January 13, 2023

Easter Egg “Topiaries”

Summary

I found some super cute but pretty pricey springtime topiaries in a catalogue. I wasn't willing to reproduce them exactly but I did want to use the scale, designs, and colors to make a much more budget and DIY-friendly version.

A few years ago I copied Christmas topiaries from Grandinroad catalogue. I used styrofoam balls, plaster of Paris, and wood. It was an intense and long process and not one I really wanted to repeat plus it was pricey, though not nearly as much as the original. But they also had a  spring version which was so happy and beautiful! Grandinroad topiaries
 
 
 
I loved the scale of these topiaries and the springtime designs. I realize that what I am going to show you is not super close to the image to the right, but it was my starting place. The other thing that informed my design  was that I already had a supply of six-foot fence pickets I had gotten for free on Craigslist.  As a bonus,  the idea that these could be stored flat was appealing. Thus the Easter “Topiaries” were born.
 

Materials:

2- 6’ fence pickets cut to 4’

1 easel back (one of the 2’ offcuts)

3 cleats (from the other offcut)

Nail gun and nails

1 hinge

14” string or wire

staple gun and staples

primer and brush

poster board pattern

design patterns

carbon paper

pencil

paint and brushes

Steps:

  • Create a pattern.
  • Trace half of topiary pattern on one picket.
  • Cut it out with a jigsaw or bandsaw.
  • Flip the pattern and repeat. (The flipping ensures that your topiary will be symmetrical.)
  • Using a nail gun or screws,  attach the two halves together with the cleats.
Fence Picket Topiary
  • Prime. I used a bonding and stain blocking version of Kilz and it did a great job!
Primer
  • Attach the easel back to the middle cleat with a hinge. 
Hinge
  • Use string stapled to the bottom of the easel and the topiary to keep it from sliding open too far.
stapled string
  • On white paper, create designs. Make them appear to curve around a surface so they will look three dimensional. I used the Grandinroad catalogue. (No shame!)
  • But I also used an actual egg. I drew polka dots and took a photo. Then I printed it out to match the size of my wooden topiary eggs. 

egg

  • Using carbon paper, trace your design onto the prepared surface.
Tracing onto primed wood
  • Paint. I used house paint sample pots.
Painting wooden topiary
  • Add shading using a hatching technique or a dry brush.
  • Add white highlights down the center to really make it 3-D.
cross-hatching and highlights
  •  Finally, show off your work!
finished Easter topiary

 

Easter egg topiaries
Easter egg topiaries