Painted and dyed Easter eggs
Painted and dyed Easter eggs
One of the most traditional ways to celebrate Easter is by
painting and dyeing Easter eggs with the kids. This messy activity
is fun for the whole family, especially if you lay down plenty of
newspaper to keep the kids from getting dye everywhere!
Hard-boil your eggs ahead of time and allow them to cool before
dyeing them. Here are some great ideas for homemade Easter egg
dyes:
Natural Dye:
- Various food and plant items (such as blueberries, carrots,
cherries, grass, coffee)
- Saucepans for each color
- Strainer
- Slotted spoon
Pour half a cup of water into each saucepan. Add cut-up fruit,
vegetables or plants to the water, using a different item in each
saucepan. Add cooking oil and simmer until the water turns a
colour you like. Remove the saucepan from the heat and
strain, reserving the coloured water. When the water is cool, add
hard-boiled or blown eggs. Let the eggs sit in the water, checking
them every so often until they turn the desired color. Remove the
eggs with slotted spoon and allow to dry.
Food Coloring Dye:
- Food coloring
- Hot water
- White vinegar
- Small bowls or cups
- Slotted spoon
Measure 1/4 teaspoon of each colour of food colouring into small
bowls or cups, placing one colour in each bowl or cup. Add 3/4 cup
of hot water and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to each colour.
Add hard-boiled or blown eggs to each colour and allow them to
sit, checking them every so often until they turn the desired
color. Remove with a slotted spoon and allow to dry.
Waxed Eggs:
- Wax crayons -- white and yellow work best for this, but any
colour will do
- Paper towels
- Food colouring dye (as above)
- Slotted spoon
Using wax crayons, draw a pattern on an undyed hard-boiled egg.
Press firmly (but not firmly enough to crack the egg) so that you
get a good, heavy crayon line. Dye the egg in a dark colour
of food colouring dye (as above). Remove the egg with a
slotted spoon, then place the egg in a 100 degree C oven for a few
minutes until the wax is melted. Holding the egg in a paper towel
and with a pot holder, wipe the wax off the egg with a paper towel
to remove the melted wax. Place the egg in another,
lighter colour of food colouring dye to fill in the pattern
where the wax has melted.