Hello Lovely Humans,
I hope you are all staying healthy, safe, and connected as we work our way through these crazy times. I hope this little tutorial I have written out for you will inspire you and keep you actively exploring your creativity.
Easter has always been my favorite holiday. Maybe because it's quieter than Christmas, a little more thoughtful, and comes along at the beginning of Spring. I know this year we will be celebrating it a little differently than previous years given our current circumstances, but I think we can still have some fun in the comforts of our home. No need to spend money on natural dye kits! You can use things that are easily accessible and are probably lounging in your pantry as we speak. Besides, I believe natural dyes are far prettier than any of those dye kits you will find at your grocery store. Blueberries, beets, onion skins and coffee are just a few of the things you can use to make the loveliest Easter eggs.
So keep the scroll going, (All the recipes are listed at the very end) and let's get started. And just so you know, you don't need to have children to have fun with this. Good luck!
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For this dye session, you will need hard boiled eggs, beets, onion skins, blueberries, coffee, turmeric, and grape juice. You will also need a pot, white vinegar, and some jars for dividing your colours.
As your dyeing your eggs, keep in mind a key factor that changes your range in colour is time. It's up to you how long you want to let things soak, just keep in mind the longer your eggs sit in the bath, the deeper the colour.
Here are your instructions!
Beets
Chop up a cup worth of beets and add two cups of water. Bring to a boil and cook until your beets are tender. Drain the liquid into a jar or bowl, and save your beets to eat! Once the liquid has cooled off add a tablespoon of white vinegar and stir.
Carefully lower your eggs into the jar. You can play around with time frame, just know that a couple of hours will leave a lighter stain, or refrigerate it and leave them in overnight for deeper tones.
Grape Juice
Add two cups of grape juice to a jar or bowl and stir in one tablespoon of vinegar. Lower your eggs gently. Same rules apply for how long to let them soak up the colour.
Blueberry
Place one cup of blueberries and one cup of water into a blender and blend until smooth. Heat the liquid and let it simmer until you see the colour shift to a fuchsia colour. Turn off your stove and let the liquid cool. once cooled, stir in one tablespoon of vinegar and transfer to a glass jar or bowl. Add your boiled eggs and let it soak up the colour overnight for deeper colour. Store in the refrigerator.
Coffee and Turmeric
Brew two cups of strong coffee and let the liquid cool. (Make another pot to drink!), Discard the grounds and stir in two tablespoons of turmeric and one tablespoon of vinegar. Add your eggs and refrigerate. Once again the longer you let them sit in the dye bath, the deeper the colour.
Onion Skins
Use red, orange, or mixed onion skins and add them into a pot. Bring them to a boil and then let them simmer for 20 minute or so. Drain the liquid into a jar and let it cool completely. Add a tablespoon of vinegar and immerse your eggs into the bath. They can sit for 30 minute, 3 hours, or overnight. You get to decide.
**To add some range and texture, you can also add your dyed eggs partially or completely into a different dye bath. The point, as always, is to have some fun exploring.
I hope you have some fun being creative. Until next month, take care of yourselves and each other, stay safe, and wash those hands! <3
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