Botanically Dyed Easter Eggs
These beautiful naturally dyed Easter eggs are a cultural tradition in our family. They are not only a wonderful way to include children in Easter celebrations and traditions but are a beautiful activity to foster creativity and togetherness. This an activity my husbands father would do with his mother as a young boy, in Romania. So it is nice to continue this tradition with the boys and hopefully they also pass it on to their children!
They get so excited about Easter egg day. We usually set out a few weeks before Easter dying eggs, the idea is to have a big basket full for the Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday, and also a small basket to gift their grandparents for a centre piece to grace the table during family dinner. Another suggestion would be to hang a little ribbon on the end, I would probably use a dab of hot glue. It would make a beautiful little egg hanging!
Our favourite dyes are, purple cabbage, turmeric, coffee, onion skins and beetroot. They really are so simple and require very little preparation. You need a few small saucepans, blown eggs, water and apple cider vinegar. Be mindful that blown eggs float, so we usually put them in the saucepan before the water and weigh them down with the cabbage leaves ect. You can use boiled eggs, you will just have to do this closer to Easter day to save them from going yucky.
To get a lovely pattern like we did, use herbs and flowers from the garden place them on your egg and cover and secure them on using sheer stockings. Place your eggs in the pan, cover your eggs by placing onion skins, cabbage or beets on top, really pack the saucepan full… add cool water filling to the top and three table spoons of vinegar. Add a lid to your saucepan, Simmering water and steeped for over an hour; the longer the better. Do not boil as high temperatures destroy the colour pigment.
Allow to cool then pop in the fridge over night. Once cool, you can slowly peel of your stocking and reveal your pattern! Just like magic… as my littlest would say!
