MOMPROVEMENT

My favorite part of Easter when I was growing up was dyeing eggs. It was even more fun to me than hunting them. I loved seeing how creative I could get with those five glasses of dye and that one wax crayon! As an adult, I still love dyeing eggs with my children, and last year, I tried to look or a way to make it educational as well. So when I discovered that rather than purchasing your egg dye you can actually make it yourself, I had to try it! It was like a science and chemistry lesson all rolled up in an earth-friendly craft! And best of all, my kids loved it! This year they want to see what else in our yard and refrigerator can be used as natural egg dye! And although natural egg dyes are not as vivid as artificial dyes (no real neon colors found in nature!) they are every bit as beautiful.

You can make your natural egg dyes from a variety of foods, flowers and plants. The dye is transferred to the egg either while boiling the eggs or, as with normal dyes, after the eggs have been hard-boiled. When boiling the dye with eggs, be aware that you will be limited to the number of colors you can do at once by the number of burners your stove has (or the number of pots you have!)

All you do to dye the eggs while boiling, is place enough water in the pan to cover the egg (or eggs.) Simply add the coloring ingredients to the water and turn on the heat to boil. You can include a teaspoon of vinegar for deeper colors.

If your children are young, and you would rather dye the eggs after they have been boiled, you can do that as well. This method may take a bit longer, but it is safer for smaller egg artists. Simply boil the eggs, and then once they have cooled, add them to a cup with enough water to cover the eggs (you can use a bowl if you want to do more than one at a time.) Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the container and add the dyeing ingredients. Allow the eggs to sit in the dye in the refrigerator until they are the desired color.

Here are some suggested ingredients you can use to create the colors you want for your naturally dyed eggs. Once you have mastered the process, feel free to experiment with other ingredients for different colors!