what’s shared, more wasteful DIYs.
Okay, you clearly feel very passionate about this issue. I still don’t know what issue you are/were trying to address in your initial comment, (the environment? consumer habits? unconsciousness crafting? the one-upmanship of DIY bloggers? )…I don’t know, but I respect your right to be upset about it.
Bottom line is that I wanted to make some Easter eggs. So I did. And I will have them, and appreciate them, for many years to come. And if some part of that story makes you upset, I don’t think there is a whole lot I can do about that right now. There might be other forums better suited to promulgating one’s anger than a blog post about Easter eggs.
I wish you the best. I tried.
But funny how you never really addressed anything I said but oh you gave me the right to say it. Uh, ya, thanks.
If you have kids, Anonymous, “You are creating their memories” This is from one of my friends. When I lost a child, she said, “Cherish your memories.” If we want to be parsimonious, we could join religious organizations to live communally. That is less wasteful. I think you are in the wrong place here. At Aunt Peaches’s we are thoughtful, yet silly and crazy. We also make stupid things from trash, like egg cartons. Ann
There are better ways to “create memories” than with plastic covered plastic. Get creative, really.
Anonymous, what is wrong with you? Go rant somewhere else.
There are many craft blogs dedicated to making crafty/arty/whatsamas from stuff you’d normally throw away. Aunt P has done some nifty stuff with everything from tp tubes to plastic bags to discarded fruit baskets. She’s made flowers from plastic bottles. You just caught her on a “Faster Egg” day.
Yes nothing like more plastic in this world, because that’s just what the planet needs. Hence my reference to waste.
I do get hating plastic (and its affects on the environment). I lived in an east african country where they are completely banned.
What I don’t get is what you would consider a useful, nonwasteful, environmentally friendly craft. Gardening doesnt really fit as a craft and even repurposing garments has its own issues (dyes, fair trade textiles).
Seems like unexplored blog niche, and I hope you’ll go that direction, you sound uniquely suited for it. Ihatediy is probably taken as a domain name but trollhatescrafts is available….I checked.
I love how people are right there to throw labels. So because I’m an honest person who followed this blog, up until now, and stated my opinion I must be a “troll” and hate crafts. 1) Please see other comment about crafts that I made before you assume 2) I’m sick and tired of this troll nonsense. Being honest doesn’t label someone a troll. It’s a cowardly way to call someone out because you are offput by their honesty. I know most people are uncomfortable with honesty and so to deal with it they give the person a label, wipe their hands, and walk away. I’ll tell you what a troll generally is. It is someone who goes out and seeks bashing people, who seeks the ability to leave mean and cruel comments. A troll is someone with a lot of fucking time on their hands. I don’t go out seeking finding places to say cruel things or constantly point out where I disagree. But oh you get a bit honest and you are a “troll.” Consider me disturbed and please don’t excuse my language but keep your fucking label to yourself. Be an honest fucking person and stop with the label nonsense. I’m a human being who is honest on my opinion but I know I can’t publicly say and have to be “anonymous” because people are so god dammed cowardly and label it to feel better about themselves. Goodbye. I’m done.
Anonymous, do you realize how stupid you sound right now? “Be an honest fucking person” and quit leaving anonymous rants on craft blogs.
“Disturbed” is right.
Just a quick little lesson on honesty, Michelle. Putting yourself as Anonymous is not being dishonest. I’m not lying about anything. I’m not saying I’m someone I’m not. I am, however, stating my feelings, honestly.
Also, for your information, I’m not leaving anonymous rants on craft blogs. Please stop with the assumptions. There sure is a shitload of assuming going on. I’ll tell you what I’m doing. But first, let me ask you, what other “craft blogs” (since you pluralized it) am I leaving “anonymous rants” on, let alone anonymous comments at all on other “craft blogs.” I’m not. I’m only leaving anonymous comments (because of responses like yours) on THIS blog. So please don’t assume and choose your words wisely.
