DIY Modern Color-Blocked Easter Eggs

This post is sponsored by The Incredible Egg. All content and opinions are my own. Visit The Incredible Egg for Easter recipes and inspiration!

Easter is such a fun holiday, don’t you think?? I’m partial to any holiday that involves decorating – and eggs are the cutest little canvases that can be decorated in so many fun and colorful ways. And now that my kids are old enough to join in on the Easter egg decorating fun, it’s even better! I love coming up with new Easter egg decorating ideas each year, and this year I’m really feeling inspired to experiment with new color palettes and color combinations. So today I’m partnering with The Incredible Egg to share these fun DIY modern, color-blocked Easter eggs!

DIY Modern Color-Blocked Easter Eggs

DIY Modern Color-Blocked Easter Eggs

My family looks forward to decorating Easter eggs all year long. We typically spend the holiday with my husband’s family, so we gather everyone around the kitchen table on Easter morning to dye eggs together. I love seeing the colors (and color combinations!) everyone chooses for their eggs and all the ways they express themselves creatively. Plus my kids absolutely love both getting to decorate eggs and then hunt for them with their cousins several times in the afternoon!

DIY Modern Color-Blocked Easter Eggs

I’ve been feeling really inspired by earthy tones and neutral pastels this year – from bold burgundy and yellow tones to soft pinks and sage green hues. I am especially loving terra cotta paired with navy blue and soft pink paired with mustard yellow. I knew these color pairings would be a beautiful and unexpected application on Easter eggs, especially with a modern, color-blocked dip-dye treatment.

DIY Modern Color-Blocked Easter Eggs

Another exciting development? As you may have noticed, I’m using both white and brown eggs this year! I’ve always dyed white eggs in the past, but brown eggs work so beautifully with the deeper earth tones that I just couldn’t resist. Aren’t they just absolutely DREAMY with the color blocked dip dye?? I also loved the idea of creating different colors and tones using the same color dyes on both brown and white eggs. The lighter pastel tones produced a beautiful color wash effect on the brown eggs, while the deeper hues produced rich jewel tones by leaving the eggs in the dye bath for a longer period of time.

DIY Modern Color-Blocked Easter Eggs

Here’s the color palette that I used as my starting point, along with the food coloring dye formulas that I used to dye the eggs:

DIY Modern Color-Blocked Easter Eggs Color Formulas

A quick note: The color formulas above achieved *slightly* different results in person – but it’s pretty close to my original color palette objectives! When you make these color formulas at home, always test the colors with a napkin or paper towel before dyeing your eggs!

DIY Modern Color Blocked Easter Eggs

There are a million ways to decorate Easter eggs – from soft painterly pink and gold eggs to tissue paper eggs – and I love putting a modern twist on traditional decorating techniques. All you need is traditional food coloring dye to achieve the gorgeous colors in these DIY modern, color-blocked Easter eggs! Are you ready? Let’s get started!

DIY Modern Color Blocked Easter Eggs

Supplies

White and Brown Hardboiled Eggs

Liquid Food Coloring

Muffin pan or small bowls for dyeing the eggs (note: the food coloring can leave permanent stains, so don’t use anything too precious!)

Vinegar

Tooth picks or wood chopsticks for stirring

Paper Towels

Disposable Gloves (optional)

DIY Modern Color Blocked Easter Eggs

To make the DIY modern color-blocked Easter eggs:

Step 1. Boil two cups of water, then add two tablespoons of vinegar to the hot water. Fill the cups of a muffin pan or a small bowl with about half an inch of the hot water. Add liquid food coloring based on the color formulas above or to achieve your own desired color palette. I used a variety of store-bought food coloring to create my dye colors, including standard red, yellow, green, and blue liquid food coloring, pastel gel food coloring, and bright magenta, teal, and orange gel food coloring. Use a toothpick or spoon to stir the food coloring together until completely blended, then give it another quick stir before dipping your egg into the dye bath.

Tip: Test the dye color with a paper towel before submerging your eggs, but keep in mind that a paper towel will absorb the dye much faster than an egg, so you’ll need to leave the egg in the dye bath for a minute or two if you’re hoping to achieve brighter/more saturated colors.

Step 2. Wearing disposable gloves, pick up your egg and gently dip one side of the egg into the dye bath. The dye should not cover the entire egg and you should continue to hold the egg in place while it’s in the dye bath so it doesn’t roll over. Hold the egg in place for several seconds for lighter colors or around a minute for deeper/more saturated colors.

Step 3. Remove from the dye bath and pat dry with a paper towel.

Step 4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with a second and third dye color (if desired), covering a different portion of the egg with each new dye color.

DIY Modern Color Blocked Easter Eggs

DIY Modern Color Blocked Easter Eggs

I just can’t stop staring at these colors! I love all the subtle color variations between the white and brown eggs and the different overlapping tones. The non-traditional color combinations are so special and unique!

