Swifties, Stop What You're Doing and Make These Eras Easter Eggs
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It's no secret that Taylor Swift is the queen of Easter eggs—at least those in the form of hidden messages and clues about upcoming album releases. (You could call her a mastermind...) With the second half of her incredibly popular Eras Tour in full swing, it seemed the right time to dream up actual Easter eggs—one for each of her 11 albums (just one album shy of a carton, Tay!). Fingers crossed we'll get to a dozen sooner rather than later, although it's safe to say number 13, her lucky number, will likely be the most epic. Cue up your favorite album (Taylor's Version, of course), and get crafting courtesy of the instructions below.
More Easter Egg Ideas:
Taylor Swift
Way back in 2006, Taylor Swift burst onto the country music scene, and our lives have never been the same. At just 16 years old, Taylor became the first solo female country artist to write or co-write every song on a platinum debut album. Cue up "Tim McGraw" and "Teardrops on My Guitar" while you decorate this egg!
Instructions: Dab varying shades of blue, teal, and green onto a real or wooden egg and blend together. You may need to do a few coats to get full coverage. Let dry. Finish it off by applying a holographic butterfly sticker.
Fearless
Proving early on how quickly she can write hit songs, Taylor released Fearless in 2008. It spent 11 weeks atop the Billboard 200 list and went on to become the most-awarded country album of all time, winning Taylor her first Grammys for Album of the Year and Best Country Album. Start with "You Belong with Me" and reminisce with "Fifteen" while you decorate this golden egg!
Instructions: Paint a real or wooden egg with metallic gold paint. You may need to do a few coats to get full coverage. While the last coat is still tacky, carefully apply some gold foil flakes. Once the egg is completely dry, rub it all over with a clean cloth to remove any excess foil.
Speak Now
Taylor outdid herself again in 2010, releasing the entirely self-written album Speak Now. It sold one million copies in its first week and spent six weeks at number one on the Billboard 200. Really belt out that chorus when "Mean" comes up on your playlist!
Instructions: Wrap purple tulle around your palm about 10 times. Slip the fabric off of your hand and tie it tightly in the center with the looped ends at the top and bottom. Cut through each looped end and peel the layers of tulle back toward the center, forming a fluffy ball. Trim into an egg shape.
Red
Red was Taylor's first distinct departure from her country roots. With this album, Taylor became the first female artist to have three straight albums top the Billboard 200 for at least six weeks. Now that we're all grown up, "All Too Well" just hit different with the 2021 (Taylor's Version) release. Once you've wiped your tears, pick yourself back up with my personal favorite, "Message in a Bottle."
Instructions: Paint a real or wooden egg red. You may need to do a few coats to get full coverage. Let dry. Cut a piece of red felt into a strip long enough to tie around the egg. Cut tiny strips about 1/2" deep to create a fringe at each end. Tie the scarf, and secure with a dab of hot-glue to keep it in place.
1989
Named for her birth year, 1989 was the electronic pop album no one saw coming. Honestly, where would we be without "Style," "Blank Space," and "Shake It Off?" After spending 11 weeks atop the Billboard 200, 1989 won Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2016 Grammys. She's got range!
Instructions: Paint a real or wooden egg light blue. You may need to do a few coats to get full coverage. Let dry. Print out some small images of seagulls, and cut them out with an X-Acto knife. Use matte Mod Podge to glue the seagulls on and seal the egg.
Reputation
In reaction to the extreme levels of fame and public scrutiny she was facing at this point in her career, Taylor released Reputation in 2017. This is the album for when you're feeling annoyed or angry, so put on "Look What You Made Me Do," and let it all out. Oh, it was also Swift's fourth album to sell one million copies in its first week, topped the Billboard 200, and was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the Grammys. Casual.
Instructions: Print out a few images of the Reputation album art. Tear out the parts with all the text and rip it into smaller pieces. Use matte Mod Podge to glue and seal the torn pieces onto a real or wooden egg.
Lover
Self-described as a "love letter to love," Taylor released Lover in 2019. She was onto something good because the album topped the Billboard 200 again and sold more than any other album in 2019. "London Boy" will make you want to hop on a transatlantic flight, and "The Man" will have you jabbing at that glass ceiling. So relatable.
Instructions: Paint a real or wooden egg light pink. You may need to do a few coats to get full coverage. Let dry. Use spray paint to add some light pops of turquoise and lavender all around the egg.
Folklore
While the world was cooped up in 2020, Taylor surprised us with a whole album built on fantasy and storytelling. Compared to her past albums, Folklore's pace was much slower and the tone more mellow. It won a Grammy for Album of the Year, making Taylor the first woman ever to win the award three times. Dwell on what could have been with "The 1," and then move on to my personal favorite, "Exile."
Instructions: Tear off small pieces of preserved moss, and hot-glue them onto a real or wooden egg to completely cover its surface.
Evermore
Less than a year later, Taylor released her second surprise album and a sister to Folklore. Evermore kept up the influences of folk and imagination and delighted fans and critics. It sold 1 million copies in its first week, became her eighth consecutive album to top the Billboard chart on release, and was nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys.
Instructions: Cut a circle shape out of thin plaid fabric, roughly large enough to cover half of your real or wooden egg. Glue it down in the center, and cut darts from the top left, top right, bottom left, and bottom right. Fold the loose pieces over each other and glue down tightly to the egg. Repeat all the steps on the opposite side of the egg to completely cover it.
Midnights
Returning to more autobiographical tunes, Midnights focused on the overthinking that keeps Taylor (and all of us) up at night. Following her pattern of success, Midnights hit number one on the Billboard 200, sold over one million first-week copies, became the best-selling album of 2022, and won Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album at the Grammys. Seriously! Among the many versions of this album, there are tons of tracks to choose from, but I'm most into "Anti-Hero" and "Mastermind."
Instructions: Use a nail to carefully chip away at the side of a real egg, and slowly open up a hole about 1 inch wide. Pour out and throw away the contents of the egg and carefully wash out the inside with some dish soap and your finger. Paint the outside of the egg navy blue. You may need to do a few coats to get full coverage. Let dry. Place a candle wick into the hole so it reaches the bottom and wrap it around a toothpick placed over the opening so it stays upright. Melt the wax from a navy blue tea light in a small metal bowl inside a pot of boiling water. Once the wax is completely melted, let it cool down as much as possible while keeping it liquid, and pour it into the eggshell around the wick. Let the wax harden, and trim the wick. Light the wick only when you have the egg securely placed in an egg cup or egg plate so it won't roll.
The Tortured Poets Department
We're all eagerly anticipating the release of Taylor's 11th album, which she announced while accepting her 2024 Grammy for Midnights. She seriously doesn't stop working! So far we have an intriguing track list and various versions of black-and-white album art to go off of. I know what I'll be listening to on April 19th (and 20th... and 21st...)!
Instructions: Paint a real or wooden egg tan. You may need to do a few coats to get full coverage. Let dry. Use a fine-tipped black pen, like a Micron, to draw lines and loops that mimic handwriting all over the egg.
Study Up, Swifties
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