Easter Egg Decorating Ideas for Your Shabby Chic Style

Ivy-covered cottages, old faded chintz, bird cages, napkin holders, and lots of time-worn pieces . . . you’re all about the shabby chic. It just might be what makes Easter one of your favorite holidays. Unfortunately, the celebration has gone the way of plastic neon eggs and jarring baskets wrapped in cellophane. What happened to unassuming good taste?

It’s never too late to get your Victorian on, and take back control of Easter. There are plenty of beautiful decoration ideas. Now, let’s start with the eggs!

Fabulous Floral Wrapped Eggs via My Fudo

What better way to herald the coming of spring than with exquisite florals? Fabric tapes sport budding designs in motifs that are the envy of French linens. A veritable rose garden, they come in those lovely powder blues and écrus. You can find vintage floral washi at your local arts and crafts store or order them online from Rakuten Global Market, Mochi Things, AliExpress, and even on Etsy. 

For this craft, you can use Styrofoam eggs, wooden ones, or the real deal. Simply cut and rip your fabric tape into strips. Cover the entire surface of your egg all along its length with a variety of patterns and motifs. Overlap fabrics for a really darling effect.

Cut about 3-inch long pieces of ¼-inch wide silk ribbons in perfect pinks or soft blues. Glue two ribbons to the bottom of each egg and tie them to a white-washed brambly tree branch. Or simply display your eggs in hand-blown glass bowls, ceramic egg holders, or the cardboard cartons themselves for a striking contrast.

Vintage Botanicals Decoupage via Honestly Yum

What’s more Victorian than vintage botanical prints? They’re both sublimely scientific and incredibly gorgeous – conjuring up images of long walks in an English garden with a sketchbook in hand.

But you won’t have to spend your time drawing some out. Simply get online and go for the free printables. You can find plenty to choose from on The Graphics Fairy or Vintage Printable. 

The high resolutions and larger formats of your beautiful eye-candy merit a larger egg for full effect. Pair your illustrations with goose, emu, or ostrich eggs. Cut your botanicals right along their edges and play around with placement.

Apply matte Modge Podge directly to your egg using a wide, flat-tipped brush and glue on your image. Smooth out any bumps right away and let dry. Continue with your other images until you’ve obtained your desired composition. Once they’re all on, brush on a thin layer of Modge Podge over the entire surface and let dry.

Display them on some ornamental egg stands or brass candleholders. Pair with tulips, peonies, and sweet peas for the ultimate shabby chic.

Elegance is a Pressing Concern via Redfin

The truly natural look is always sublime. So why not gather some flowers and press them the old fashioned way – between the pages of some thick, heavy books? If you love the look but don’t have the time to wait for your flowers to dry out completely, you can purchase your favorite blooms already pressed online.

Use matte Modge Podge and a flat-tipped brush to adhere your flower on to the egg and let dry. Continue this process until you have a beautiful, blossoming bouquet. Once you have all your flowers on, apply another thin layer of the glue over the entire surface of the egg to keep flowers from crumbling off. Display them in some vintage tea cups or a floral-printed bowl. Add some fresh flowers, and your centerpiece will look divine.

A Modern Craft with a Vintage Aesthetic via Country Living

Ok, you love shabby chic but you’re thoroughly modern in your habits. Or maybe you just don’t have a crafty bone in your body. That doesn’t mean you can’t use modern tools to get that Victorian look – and do it without so much as touching glue or paint.

Just get on the computer and find your favorite vintage illustrations of birds, bugs, and butterflies. Check out The Graphics Fairy or The Vintage Moth for some free downloads. Resize them to an area of about 1 ½ x 1 ½ inches up to 2 inches should be ok for most eggs. Arrange them so that you can fit as many as possible on a single sheet, using your layout program of choice.

Now print them out on tattoo paper. Yes, tattoo paper! Cut around your images and transfer them onto your hard-boiled or blown out eggs with water, per the paper’s instructions. Simple and elegant! (Image via Country Living)

Packets of Pristine Beauty

If you love the totally natural look, this easy Easter craft is just your style. Dye your eggs or keep them au natural and gather up some herbs and field flowers. Dab a little Modge Podge in the center of your egg and affix your plant to keep it in place. Then simply tie a bit of vintage twine around the circumference of your egg.

A fresh take on Easter decorating, these eggs will have your guests swoon. Make them on the day of to keep your flowers as pert as possible.

Victorian Appeal and Stark Contrast via Jennuine

For a real old-timey look that stands out, look to the sharp lines of a classic silhouette. A quick visit to The Graphics Fairy will get you the images you need. Resize them to about a 1 ½ inch to 2 inch square and arrange your images on a single sheet of paper.

Print your images onto tattoo paper and trim them down so that they only have a small, thin border. Transfer them with water, according to the paper’s instructions. A beautiful way to clad your egg!

Napkin-Wrapped Perfection via La Receta de la Felicidad

Pick up a pack of your favorite vintage-looking floral napkins for an easy, no-paint way to decorate your eggs. Take your blown-out egg and lay your printed napkin over it with the pattern side up. Brush over the napkin with egg whites (decoupage glue works too) until it softens and easily covers your egg. Continue doing this until you have most of your egg wrapped. Toward the end, you may find that you have to trim your napkin down bits at a time and brush on egg whites until the egg is fully covered.

What shabby chic decorations are you planning this year? Share your ideas with us!