DIY Modern Color Blocked Easter Eggs

Neutral pastels! Earth tones! Jewel tones! Gah, I just love these eggs SO much! Do you love this color palette as much as I do? Will you be making color-blocked eggs this year?? Let us know if you do! And don’t forget to head over to The Incredible Egg for more Easter inspiration and recipe ideas!

This post was created in partnership with The Incredible Egg. All content and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make Oh So Beautiful Paper possible!

Navy and Leather Bachelor Party Invitations

These navy and leather bachelor party invitations by Kristin of Lustre Theory are a fun way to start the week! Beautiful deep blue and copper envelopes with calligraphy by Seniman Calligraphy, vintage postage stamps, and yes, plenty of leather details throughout the suite. Leather is such a fun way to add some texture to wedding invitations and party invitations, especially when paired with such beautiful jewel tones!

Blue and Leather Bachelor Party Invitations by Lustre Theory

From KristinI designed this unique stationery suite for an editorial shoot coordinated by A Lively Affair in Norfolk, Virginia. The shoot was inspired by the idea of an upscale fall bachelor party incorporating textures of leather, wood, and metal. The cigar and magnolia leaves, along with the leather pieces, help add the perfect southern touches.

Blue and Leather Bachelor Party Invitations by Lustre Theory

The invitation design was inspired by all the different textures mentioned above, from the leather outer envelope to the copper textured liner and dark navy inner envelope. It’s not often I get to design a stationery suite geared towards a primarily male event, which made this one extra exciting. I wanted the invitation design to have old southern charm combined with classic elegance. The beautiful envelope calligraphy by Seniman Calligraphy is the perfect contrast to the typography selections in the square invitation and rsvp card. We added vintage postage stamps to carry the color palette through to the envelope and add a touch of whimsical, outdoorsy artwork. 

Blue and Leather Bachelor Party Invitations by Lustre Theory

Blue and Leather Bachelor Party Invitations by Lustre Theory

The invitations and RSVP card are letterpress printed in dark navy blue ink. Both are finished with a metallic copper edging process and pressed on extra thick white cotton paper. It was important that the invitation card and rsvp card have a strong typographical presence but an overall simple design layout. The leather pieces are all handmade to specification by HJ Leather Arts, a local craftsman in Norfolk. They include an outer main envelope, an invitation band and an event place card.

Blue and Leather Bachelor Party Invitations by Lustre Theory

Blue and Leather Bachelor Party Invitations by Lustre Theory

Thanks Kristin!

 

Invitation Design: Lustre Theory

Envelopes: Cards & Pockets

Calligraphy: Seniman Calligraphy

Letterpress Printing: Fino Print

Leather pieces: HJ Leather Arts

 

Photo Credits: Angela Elise Photography

Shop Local: Where to Find Unique Gifts in Washington, DC

You guys! Only four more days until Christmas! How did that happen? I’ll be taking next week off to spend time with my family, including my dad and step-mom who are coming into town from the West Coast, then returning with brand new content in 2019! But since this is the last shopping weekend before Christmas, I thought I’d leave you with a quick round up of some of my favorite local shops in the DC area, including a limited pop-up shop from Matine that ends this weekend! DC retail has come a LONG way in the last couple of years, with a bunch of really cute independent boutiques opening up across the city, and I’m so grateful for each and every one of them. I love being able to look for the perfect little special something in person at these shops discover new brands in the process. So for those of you doing a bit of local shopping this weekend, or if any of you are planning trips in the future, here are a few favorite spots where you can find unique gifts in DC!

Union Market / Washington, DC

SALT & SUNDRY

Two locations in Washington, DC: Union Market (1309 5th St NE) and Logan Circle (1625 14th St NW)

Whenever I’m on the hunt for a unique gift, I always start at the OG Salt & Sundry location at Union Market. They have a fantastic collection of tabletop and home goods, art and wall hangings, some really cute baby and kid items, and lots of fun barware and mixers for cocktail enthusiasts!

SHELTER

1258 5th Street NE, Washington, DC

Shelter is one of DC’s newest boutiques, located just across the street from Union Market. Shelter was founded by DC jewelry designer Mallory Shelter and features a curated selection of jewelry, accessories, and natural objects by independent designers. Mallory has definitely curated the most beautiful and thoughtful selection of gifts, from the Clare Vivier clutches and hand beaded earrings and necklaces by Alchemilla Jewelry to Nightspace candles and ceramics from a local artist.

TAKE CARE

1338 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC

Heading across town to Georgetown and Take Care! Take Care is an all-natural skincare, beauty and lifestyle shop that offers an essential collection of plant-based and independent-label brands for your skin, body and home. I’ve made several trips to Take Care this year to finally get a handle on my skincare routine, and I can’t say enough good things about this beautiful little shop. If you know anyone who loves skincare, essential oils, or natural makeup, definitely stop by to check it out.