I don’t think we need to split semantics any further. Everyone has made their point.
Lastly, for the record, I would like to remind everyone that *nobody* is anonymous on the internet. For example, when you leave comments under an Anonymous name (or a fake name for that matter), the website owner can still see your IP Address and match it to any previous comments and/or any other publicly available information affiliated with that IP#.
I’m closing comments on this post so we can all keep our thoughts to ourselves from here on in.
I love you, Peaches. Keep the spotsa coming! The planet needs flamboyant and fabulousness. Not everything has to be about reuse/practicalness. That’s like a diet of veggies and never having cake and ice cream. Sure, you don’t need cake to live….but without it. Life can become rather drab and monotonous. Enjoy!
Love your idea with the duct tape eggs.
Not sure why “Anonymous” would be reading this type of blog if she thinks crafting is a waste.
How can making beautiful things be a waste? Does she feel the same about valuable paintings, etc?
Anyway, love your eggs – and your blog.
Nan in Toronto, Canada
I never said crafting is a waste at all. Please tell me where I said crafting is a waste? What I think is wasteful is adding yet even more plastic (and add to that duck tape covered plastic) to a planet already drowning in it.
love.love.love.
and p.s. how can something like duct tape be wasteful? those eggs are going to last a bazillion years!
love it, love the blog,love you!
Rae
Love it! My 11 year old has some camo duct tape that would make Easter egg hunts hilariously hard! So far he’s made a hat ( looks like a fez) a pair of functional slippers, a lunch box make over and an updated and repaired math folder all with his duct tape stash.
That sounds pretty awesome!
Aunt Peaches you are a super woman and I love to read your BLOG. You are so imaginative, creative, wild/crazy and FUN! Your words make me feel good and I really do enjoy your ideas for things we might throw away. The DUCT TAPE EGGS are gorgeous and SO EASY that anyone can do them. I would not miss your posts for anything. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Mary Beth
Thanks MaryBeth!
What amazing duct tape!! Where did you get the leopard print one?
The hardware store! I have also seen it at Home Depot and Target.
Those are just too easy! Must find the duct tape! Lol. I think it’s a awesome idea, and even if it’s not at immediately Eco friendly, it still is. If you ever tire of them (as if, i know!) you can just peel off the duct tape.
On another note, if you ever do want to paint a plastic egg, I have one, okay, two words for you. Nail Polish. The stuff works wonders on anything in need of a paint, but hard to d with normal stuff 🙂
Gosh, nail polish? Never thought of that. I’ll have to try it — thanks!
Oh my dolphins…LEOPARD PRINT DUCT TAPE??? Have I died and gone to heaven?! Uh maze ing
Ok, I’m sorry but I think these eggs are really quite ugly. I like the concept of using duct tape but the eggs pictured really do look like something made in a kindergarten class. Perhaps, it was intended they have a shabby chic look but if that is the case, sadly, I believe they missed the mark. Rough pointy edges and sheared tape lines are just not pretty.
I’m glad you got that off your chest.
I couldn’t agree more Anonymous, ugly and a waste. In a world filled with so much waste and headed straight in the gutter we are making plastic covered plastic and it’s disgusting. Priorities. The future people. Give a care, please.
lepoard print eggs are awesome…I’m not sure if you’re my aunt from my mother’s side or my father’s side but I just adore you and your style. Thanks!
Thanks Norma 🙂
I agree with Anonymous. These are the ugliest eggs I have ever seen. You would be better off using that tape to bind up your craft suplies.
Great tips. very well-written, keyword-oriented and incredibly useful. its really interesting to many readers. I really appreciate this, thanks
Plastic Ducting
I love your eggs! The texture the duct tape gives them is awesome!
I. Can’t. Take. The Fabulous! Can’t wait to make these. Thanks, Aunt Peaches!
I love this idea. I have two 10 year old boys who will not dye eggs if their life depended on it, but duct tape they would love. Maybe I’ll get some camo tape before hiding in the yard. That’ll keep them busy!