Friday, March 21, 2008

Natural Dye Easter Eggs


Aren't they pretty?

All you need are eggs, vinegar, alum, and your veggies! Chop the veggies, cover with water, bring to a boil. Add alum and boil 10 or so minutes. (My pot was large so I added 2-3 tsp.) Add vinegar (I did 2-3 Tbl.) and turn off heat and cool. Add eggs and bring to a boil again for about 10 minutes. Shut off and let the eggs cool in the liquid.

I strained the liquid and put it in a smaller bowl and let the eggs cool and dye for a few hours.

My colours were a tad different than on the video, who knew? I still think they turned out cool.

The one up front is more periwinkle than blue or lavender (whole beets), the ones with the stripes and scrolls were supposed to be red, but came out more rust (red cabbage), the sage and olive greens came out fabulous and quick! (red onion, no alum, vinegar) Bright yellow (yellow onion with turmeric powder) were also very fast, almost immediate. The tutorial says you can get green from spinach, um no, not in my house. They came out perfectly white. grrr.

I made the stripes by using electrical tape, and the scrolls by painting the eggs with rubber cement, which actually the longer it sat in the solution, the more it was eaten away...just a heads up.

All of the dyes were much more intense before I rinsed them in water and dried them. Tip: PAT them dry, if you rub, the dye rubs off to a pastel colour.

All in all this was a really cool and interesting project. I am not sure a mom with a couple of kids would want to do it though. LOTS of funky fumes from the veggies. Seriously bad ones from the cabbage...ack! Also it took a lot more time than I remember.

That said, it is MUCH better to use the natural than the chemical dyes, but there you go.

add to sk*rt

15 comments:

Robyn said...

These look so cool! You did a great job. Would never thought of the rubber cement use.

hi, it's me! melissa c said...

That is so cool! I admit I prefer the cheap, easy fast way! But I also admit I am a little lazy!

Our chickens lay green and brown eggs so we have pretty eggs all year long. I love those vibrant purples and blues.

ANyway, happy Easter darlin!

flip flop mama said...

Pretty eggs although I'm one of the lazy ones too...Thank heavens for Paas. :) Happy Easter!

Rynell said...

Cool eggs! I love the pretty designs.

I have to share: my youngest boy is allergic to eggs. He gets only chocolate ones for Easter, OVALS. (He is learning shapes.:)

S'mee said...

Thanks sis! And thanks for the links!

Mel, I have always wanted to raise my own chickens, I just fear they would go the way of all the earth in my care! Ack! But blue and green everyday? wow!

Jamie, When my kids were little I was lucky if we coloured them! One year I remember just covering them with glue and rolling in them in glitter...faery eggs...it was much faster!

Rynell, Now there's an allergy I can get behind!

Abigail said...

Gorgeous eggs! And what a great way to dye them! Thanks! I never would have though of that!

S'mee said...

AbbyDawn! Welcome! Thanks, it was a tad time consuming and really really stinky, but I agree, pretty cool. I hope you give it a try sometime!

Susan M said...

Wow, those came out really great! I'll have to try that when I have grandkids. Hopefully in ten years or so.

S'mee said...

Thanks Susan! Yeah, hehe, now that my actual kids are out and I have the house to myself (to stink up one afternoon!) it seems a better time for it!

Anonymous said...

Those are just positively lovely!!

S'mee said...

Thanks Tracy!

Lisa M. said...

Oh Smee-

I LOVE them, so beautiful. LOVE them.

Neat neat pictures. Thanks for sharing how to do them, with us too!

YOU rock

S'mee said...

Thanks Lisa! You rock too!

Lisa M. said...

I had to come back and see them again. I'm not doing eggs this year. For the first time in my life.

I love the greenery you stuck between them, and the square shape of your display basket.

And by the way, chickens are the easiest pets in the entire world to raise. I've loved my chickens. My most favorite is Henrietta. She's the main cluck, here.

I've done the natural dyed kind before, with the cabbage, and I am sure we used carrots for something too. It was a while ago.

Anyway, thank you again for the pictures. That is Just so fun!

S'mee said...

hehe Lisa! I didn't do eggs a couple of times when the kids were little. There were some years when it was all I could do to throw cereal on the table Easter morning! I was one of those moms who was really glad when I could allow the kids to take over the project completely! lol

Now, about my display, again I have to laugh! The square basket is really an upside down candle holder! hah! You caught me! I wanted the colour more than anything! I just reconstituted some moss, put floral tape across the bottom and then cut a piece of plastic to hold the moss. There you go...Martha Stewart!

You're so sweet, I love you! Hugs and have a great "Resurrection Day".