Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Let's Do Some Egg Art...!

With Easter coming up, we should talk about egg decorating...

As a kid, I always liked hunting the brightly colored eggs hidden for me and my sisters. When we got older, Mom taught us to decorate eggs, but being typical teens, our interest waned.

Instead of decorating eggs, hiding eggs, and enjoying the old fashioned fun...we all became more interested in dating, going out to eat, me chasing the girls and my sisters being chased by the boys.

At that age, you start to lose the love of the magic moments young children seem to appreciate. The only times you find that magic again is when, as a parent with your own children, you get the opportunity to once again grab a bit of that wild eyed wonder! Of course, you get another chance with the grand kids after your brood is grown and married.

So anyway, just in case you want to have a little fun with the kids, the grand kids, or even by yourself...take some time and try decorating an egg or two, and see if maybe...just maybe, a little of the old magic comers back.

Hey, it's worth a try, right?

Here are a couple of creative ways to dye Easter eggs.

Marbled Design


Save brown onion skins. Wrap raw eggs in the dry skins, then tie on a layer of cheesecloth to secure them. Hard-boil, let the eggs cool, and then unwrap for a beautiful, marbled, golden design!

Tie-Dyed Easter Eggs

Create uniquely interesting eggs with a tie-dyed look that uses simple rubber bands or strips of cloth. See how to tie-dye your eggs.

To reduce cracking, remove eggs from the refrigerator about a half hour before boiling and, using a needle or pushpin, puncture the shell at the broad end.

Homemade Egg Dye Color Suggestions

Red: red onion skins, pomegranate juice
Green: spinach
Blue: red cabbage
Yellow: yellow mustard, turmeric
Purple: grape juice, blueberries
Pink: cranberry juice, raspberries

Well, it's just a suggestion, but it might be something different and help pass the time in a constructive way while waiting for the thaw. Besides, we all love boiled eggs, right? Right!

Now...how about some fresh hot coffee, my friend?

12 comments:

wendigo said...

Hi, Jim, Man that brings back some old memories. I also, remember getting live baby chicks. Thanks

Baby Sis said...

Bubba, Remember Biff the easter duck that was a gift (from your friend Biff?) to one of Mom's co-workers? Then changed to Eliza-biff when she laid eggs all over the back yard! I tried to keep one of the eggs in the bedroom closet, and if you think 2 girls and a Grandma sharing a room and a closet were bad, just add in a few-weeks-old egg in the deep dark depths of a full closet! Wow! What a memory! But leading Biff around the neighborhood on a leash was fun - I remember THAT too! And lots of eggs! We did not care if they were cracked and sitting out for hours, I think we ate them anyway, right?
Thanks for the memories - love -

JoJo said...

Good morning Jim,
Wow I haven't dyed eggs in years. But this morning will do so for a sick friend in the hospital. This silly bunch I hang around with have planned a picnic at the rehab. Yes we have permission.:-)this man is a living miracle.
I love your sisters' story.
Lets have some coffee and enjoy life.
JoJo

Lydia said...

Good morning Jim! Great tips! I only knew of the onion peel and cabbage one. It's how we colored them in Europe when I was little, but I don't recall the rest. This is the first year we decided not to color eggs, but now I may try it with your tips. I have all the stuff and I think Kelly would like that.

Your sisters story is great! Made me laugh and recall so many stories with my girls when they were young..

have a great day!
:)
lydia

HermitJim said...

Hey Wendigo...many of my friends used to get live chicks, some all different colors. Alays fun to deal with in the city!

Hey, thanks for the visit!


Hey Sis...man, it's a wonder that we didn't die from some terrible desease from the things we used to eat!But I guess that things weren't as bad for us as we thought, huh?

I sure do thank you for coming by today!


Hey JoJo...I think your friend would get a big kick out of it! Folks like those little surprises sometimes...cause it brings back some good memories!

Wouldn't be surprised if you have a lot of stories floating around!

You have a good day, my Arizona friend!


Hey Lydia...did ya'll have special treats for the Easter time? Many other countries do...

I remember making some Hot Cross Buns once that were supposed to be for some Easter tradition, but I don't remember what.

I'll bet that Kelly would enjoy thyat, and just maybe Mom would have a good time as well!

I appreciate you dropping by, pretty lady!

Lydia said...

Hi Jim.

Yes we did. I was brought up, or somewhat brought up, as a Greek Orthodox/Catholic, and as kids we would have to say: "Jesus was Resurrected, and the adult would say "Indeed He has" and then we would get a colored egg, or a wooden colored egg, or a nesting egg and sometimes cookies from the numerous relatives and, or friends who seemed to always be around.

Rather than Easter egg hunting, the kids would try to win eggs. One kid holds an egg around their hand with one end sticking up, while the other taps his/her egg with theirs. The one that cracks, loses the egg to the one who did not crack..

So...the wooden eggs were great, because they always cracked the eggs of unsuspecting and trusting younger children (like me..)

Aww thanks. Yes, Kelly and I would love to try these. She is having a few friends sleepover tonight, so I may make it a learning experience ala HermitJim :)

lydia

Wyn Boniface said...

I have not bothered with egg decorations in years. I used to sit with my Grandpa and set up for Easter. I remember Bluebonnets.

HermitJim said...

Hey Wyn...isn't it great how certain activities can trigger so many memories? Bluebonnets around central Texas are always an amazing sight for most people, especially those that are not used to seeing them!

Thank you for coming by!

Gwen said...

Hi, Hermit Jim! Thanks for conjuring up some good childhood memories. I can still remember how heartbroken I was when my older siblings told me there was no such thing as an Easter Bunny.

Sissy's story is hilarious! I remember, in another life a long long ago... I was married to a man whose children were Jewish. My kids and I are Christian. We did our best to celebrate all the holidays and incorporate something from each. One year, we colored Easter eggs together. We used crayons to draw designs on the eggshells before dipping the eggs in colors. The wax from the crayon resists the color, so it stays white. The youngest boy, about 5 at the time, drew a Star of David on his Easter eggs. We laughed but figured he had found a peaceful way to blend the two faiths. He also liked to hang the Dreidel on the Christmas Tree.

HermitJim said...

Hey Ginger...it is always great that something brings up good memories. I only hope tha we are somehow finding a way to make some new memories for ourselves and our children.

Being alone, I have a lot of time to visit my memories, and sort through them. Luckily for me, at my age the good ones are the most remembered.

Hey, I sure do appreciate you dropping by!

scoutinlife said...

Will be coloring eggs this weekend also have 6 chicks for the kids Sunday morning I'm looking forward to it and my parents will be in town for the weekend.

Cygnus MacLlyr said...

Hermit, I say we I say i say we get our own Leghorns...

Ne'er a shortage of bunny dying's, and a good fried thigh now and then.

Hmm... kinda sounds like my first marriage...

Sorry if I passed on a visual...

Cyggie...