Tired of decorating your Easter eggs with the same old store-bought kit every year? If you’re looking for something different, we’ve got some creative ideas on how to design fabulous eggs that will wow your guests and jazz up your Easter basket. Whether using edible glitter, natural food dyes or silk scarves, these methods of dyeing eggs are sure to make a spectacular impression.
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Decorate Easter Eggs with Blueberries
Ingredients:
– Blueberries
– Water
– Eggs
Directions:
– Put blueberries in a small saucepan with between 1 and 2 tablespoons of water. Let them boil until the blueberries pop and let off some of their juices. Once finished, set them aside to cool.
– Meanwhile boil the eggs with about 2 tablespoons of vinegar and enough water to cover the eggs. Be sure to poke a hole with a straight pin in the bottom of each egg to prevent cracking. Let the eggs cool.
– When both the dye mixture and eggs have cooled, use a spoon to roll the eggs in the blueberries to desired effect. After they’ve dried, rub off any residual berries with a paper towel. Pass the egg through the blueberries again if you’re not satisfied with the color and repeat as necessary.
Pump Up Traditional Dyed Eggs
Ingredients:
– Egg dyeing kit
– Hard-boiled eggs
– Food markers, pearl dust, or edible glitter for decorating (check craft store baking sections or supermarkets)
Directions:
– Start out by dyeing your hard-boiled eggs according to the kit’s instructions. Set eggs aside and allow them to dry.
– Use the food markers to draw faces, personalize with names or messages and make designs on the eggs. Pearl dust can be applied with your finger or a brush.
– For the thicker cake glitter, place in a plastic bag with a drop of lemon extract and then roll the egg around in it. Use a brush to evenly distribute the glitter across the surface of the egg.
Color Eggs with Natural Food Dyes
Ingredients:
– Food that gives off color, such as beets, red onion skins, blueberries or raspberries
– Water
– Vinegar
– Eggs
Directions:
– Place whatever food item you’re using in a pot with the eggs. Add enough water so the eggs are sufficiently covered. Add about 2 tablespoons of vinegar and boil the eggs until they are hard boiled.
Tip: If you’re looking for a deeper color on your egg, add more of the red onion skins (or whatever food you’re using).
Decorate Easter Eggs with Silk Ties or Scarves
Ingredients:
– 100 percent silk ties or scarves
– White cloth (such as old pillowcase or muslin scraps)
– Rubber bands
– Eggs
– Vinegar
Directions:
– Start by pushing a pin through the bottom of each egg to prevent cracking. If you’re using silk ties, cut them up so you’re left with nothing but the silk. (Make sure your fabric is 100 percent silk or it won’t work properly.) Cut the ties and scarves into squares big enough to cover each egg.
– Once you’ve wrapped an egg in the silk material, adhere it with a rubber band. Cut up the white fabric so that each piece will cover an egg. Next, wrap the silk-wrapped eggs in a piece of the white fabric and close them with rubber bands.
– After wrapping eggs in both silk and white fabric, place them in a pot and cover them with water. Add about 1/4 cup of vinegar to the water. Boil the eggs and remove from pot once they are hard boiled. After eggs have cooled, carefully remove the rubber bands and unwrap them.
Hero (Top) Feature Image: © chas53 / Adobe Stock
Other Photos (in Order) Courtesy:
Francesca Di Meglio / Best of NJ
