Spring is here and Easter is around the corner. With the new season upon us it’s time to start planning time for all the fun traditions that come with it, including decorating Easter eggs. This fun pastime can be very simple or more elaborate-it’s up to you. Decorated eggs make a nice centerpiece for your holiday meal, egg hunting and of course – eating!
This year we were inspired by simplicity. Our ideas require only a few supplies- many of which you can find in our stores. For all of our ideas, start by making your hard boiled eggs. Follow these tips to get them just right. Yes, there is a “best” way to hard boil eggs!
Sprinkle Eggs – a fun & easy way to try something new. Looks great in a bowl of Easter grass for a centerpiece.
Supplies needed:
- Seasonal, rainbow or solid colored Nonpareil sprinkles in a large bowl
- Hard boiled eggs
- Tacky Glue
- Wax paper
- Small paintbrush
- Spoon
Directions:
Put a fair amount of tacky glue on wax paper. After the eggs are completely cooled and dried, use your paintbrush to spread a good even layer of tacky glue on the egg. Cover the whole egg, use fingers to spread glue if necessary. Dip in bowl of sprinkles. Set it bowl of sprinkles and use the spoon to cover the other half. Use the bottom of the spoon to gently press sprinkles into glue. Let it dry a few minutes in the bowl, then carefully move to a wire rack. Don’t forget to use the spoon to press in the sprinkles in. These eggs make a fun centerpiece and are sure to get compliments. *Please use these for decoration only.*
Kool-Aid Eggs - This is a quick and inexpensive way to dye eggs. No vinegar required. Use caution when mixing as it can be messy and stain surfaces and people.
Supplies needed:
- Hard boiled eggs (cooled)
- Kool Aid packets in preferred colors (Don’t forget you can mix them too!)
- Water (about 2/3 cup for each packet of Kool-Aid)
- Mugs, bowls or cups for each color of dye.
Directions:
Dip eggs in colors. The longer they remain in the dye the brighter the color will be. The Kool-Aid does make them vivid quite quickly. Try dipping half in one color and half in another. Also, you can use rubber bands to create a pattern. Note: Lemonade does not make a very bright yellow- add some orange to brighten it up.
Cracked Shell Eggs - These create a marbled or speckle effect. Have you ever cracked the shell during the hard boil egg process and thought it couldn’t be used? Well, for this effect, we want those cracked shell eggs.
Supplies needed:
- Hard boiled eggs (cracked shells ok)
- Gel or Drop Food coloring (or use Kool aid dye from above)
- Cups for dye (note –may stain)
- Towels for the mess
Directions:
Once the hard boiled eggs are cooled enough to handle, you want to crack them gently so the shell remains on. You can roll the eggs around on a hard surface to crack them. You want cracks all over the egg- but don’t peel the shell. Mix dye w/ cool water in bowls, mugs or cups and carefully place eggs in the dye. Let soak for at least 1 hour and then dry on rack. Once eggs have dried, peel them and see your creations.
