A New Twist for Easter Eggs

Eggs stand for fertility and new beginnings, making them perfect for the new beginnings that Easter symbolizes. Eggs have been colored given as treasured gifts starting back in the early 18th century and before. The most famous decorated Easter eggs were those made by the well-known goldsmith, Peter Carl Faberge. In 1883 the Russian Czar, Alexander, commissioned Faberge to make a special Easter gift for his wife, the Empress Marie. Your family can create their own Egg Art with ingredients normally found in your kitchen.

The first thing to do is choose what colors you are going to use for your eggs. This will help you decide what ingredients you will need.

For Pale Red Easter Eggs:
Use fresh beets, cranberries, or frozen raspberries.

For Orange Easter Eggs:
Use yellow onionskins.

For Light Yellow Easter Eggs:
Use Orange or lemon peels, carrot tops, celery seed, or ground cumin. Or for brighter yellow used ground tumeric.

For Pale Green Easter Eggs:
Use spinach leaves.

For Greenish Gold Easter Eggs:
Use yellow delicious apple peels.

For Blue Easter Eggs:
Use canned blueberries or red cabbage leaves.

For Beige to Brown Easter Eggs:
Use brewed coffee.

Once you get your ingredients together:

1.
Put eggs in a single layer in the pan. Pour water in pan until eggs are covered.
2.
Add about a teaspoon of vinegar.
3.
Add the ingredient you've chosen for one color. The more eggs you are dying at a time, the more of the ingredient you want.
4.
Bring water to a boil, let simmer for about 15 minutes.
5.
Remove the eggs from the substance you've used to make them in. Save this substance for later.
6.
Let eggs cool.
7.
Have your children use a crayon and draw designs, or write names on the eggs.
8.
Put eggs back in the substance and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, take the eggs out of the liquid and throw the liquid away. If you like you can add more decorative details. You can get stickers for the eggs to add a special touch. Another idea is to get small rhinestones with the peel back stickers on them that you can get at craft stores. These make the eggs sparkle beautifully! If you have time and want to get even more creative, you can mix plain yogurt and food coloring to make paint and paint the eggs for a multi-color effect.

Put the decorated Easter Eggs back in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them for your Easter Egg Hunt, or for an Easter Egg Roll. You'll be delighted with the way these eggs will look!