Which grass to paint eggs green. How to paint eggs for Easter. Decorative polyethylene films and thermal stickers

Traditionally, colored eggs were prepared for the Easter table and given to family and friends during the week before the holiday. Krashenki are eggs painted in one color, without patterns or painting.

Today you can find many chemical dyes in bright colors for eggs, but the most beautiful, healthy and even delicious are those dyes that are colored with natural dyes that our great-grandmothers used. Natural dyes for eggs cannot give such a bright shade as chemical ones, but they are absolutely harmless and can paint eggs in very delicate and beautiful colors.

How to color eggs with natural dyes

We offer simple and useful tips, thanks to which the color of the shell will be uniform and more saturated.

After removing already colored eggs from the container where they were boiled, the eggs should not be rubbed with force with a towel. They should be rinsed by holding under running warm water and gently dried with a napkin or paper towel.
To prevent eggs from cracking when dyeing, they should not be cold (from the refrigerator), they should be kept at room temperature for several hours and washed in warm water before dyeing.
It is better to boil eggs in a thick-walled saucepan - this will protect the eggs from cracking. Eggs should be slowly brought to a boil and then cooked at a minimum boil.
After coloring, you can wipe the eggs with sunflower oil, then they will acquire a stunning shine.
If, after coloring, you put the eggs in the same broth in the refrigerator overnight, the color of the shell will be brighter.

Natural safe dyes- These are fruits and vegetables, herbs and leaves that have a pigment that can color Easter eggs. Proponents of natural coloring use for these purposes: onion peels, beets, red cabbage, spinach, red pepper, turmeric, safflower, rosehip infusion, green tea, coffee, blueberries.

You can also paint during the cooking process by adding coloring ingredients to the water (the water should completely cover the eggs), or you can paint already boiled eggs, then you first need to make a coloring solution (boil the coloring vegetables, fruits or spices with water), and then paint there is an egg in it (minimum coloring time is 30 minutes, but you can keep it all night).

Yellow

The yellow color of eggs is obtained by boiling them in water with the addition of onion peels, carrots, cumin seeds or chamomile. A more intense color is obtained on yellow or brown eggs. Chamomile gives a delicate yellow color; it can be boiled and strained, or eggs can be boiled together with chamomile sachets.

Example 1: Boil turmeric for 15 minutes in water and immerse eggs.
Example 2: To prepare the dye, you need to take 1 liter of water, 3 tablespoons of turmeric powder and grated red carrots, cook for 30 minutes.

Brown color

Brown - Birch leaves, black tea, coffee. You need to brew strong coffee or tea and boil eggs in it.
Brick Red - Onion skin.

Example: For 3 liters of water you need to take 4 cups of onion peels and boil for an hour. The more onion peel, the richer the dye. Add the eggs and boil them in the resulting dye. To get a purple hue, you need to do the same with the skin of the red onion.

Pink-red color

Pink and lilac shades - Blueberries, lingonberries, cranberries (frozen or in juice form), raspberries, currants, cherries, red cabbage. You can soak already boiled eggs in the juice.

Green color

Green - Dried spinach, parsley, nettle, ivy, blueberry decoction

Example 1: For 2-3 eggs and 0.5 liters of water, take about a handful of dried coltsfoot, bracken or carrot tops.
Example 2: Boil eggs with dried nettle infusion (3 tablespoons of chopped nettle per liter of water).
Example 3: To obtain a green tint to the eggs, you can use fresh blueberry juice. For 1 liter of blueberry decoction - 2-3 full teaspoons of turmeric powder. To avoid the appearance of lumps, first grind the turmeric with water in a small bowl and only then place it in the blueberry decoction.
Example 4: Chop the spinach finely (frozen is also good), add water to cover. Cook for 30 minutes and let cool.

With the spring warmth and sunshine comes the bright holiday of Easter. Tall stately Easter cakes, delicate cottage cheese Easter cakes, various pastries in the shape of chickens, rabbits and, of course, colored eggs. If dishes are prepared for family and guests, then eggs are presented to all acquaintances and strangers. From the children who bring the news of the Resurrection of Christ in the morning, to work colleagues. "Christ is risen!" - they say at the same time. “In truth he is risen!” - they hear in response and receive an egg in return.

What are Easter eggs?

