How to Dye Easter Eggs without a Kit

My kids loved dying Easter eggs. I remember running to the store, trying to find one of those kits for dying the eggs. They'd always be out! I finally gave up on doing that, and just used what we had in the cabinets.

Blind people can color Easter eggs quite successfully. The following should get you through a successful and fun Easter egg dying session. Following these directions is also good for those of you who eat your eggs on Easter morning.

Here's what you'll need:

• 10 drops food coloring (per solution)
  
• 1 coffee cup (per solution)
  
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar (per solution)
  
• 1/2 cup boiling water (per solution)
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil per solution (optional)
  
• white craft glue (optional)
  
• glitter (optional)

1. For each coffee cup combine 1/2 cup boiling water with 1 teaspoon vinegar and 10 drops of food coloring in a bowl. Start with 5 drops red and 5 drops yellow for orange, or 6 drops blue and 4 drops green for turquoise.
   
   
2. Give each solution a little stir before dipping the eggs to insure consistant coloring.
   
   
3. Dip hard-cooked eggs in dye for 3-5 minutes, extend time for richer color. Try using tongs to dip only half an egg in one color, then dip other half in a different color.
   
   
4. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove eggs and place on wax paper to dry, blot any excess liquid with a paper towel.
   
   
5. For tie dyed eggs, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the mixture and stir with a fork. Roll egg gently in dye to pick of streaks of color. Remove egg from dye and blot oil off with a paper towel, then dry on wax paper. Once dry, lightly dip in another color if desired.
   
   
6. For glitter eggs, brush dried dyed egg with a thin layer of craft glue. Spoon glitter over egg, allow to dry on wax paper. To put glitter on only part of an egg (half blue, half red for example), use masking tape over the un-glittered part (or use stickers for shapes) and once dry, remove masking tape and glue/glitter the remaining area.
   
   
7. For letters, numbers or shapes use small vinyl stickers (which can be purchased from any office or hardware supply store) and place them on the egg before dying. Once slightly dry peel off stickers gently. You can also use a white crayon to write names or draw pictures. Some people choose to leave the stickers on the egg for additional decoration.
   
   
8. If you do plan to eat them, please refrigerate and don't forget to remove the stickers.