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Begin with the basics – Dye:

Food Coloring Dye
You will need:
food coloring
hot water
white vinegar
small bowls or cups
slotted spoon
cooking oil
soft cloth

For each color measure 1/4 tsp. food coloring in small bowl. Add 3/4 cup hot water and 1 tbsp. white vinegar to each color. Add eggs and allow to sit until they are the desired color. Remove with slotted spoon. Once dry, polish eggs with small amount of cooking oil and soft cloth.

Crepe Paper Dye
You will need:
different color crepe paper
hot water
small bowls or cups
slotted spoon
cooking oil
soft cloth

Soak crepe paper in hot water in individual bowls or cups for each color. When the color begins to bleed into the water, add eggs and allow to sit in water until the desired color is achieved. Remove with slotted spoon and allow to dry. Polish with small amount of cooking oil and soft cloth.


Dying Easter Eggs--the Natural way!
This Easter, why not color your eggs using nature's very own dyes? It's possible to come up with a great number of colors using natural ingredients that can easily be found in almost any kitchen.

Pale Red: Fresh beets or cranberries, frozen raspberries

Orange: Yellow onion skins

Light yellow: Orange or lemon peels, carrot tops, celery seed or ground cumin

Yellow: Ground turmeric

Pale green: Spinach leaves

Green-gold: Yellow Delicious apple peels

Blue: Canned blueberries or red cabbage leaves

Beige to brown: Strong brewed coffee

To dye the perfect Easter eggs the natural way, here's what to do:

1. Put eggs in a single layer in a pan. Pour water in pan until the eggs are covered.

2. Add about a teaspoon of vinegar.

3. Add the natural dye appropriate to the color you want your eggs to be. (The more eggs you are dying at a time, the more dye you will need to use –this may require some experimenting.)

4. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

5. Remove the substance you used to color the eggs. Put eggs in a bowl. If you want your eggs to be a darker shade, cover them with the dye and let them stand overnight in the refrigerator.

Time to get creative – Decorate:

Yarn eggs

Using fairly thin yarn, cut several 6 to 12 inch pieces of different colors.  Place a small puddle of clear-drying, kid-safe glue in a bowl.  Pull yarn pieces through the glue and wrap around the egg.  Kids can make crazy designs by wrapping in all different directions or completely encase the egg in yarn by beginning at the bottom and wrapping all the way to the top.

Mosaic Eggs

Don’t throw away those egg disasters . . . small shell pieces make great mosaic material.  Using a Q-tip, apply a small dab of glue to each piece and carefully place it on a whole egg.  OR, using a small paintbrush, paint a small patch of glue on the egg and then place mosaic pieces on the egg.  For those with little hands, little time or little patience, break shells up into even smaller pieces.  Then paint the entire egg with glue and roll in the small pieces for an instant work of art.

Wax design eggs
Use candles to drip wax onto eggs. Once the wax sets, dip the egg into some dye. Take the egg out and let it drain. You can either peel the wax off or you can drip some more on and re-dip it in a different color. Just be sure to dip in the light colors first. When you have finished, carefully peel off the wax. You’ll be left with some cool deigns.
 
Swirled Eggs
You will need:
An adult to help on some steps
dry, hard-boiled eggs (with no cracks) at room temperature
food coloring
white Vinegar
rubber cement (do not use the type called one-coat rubber cement, it is too sticky)
disposable cups
popsicle stick
spoons
paper towel

toilet paper roll (cut into 3 slices) to use as egg stand

Step 1
With an adult's help, make homemade egg dye: mix 1/2 cup boiling water, 30 to 40 drops of food coloring, and 1 teaspoon of white vinegar. Let the dye cool completely before using it.
Step 2
Pour about 1/2 cup of rubber cement into another cup. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap before you touch the eggs. If the eggs get dirty, they won't dye evenly.
Step 3
Set the egg on the toilet paper roll stand. Dip a popsicle stick into the rubber cement and drizzle it over the egg. Let it dry for about 15 minutes, then turn it over and drizzle over the bottom.
Step 4
With a spoon, place the egg into the dye, and you'll start to see your patterns. Leave the egg in the dye until it's the color you want.
Step 5
Remove the egg from the dye with the spoon. Gently pat the egg with a paper towel and let it dry for about 30 minutes.
Step 6
Rub the rubber cement with your fingers. It will come right off, leaving pretty squiggly designs.

Spotted or Striped Eggs
Spotted Eggs: Put about 2 tsp. of cooking oil (Canola works well) in your dye. (You might want to make two containers of your dye, so you don't mess up all of your regular dye.) When you dip in your egg, it makes the dye not stick to the places where the oil is, thus making mysterious spots on your egg and amazing your friends!

Striped Eggs: Wrapping electric tape around an egg won't make a clear stripe, but it can make a really cool design! Take one or two pieces and wrap them around or stick them in various places. Then dye your egg. The dye will seep in along the edges of the tape and make great patterns.

Marble Eggs
You will need:
large glass jar
crayon stubs
vegetable grater
hot water
waxed paper or newspaper
empty egg carton
clear acrylic spray (optional)

Grate peeled crayons over waxed paper. Fill jar with very hot water. Drop bits of grated crayon into water and add hard boiled or blown egg as soon as crayon bits begins to melt. Now swirl egg around in the hot water with spoon. The wax should make a design on the egg. Carefully remove egg and set upside-down in egg carton to dry. Once dry spray with clear acrylic to seal.


Once all your eggs have dried, your children will be eager to put them on display:

v     Create a traditional Easter egg tree and hang the eggs from branches (you can use pussy willow, natural branches from your yard or any decorative branches from your local craft store).

v     Place eggs in an Easter basket filled with grass and set on the dining room table as a centerpiece.

v     Place eggs in a clear glass/crystal bowl and set on the coffee table as a centerpiece.

v     Cut 1 ½ inch “slices” off a toilet paper roll and have your children paint them with different colors.  Use them as stands to display the masterpieces.

Note: Although cooked, decorated eggs can be eaten if properly stored in the refrigerator, it is recommended that they be used for display purposes only.

Have fun and Happy Easter!

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