Alternative Natural Dyes for Dyeing Easter Eggs

I’ve been dyeing Easter eggs with boxed dyes for years. It seemed to be the most easy and convenient choice at the time (especially because I always want to dye them last minute). This happens year after year because I never decide to dye Easter eggs until I see boxes of dye at the store!

This year, I am ahead of the game! Not only have I already decided to dye Easter eggs (Easter is still two weeks away!), I have also looked up alternative ways of dyeing eggs to share with everyone! Keep reading for ideas!

 

From ABCNews

Fruit/vegetable juice:

• blueberries – blue, purple
• beets – magenta
• grape – purple
• spinach – green
• red onion skin – red, purple
• cranberries – purple, red

Herbs & spices:

• curry powder – yellow, orange
• paprika – red, orange
• tumeric – orange, yellow

Other:

• black tea – brown
• coffee – brown

Vinegar is a necessity for the eggs to hold color. You will need 1 to 2 tbs per batch of dye.

There are a few different ways to dye your eggs. Here are two common types:

• cold dipping method – dip eggs in solution and let sit
• boiling method – boiling eggs with the dye

Using natural dyes can create unexpected patterns and colors on your Easter eggs. You can also mix different ingredients to create different shades of color. Experiment with your Easter eggs! You might find a new color that you love!

Do you know of any other natural ingredients for Easter egg dyeing? Share with us in the comments below! We would love to add more to the list!

Plastic Easter Egg Project – Bunnies, Chicks, and Carrots!

Easter is known for Easter eggs. Whether they are little chocolate eggs, real painted eggs, or plastic eggs, there is certainly no shortage of eggs for Easter!

At your local superstore, you’ll be able to find plastic Easter eggs in all sizes and colors. For Easter egg hunts, many people like using plastic Easter eggs instead of real ones because it definitely minimizes the mess. I wouldn’t want to find an old Easter egg at the end of Summer. Not a pretty sight (or smell)!

For those of you who want to jazz up plain plastic Easter eggs from the store, here is a fun project I found from MakeandTakes. We can turn little plastic Easter eggs into cute bunnies, chicks, and carrots!

From MakeandTakes

Supplies:

• plastic Easter eggs (pink & blue for bunnies, orange for carrots, and yellow for chickies)
• sticker googley eyes
• pipe cleaners (white, pink, orange, green, orange)
• permanent marker
• candies (optional)

To make Easter bunnies:

Using the pointed end of the egg for the head, stick on two googley eyes and draw a cute bunny face. Don’t forget the whiskers! Using pipe cleaners (any color of your choosing), make 2 loops (like an m), and stick the ends in the opening on the top. Secure inside the egg by folding the ends down. Add tape if necessary.

To make Easter chickies:

Using the rounder end of the egg for the head, stick on two googley eyes and draw on a beak. With pipe cleaners, twist it into 2 legs and stick it into the opening on the pointed end. Secure inside the egg by folding the ends down. Add tape if necessary.

To make Easter bunny carrots:

Using an orange egg, use the rounder end of the egg for the head, stick on two googley eyes and draw a smile. Cut green pipe cleaners into smaller lengths and stick into the opening of the rounder end. Secure inside the egg by folding the ends down. Add tape if necessary.

Once you create a whole bunch of these fun Easter eggs, use a clean egg carton to house them! Fill the eggs up with candies and give to friends and family.

What other projects can you make with plastic Easter eggs? Let us know in the comments below! We’d love to hear about them!

Easy Shamrock Pattern Idea for St. Patrick’s Day Crafts – Food Edition

Two weeks ago, we shared an easy and fun pattern idea to make shamrocks out of hearts. For those of you who missed it, click here: Easy Shamrock Pattern Idea for St. Patrick’s Day Crafts! While scouring the internet for more fun St. Patrick’s Day holiday and holiday decor ideas, I came across a picture that I definitely had to share!

Have you ever noticed that a green pepper sliced horizontally looks just like a shamrock? I didn’t (until I saw the picture)!

From Lest Out

This just opened a whole world of new possibilities and art projects! Today’s post, I’m going to share with everyone two ideas you can try to make use of your new green bell pepper shamrocks!

• Like the image above, cut a bell pepper horizontally. With green paints or a stamp pad, press the freshly cut side to the ink and use it as a stamp! Make fun cards or name tags!
• With a new bell pepper (don’t use the one you just stamped with!), cut a few slices of it to make edible shamrocks to add as garnishes to your plate.

For a lucky four leaf clover, look for a bell pepper with 4 ridges!

Was the  bell pepper shamrock pattern new to you as well? Or was I the last to know? Let us know the comments below! Any other easy shamrock patterns out there? Please share with us as well!

St. Patrick’s Day Cereal Art

Cereal. The breakfast food of (exhausted) morning champions! If you have kids at home (or are a kid at heart), fruity and colorful cereals take up a huge part of the pantry. What to do with all the stale. leftover cereal? Make fun and easy cereal art! Not just any cereal art — St. Patrick’s Day themed cereal art!

Today’s blog post will each everyone how to make a fun lucky rainbow for St. Patrick’s Day out of cereal. It’s easy and fun to make! Keep reading for instructions and supplies!

 

From About Family Crafts

Supplies:

• Froot Loop cereal
• Lucky Charms marshmallows
• paper
• glue
• pencil

Draw a pattern on a piece of paper for a rainbow (as big as you want) by drawing 6 half circle stripes. Sort all the Froot Loop cereals by color. When you are ready to glue the pieces down, apply a thin layer of glue over each stripe and apply one color to each line. Orders of the colors go from red, orange, yellow, green, blue, to purple.

