These pretty swirled patterns are made by passing an egg through a bath of enamel paint suspended in water. The process is easy and the pleasantly unpredictable results are always a surprise.

　　

Ingredients

Enamel hobby paints: green, lavender, and purple, or colors of your choice

　　Disposable aluminum roasting pans, one for each color combination

　　Rubber gloves

　　Wooden skewers

　　Blown eggs , as many as desired, clean and dry

　　Coffee filters

　　

Step 1

1. Decide the color or combinations you want to use—you may use one or more colors of paint for each marbling bath.

　　

Step 2

2. For each bath, fill a roasting pan with about 4 inches of water. Put on the rubber gloves. Add about 1 teaspoon of each color paint in the chosen combination. Swirl the end of a skewer through the paint.

　　

Step 3

3. Place an egg on the end of a skewer. Swirl it around through the paint and water. When the paint has adhered to the egg in a marbled pattern, remove the egg from the skewer to an egg carton and let it dry.

　　

Step 4

4. Repeat this process for each egg, using the different color marbleizing baths as you wish.

　　

Step 5

5. To dispose of paint responsibly, pour each bath slowly through a coffee filter, letting the water drain down the sink and capturing the paint. Throw away the paint.

　　Tip:

　　• If you wish, paint the eggs before marbleizing them; be sure to let them dry before dipping them in the marbleizing bath.

　　Reprinted with permission from Easter Eggs: 40 Fabulous Projects for the Whole Family by Matthew Mead, © 2007 Chronicle Books