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These great tips for decorating Easter Eggs should be easy for even the most unlikely creative mum to
follow. And the results will be well worth it!
simple decoration
This isn't so much a recipe as a technique. Use just one ingredient per batch to avoid muddy colours.
Place eggs in a deep, non-reactive saucepan. Add your colouring ingredient, then cover with two pints of
cold water and two tablespoons white vinegar to fix the dye. For grape concentrate, add only enough water
to achieve the colour you like.
Gently simmer the eggs for 20 minutes or up to three hours, until you like the colour. Remove a few eggs
and gently roll each in a soft towel for a beautifully delicate, shattered look. Return eggs to the pot
for another half-hour. Remove eggs from water and cool.
You can use almost anything edible in your kitchen to colour eggs. Try beetroot (beige to bright pink
eggs), coarsely chopped red cabbage (pale to royal blue), blueberries (lavender), brewed coffee (deep
mocha), cranberries (pale pink), turmeric (bright orange), or yellow onion skins with black peppercorns
(beige to mauve). Use 2-4 cups of the ingredient per pot, more for onion skins (about 4-6 cups) and less
for spices like turmeric (start with about one tablespoon).
When you are happy with the colour take the eggs out of the dye and let them dry in a carton. Rub each one
with a light coating of vegetable oil to add a subtle lustre.
patterned eggs
If you're feeling adventurous, you can create delicate silhouettes and unusual patterns on your eggs.
Using interesting shaped leaves and flowers to create patterns, hold the selected leaves or petals flat
against an already hard-cooked egg and then centre a five-inch square of nylon cut from an old pair of
stockings or tights, gather it around to the egg and tie with string. An extra set of hands really helps.
Then submerge the wrapped eggs in the dye of your choice. When the eggs have reached the desired shade,
remove the nylon and leaves, dry them and rub with a light coating of vegetable oil as before.
This isn't so much a recipe as a technique, because it isn't advisable to eat the eggs after they've been painted!
The kids are bound to enjoy this egg-citing scientific experiment! But if you're bored of eggs, there's a whole range of other craft ideas. Why not try getting the kids an arts and crafts table where they can explore their creativity. Whether they want to paint a music box or enjoy an activity triangle, you should have no trouble keeping them entertained.
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