Complete until all the colors are glued on.

From Schvet Bandits

To add some special embellishments, you can draw a pot at the end of the rainbow and glue on Lucky Charm marshmallows! Fill your pot with love, luck, and fun!

As yummy as this cereal art project looks, do not eat it! It is perishable and should only be kept until St. Patrick’s Day. Don’t worry, you can always make a new one next year!

What other cereals can  be used to make fun St. Patrick’s Day art projects? Maybe some Cheerios to be used as gold coins? Let us know your ideas below! We would love to fill up our pot of gold with more yummy goodies!

St. Patrick’s Day Cupcake Decoration Inspirations

For all you readers out there waiting for the next holiday cupcake decorations  inspiration post, wait no longer! Today I’m going to share with you a few fun St. Patrick’s Day themed cupcakes that I found inspiring from the internet. Without further ado, here they are! Get ready to see green!

 

From Hoosier Homemade

From Kim Stoebauger

From Chickabug

From Food Family Finds

From My Own Labels

From The Cupcake Blog

I’m quite glad that most of these cupcakes aren’t green. Green cupcakes might taste great, but they certainly look strange! Green decorations work just as well in bringing out St. Patrick’s Day spirit.

Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below! I especially like the last one. The marshmallows from Lucky Charms cereal are perfect sprinkles for a St. Patrick’s Day themed cupcake!

St. Patrick’s Day Homemade Shamrock Shake Recipe

When March rolls around, one thing is for certain. McDonald’s brings back their Shamrock Shake! I’m sure many of you  living in America is familiar with the Shamrock Shake. The Shamrock Shake is introduced by McDonald’s as a March treat to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. It is a creamy cold milkshake with a hint of minty flavor. I personally love the Shamrock Shake!

For those of you who do not live near a McDonald’s, or if the McDonald’s in your country doesn’t serve the Shamrock Shake, we can make our own at home!

 

From She Knows

Ingredients:

To make 2 servings:

• 2 cups of ice cream (vanilla)
• 1.25 cups of milk
• food coloring (green)
• .25 tsp of mint extract
• whipped cream

Put all ingredients (except food coloring & whipped cream) in a blender and blend (or “whip” for a frothier texture). Add a few drops of green food coloring until you achieve the amount of green you want for your shake. Pour the contents into a cup to serve, and add a dollop of whipped cream on top to garnish! If you have a few mint leaves lying around, it would be perfect as a topper!

Are you a fan of the Shamrock Shake too? Now we can all make it year round! Let us know in the comments below if whether your country has the Shamrock Shake at McDonald’s too. We would like to know!

Ways to Wear Green on St. Patrick’s Day

Wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day has become a tradition that many observe for the holiday. Why’s that? You get pinched if you don’t! As far back as I can remember (back to my elementary school days), I remember rummaging through my room, looking for anything remotely green I can wear. I once even tried to pass off teal as green to my pinch-happy classmates.

Nowadays, wearing a green shirt or pants is too simple! What are some other ways to wear green for St. Patrick’s Day? Let me share a few ideas with you!

From M Beauty Lounge

Green nail polish is starting to gain a rave review in the beauty world. Green nails are no longer just limited to children and teenagers! With so many new shades of green coming out for spring 2012, you’re sure to find a shade that you’ll be glad to sport on St. Patrick’s Day.

From Random Fun Stuff

Shading the sun out of your eyes has never been so fun! If you’re spending St. Patrick’s Day outdoors this year, a pair of green tinted shades will definitely keep your eyes from burning and your skin from getting pinched!

From Shoewawa

If you’re going to an elegant party for St. Patrick’s Day, you can’t ruin your outfit ensemble with a mediocre shamrock pin! Opt for a pair of cute, green party shoes. Try a pair of flats for a more casual look, or a pair of strappy heels for a fancier look!

What green item will you be sporting for St. Patrick’s Day this year? Will it be a fancy pair of green heels, or maybe a fun shamrock nail design? Let us know in the comments below!

A Leprechaun’s Pot of Gold – St. Patrick’s Day Craft Project & Home Decor

Leprechauns are known to have a hidden pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. I don’t know about you, but I’ve chased many rainbows in my day and still haven’t found any gold! As I’ve gotten older, I eventually grew out of chasing a dream.

Though I’ve stopped chasing, this doesn’t mean I still don’t believe that there are pots of gold at the end of the rainbow! In today’s post, I’m going to share with everyone a fun project I found via Makes and Takes to make our own. Let’s get inspired!

 

From Make and Takes

Supplies:

• planter (depending on how big you want your pot)
• black paint + paintbrush
• fake grass fill
• pipe cleaners (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple)
• chocolate coins

Thoroughly clean the planter with water and soap. Once dried,  paint the whole planter with black paint and set aside to dry. Fill the planter with fake grass and chocolate coins. Arrange the pipe cleaners according to the colors of the rainbow and bend to a U shape. Place in the planter and adjust the pipe cleaners.

Voila! Your very own pot of gold! If you are making this project with a whole family or classroom, opt to use chalkboard paint instead. Each person can decorate their pot however they’d like with chalk! They can even write their name on the pot!

Once St. Patrick’s Day is over, the planters can be used to grow a small plant!

What will you be filling your pot of gold with? Let us know in the comments below! You don’t necessarily need to fill it with chocolate or candies. Little fun party favors will be great as well. Wrap up the whole thing with cellophane and give them out as gifts!