Egg decorating is one of the oldest forms of decorative arts. Dating back to the 13th Century, egg decorating has spanned different religions, cultures and parts of the world. Eggs are often referred to as the symbol of life and renewal; fitting for the Christian beliefs of Easter and the beginning of the spring season! The tradition of egg decorating is still strong today and continually developing. Giant Eagle is here to help you celebrate the Easter holiday with helpful tips on Easter decorations!
There are endless ways to decorate Easter eggs! Here, we will take you through some traditional and non-traditional decorating techniques for you and your family to try this Easter! Traditionally, eggs were dyed using all-natural materials like beets, spinach, flower petals, and tea. They were typically colored red, yellow and orange to represent the warmth and sunshine spring brings! Today, food coloring is the most common material used in the dye method.
Mix ½ cup boiling water with 1 teaspoon of vinegar.
Add 10-20 drops of food coloring (or until your desired color is met).
Dip hard-boiled eggs in dye for about 5 minutes, or until the egg is the desired shade.
To remove from the dye, use a slotted spoon or pair of tongs and place on a wire rack with paper towels underneath to absorb dripping dye.
Alternative Ways to Decorate
Looking for new ideas to make your eggs shine? Don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of egg inspo for you! Check out these egg-citing ways to jazz up your Easter eggs this spring.
Transform with Tie-Dye
Take tie-dyeing beyond t-shirts and give your Easter eggs this eye-catching effect!
Wrap hard-boiled eggs in a paper towel and secure with rubber bands.
Squeeze drops of assorted food colors onto the paper towel, leaving space between drops.
Lightly spray the paper towel with water. Gently squeeze eggs to ensure the paper towel adheres; set aside and let stand 1 hour or overnight.
Carefully remove paper towels from eggs; let dry completely, and voila – perfect tie-dyed Easter eggs!
All-Natural Dye: Onion Skins
Create natural egg-dyes using everyday kitchen items! These dyes are chemical-free and yield eggs with beautiful earthy tones. Plan for at least four cups of dye liquid for every dozen eggs. Boil and simmer the natural ingredients in water with about a tablespoon of vinegar and salt for about 20 minutes, then let soak overnight. Remove the ingredients and boil the eggs in the dye. The longer you leave the eggs in each dye, the deeper the color!
Onion Skins: Dyeing eggs with onion skins is a time-honored tradition of several faiths. Yellow onion skins turn white eggs orange and brown eggs a rusty red, while red onion skins create lavender eggs. For even more pizzazz, imprint the eggs with your favorite herbs, clovers or flowers or experiment with whatever you can find. Before boiling the eggs, wrap the natural elements tightly in place with pieces of pantyhose (trust us, it works!) and secure with a clothespin or rubber band.
Fill Your Cart with More Coloring Ideas Turmeric: Not only is turmeric an immune-boosting spice, but it’s also a perfect ingredient to give eggs a pop of color. Use 2 tablespoons ground turmeric to make stunning sunny yellow or golden eggs.
Beets: Use 1 cup shredded beets for a light pink dye on white eggs and maroon on brown eggs. Beet juice is an even quicker way to create those eye-popping reds.
Red Cabbage: The cooking water from red cabbage imparts a surprising aqua blue color onto eggs. Use about 4 cups red cabbage and simmer the eggs in the liquid for 30 minutes to yield a very pale blue, and overnight for a richer blue.
Kool-Aid: This is a great alternative to food coloring! All you need to do is dump the packet of powder into a cup or bowl and add water – no vinegar needed.
Shaving Cream: Create a bed of shaving cream on a plate or tray and drop food coloring into the cream to create a marbleized design. Roll the hard-boiled egg around. Let rest and then remove the excess cream from the egg when dry.
Get Crafty!
Food coloring and dyes aren’t the only options. Get creative with acrylic paint, watercolors, markers or crayons for egg designs and the following add-ons.
Buttons
Ribbons
Googly eyes
Pipe cleaners
Felt
Stickers
Adhesive letters
Glitter
Tissue paper and Mod Podge®
Eggs-tra Tips
Trim egg cartons and place eggs in the carton to easily paint or decorate hands-free and without risk of eggs rolling.
Wear rubber or disposable gloves when working with dye or food coloring to avoid staining hands.
Save your peeled onions from the onion skins method for your favorite recipes. Use them sooner than later so they don’t spoil!
Did you love dying eggs and now have too many? The great thing about this Easter craft is that they won’t go to waste! After you have decorated the eggs and they have fully dried, you can peel and enjoy! Just be sure that they stay out of the refrigerator no longer than 2 hours. Try these quick and easy recipes using your leftover decorated eggs!
