How to Make Halloween Cascarones

When I read that the great people at About.com Parenting and Family Channel were seeking blog posts about Halloween for their October Halloween-Themed Blog Carnival, I had to blog! I love Halloween. I remember as a kid going out on the big night and returning with a huge bag of candy, and boy, was I in kid heaven. As an adult, I have always lived in neighborhoods where Halloween is celebrated in a big way. Houses are decorated and lit up. Parents organize trick-or-treating groups so kids can be safe while they have a great time. There is even a huge fireworks display just blocks from my house that is enjoyed by the neighborhood revelers. Last year, I had over 300 trick-or-treaters, so I have been getting ready since the first of September.

I am on a mission. A mission to spread the word about the fun of cascarones--painted eggshells filled with confetti. Cracked over the heads of unsuspecting friends, the result is giggles, laughter, chuckles, and tee-hees--a guaranteed smile.

Cascarones are catching on as favors for the little ghosts and goblins that come a-knockin’ on Halloween. Moms and dads love them because they are sugar-free. Kids love them because they are so much fun. Using your imagination, the humble egg can be a great Halloween treat!

Although I want everyone to visit my Etsy shop, Gracie's Eggies, and buy dozens of my handmade cascarones, I wouldn't be a very good missionary of confetti fun if I didn't share the cascraones secret with the masses. So, here is your complete guide to making cascarones so you can be the "Rey or Reina" (King or Queen) of Confetti Levity on Halloween.

Before I launch into the tutorial, I must ask that readers heed this warning: no matter how many cascarones you buy or make, you will wish you had more! They are infectious. So make plenty.

Materials needed:
Eggs
food coloring, paint, Easter egg dying kit
confetti
tissue used for gift bags
scissors
glue

Make sure and read the "TIPS" following these step-by step instructions.
Wash hands after working with the raw egg product.

1. Prepare the eggs by creating a hole at the fat end of the egg. To do this, hold the egg, fat end up, firmly in the palm of one hand. Tap the egg with the blade of a knife, making a break in the egg about one inch long. Tap the egg again, perpendicular to the first crack. This will make an "X" in the top of the egg.





2. "Pick" a hole with your fingers where you have made the starter cracks. The hole should be about one inch in diameter. The holes don't have to be perfect--they will later be covered with a round piece of tissue. Empty the eggs into a bowl for future use (see TIPS for ways to use your eggs). Wash the shells in water with a little bit of bleach added and place them hole side down on a dishtowel to drain until dry.



3. Color the shells with paint or by dyeing as you would Easter eggs (see TIPS for drying your painted eggs). Be creative! Decorate your shells with stickers, paint, markers, and other embellishments (see TIPS for making perfect polka dots on your cascarones).





4. After the shells are dry, fill them with confetti (see TIPS for hints to buying and making confetti). Kids love this part.



5. Cover the hole with tissue paper (see TIPS for tissue paper). Squeeze a small amount of crafter's glue on the rim of the hole you made in the shell (see TIPS for glue suggestions). Place a round of tissue paper over the hole and gently smooth the tissue until the hole is completely covered.





Making cascarones is only half the fun. Now go out and shower your world with confetti (see TIPS for instructions for cracking eggs over heads)!



TIPS

TIP: Eggshells will probably get into the eggs you have emptied into the bowl. The shells settle to the bottom. If you are going to use the eggs right away, pour the eggs into another bowl, and the shells will remain at the bottom of the original bowl. I learned this tip from Ace of Cakes!

TIP: What are you going to do with all of those eggs? I recommend http://www.marthastewart.com for recipes. You can also freeze eggs to use in cake and cookie recipes.

TIP: I paint my eggs and place them on bamboo skewers, then poke the skewers into the ground until the eggs are dry.

TIP: Do you like my polka dot style of cascarones? Here is my secret for the perfect dot: Dip the eraser-end of a pencil into craft paint and kiss the shell with the eraser. Perfectly round polka dots!



TIP: Where do get confetti? In Texas, you can buy bags of confetti in the party goods aisle at the grocery store for $1 per bag. A bag will fill 7-10 dozen eggs. You can also go to your local printer and ask them to save the circles produced when they drill holes in projects. Another idea is to shred colored paper in a home paper shredder and cut the strips into little squares. You can also buy small bags of specialty confetti (how about spiders?) and add to the paper confetti for a special touch.

TIP: Don't obsess over clean up. The confetti vacuums up easily. If outdoors, the confetti will soon be absorbed into the landscape and causes no harm to the environment.

TIP: I use the most inexpensive crafter's or school glue to adhere the tissue paper to the egg.

TIP: Everyone is using gift bags these days, Save the tissue in the bags to make the tissue circles for cascarones. Smooth the tissue, then accordian fold the tissue. Each pleat should be about three inches wide. Cut circles large enough to cover the holes from the pleated tissue. This method means you can cut about 5-10 circles at a time. Your tissue doesn't have to match the color of your egg. Anything that looks pretty will be fine.

TIP: This is the most important tip. In Texas, kids love to "smash" the eggs directly on the heads. No tears are shed and there are no hard feelings, because everyone knows what they are. Kids who are unfamiliar with the tradition might be shocked and dismayed by being hit on the head. This is how to create a no-tears confetti shower: Hold the egg in one hand about 6 inches over the head of recipient. Crush the egg in the palm of your hand and sprinkle the contents over the head. An alternative to this is to "clap" the cascaron between your hands over the head and then let the confetti rain down.