MATINE

1810 14th Street NW, Washington, DC – until December 23 only

If you’re looking for beautiful and timeless leather goods, definitely check out the Matine pop-up in Logan Circle – this weekend is the last weekend to check it out in person! After that, you can always visit Matine online!

PENNY POST

1201 King Street Alexandria, VA

Heading across the river to our friends in Old Town, Alexandria! Penny Post is the new stationery store from the owner of Red Barn Mercantile, and it’s seriously the cutest little shop with so many fun gift ideas. Books, notebooks, desk signs, fancy pens, art prints, mugs, and of course the absolute BEST greeting card selection in the DC area!

RED BARN MERCANTILE

1117 King Street, Alexandria, VA

And of course we can’t forget our friends at Penny Posts’s sister store Red Barn Mercantile! Home décor, tabletop pieces, cookbooks, barware, accessories, kid gifts, and lots more. Plus, they also offer home design services!

Happy shopping everyone!

2018 Gift Guide: Handmade Gifts

For today’s final gift guide installment, we’re focusing on handmade gifts from small business makers. Supporting small businesses has been important to me since day one of this blog, and while I might turn to big box stores for things like vacuum cleaners and kid toys I always feel like the most special gifts come from artists producing beautiful handmade products. We’ve got plenty of ceramics, some hand painted leather goods, woven art, and some of my favorite jewelry. So many great options!

2018 Gift Guide: Handmade Gifts

1. I let out an audible gasp when I first saw these necklaces from Rare Bird Designs. So beautiful!

2. I could easily spend all of my money in Lillian Faraj’s gorgeous shop. I have one of these hand painted leather clutches (and it has already become one of my favorite possessions), but I desperately want one of the marbled circle purses. Aaaah!

3. I stumbled upon a pair of gorgeous Alchemilla Jewelry earrings at a cool store here in DC, and now I’m obsessed! Each earring is individually beaded completely by hand. It’s honestly wearable art and I love it. 

p.s. I’m definitely feeling jewelry vibes this year. Check out more of my favorites from Four Eyes ceramics and Tidy Clutterings. I want all of them!

4. Did you know that each and every product at Moglea is individually hand painted? Yep. From notebook covers to greeting cards, they’re all painted by hand – making this jotter notebook a truly special holiday gift. I’m loving the colors on this one!

5. I’m absolutely smitten with the fiber artwork from Mandi Smethells. The rainbows are just so cute and clever! I can’t wait to save up and purchase my own piece some day!

6. Completely obsessed with these tassel earrings from Wkndla

7. These ceramic desert bells by West Perro are just so cool – like sculptural, interactive art. 

8. If you know someone who drinks coffee every day, I can guarantee they’d love to receive a handmade pour-over coffee set. I’m completely obsessed with this coffee set from Jars of Dust, and this speckled set from The Lulu Bird is also lots of fun! 

9. I love these hand painted ceramic rainbows – wouldn’t it be so perfect in a nursery? Comes in a range of colors, each with adorable tassels at the bottom!

10. These color-blocked macramé plant hangers are so cool for any friends or family with a green thumb.

p.s. Love macramé but not plant inclined? Check out the gorgeous macramé wall hangings from Noma Macramé!

11. This inspirational quote card set from In the Daylight is the perfect gift for someone working hard to make their side hustle into a full-time gig. The set includes twelve inspirational hand lettered quotes to help brighten any day.

Friday Faves

Happy Friday everyone! Andrew and I hosted our very first cocktail workshop at Red Barn Mercantile last night – it was SO much fun! If you’re in the DC area, we’re planning to do more very soon and would love to have you join us! You can sign up for the Liquorary mailing list right here to make sure you don’t miss out on any upcoming events! Also, our vintage glassware will be available for sale at Red Barn Mercantile all weekend. It’s going to be a perfect weekend for a stroll down King Street in Old Town Alexandria, so I hope you’ll go check it out!

Liquorary Gold Cocktail Glasses

Currently loving all of the jewelry in this Etsy shop!

Did you see that JCrew is having a 40% off sale on all sweaters and coats?? Thinking about this lavender mock turtleneck sweater, this chunky knit sweater, and this super cute ruffle neck sweater. Ooooooh, and this colorful wool parka!

The perfect fall boot.

Have you seen the new Anthropologie holiday collection? Everything is so cute! I especially want these fluffy white faux trees and this faux wreath

So many amazing and strong women running for office around the country

The final call to save the world from climate catastrophe. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, especially in the context as a mother of two little girls and thinking about the world as they grow older. Are you taking personal steps to address climate change? I know most of this is happening at a level way above the individual household level, but if you have any advice or tips to share I’d love to hear it!

xoxo