Interestingly, painted Easter eggs have their names depending on how the eggs were painted. Krashenki are plain eggs, specks are eggs covered with multi-colored spots, which are obtained using droplets of wax. And if we paint eggs and scratch out the design, we get drapanka. Separately, it is worth noting the Easter eggs. This is not just an Easter attribute, but a work of art! Drawings on eggs are made with a special tool - a scribbler.
In the article we have collected both well-known methods of painting eggs, which everyone knows very well, but perhaps have forgotten the nuances of, as well as more interesting and “unhackneyed” ones. In addition, we will tell you about quick options for beautifully coloring eggs with the least amount of labor, about methods of decorating them that you can do with your child, and about such original ways where you can let your imagination run free and expect a great result! For convenience, all 20 methods are divided into thematic blocks.

The key to the start - preparing the eggs for painting

First: never start boiling eggs without first removing them from the refrigerator at least an hour or two before coloring. The eggs should be at least at room temperature to prevent them from breaking during cooking. There is another way to prevent the eggs from exploding. They need to be pierced with a thin sharp needle. However, the first option is much simpler and safer.
Second: when cooking, add 1 tbsp. l. table salt per 1.5-2 liters of water. It is believed that this is done to prevent the shell from bursting. In fact, it is correct to say that salt will prevent the protein from leaking out and forming white “growths” if the shell suddenly cracks.
Third: the eggs should be washed thoroughly, perhaps even using a dish sponge. This is done so that the paint lays more evenly. You can also wipe the testicle with soapy water or alcohol.
Fourth: you can dye eggs for Easter not only chicken eggs, but also quail ones. It turns out very interesting and unusual! We also pre-keep them at room temperature, rinse and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Fifth: in order for the paint to stick better, vinegar (9%) is added during the painting process. On average, 1 tbsp. l. for 1.5 l. water.
Well, one last piece of advice. on how to give already painted eggs a festive look. Rub them, after wiping them dry, with vegetable oil.

How to dye eggs in onion skins

First: classics of the genre - onion skins and its variations

Traditional purplish-red, brown or dark yellow eggs are obtained by dyeing them with onion skins. In this case, both the peels of regular onions and red onions are used. When calculating the color, you can use this hint as a guide. If you take the peels of 8 onions to 2 cups of water, you will get a red-brown color.

Second: tandem of husks and brilliant green

A very interesting option is burgundy-green or brown-diamond eggs. To perform them, you will need onion peels, brilliant green (standard bottle, 10 ml per 1.5 liter), nylon stocking (or gauze), gloves (to protect the skin of your hands from brilliant green).

Third: coloring in husks with patterns

You can diversify the coloring with onion peels if you first apply a patterned figure to the egg and secure it with a piece of nylon. In this case, to obtain a pattern, you can take what you have at hand. For example, leaves of parsley, parsnip, dill, peppermint, fresh or dried flowers. The dry material must first be soaked with hot water and then applied to the egg.

Secure the chosen motif - a leaf or flower - tightly with a nylon stocking (or bandage, gauze) and carry out the standard staining with onion peels. Then remove the stocking, remove the stencil for the pattern and an egg will appear, painted with onion skins, but with an imprint of a leaf or flower in the natural color of the shell.
Using the same principle, you can decorate a speck with chaotic dots the color of an unpainted shell. To do this, roll a wet egg in rice, crushed peas or millet before coloring it with onion skins, or attach a piece of lace to it. Secure the rump or lace pattern with a stocking nylon.

You can get a variety of patterns without using a fixing material:

for straight lines of natural shell color on the egg, put money elastic bands on it;
any pattern can be made from masking tape, plaster, self-adhesive paper, or simply paint the egg with wax crayons;
You can get checkered eggs if you put fishnet stockings or a vegetable net on them.

Methods with dyes - natural and not so

Fourth: gifts from nature - natural dyes

Pour water into a 1.5 liter saucepan and add natural pigment - the source of color.
Bring to a boil, let simmer a little and leave to infuse for half an hour.
Strain the broth, pour in 1 tbsp. l. 9% vinegar and place the eggs in a saucepan.
Cook over low heat until at least tender (12-15 minutes). If the color doesn't come out well - up to half an hour.
If coloring is not successful within half an hour, leave the eggs in a saucepan with the coloring solution overnight.

Fifth: a scientific alternative to natural dyes - food colors

Multi-colored flowers on young grass, what could be fresher and more attractive for Easter? To make them quickly and without much hassle, you can buy a special Easter kit in the store. When choosing it, please note that dyes vary in the method of application.
One of the options is paint, which must be applied directly to the boiled egg. The other is powder or tablets for diluting the colored solution. Eggs are dipped into it and kept there until the paint takes on.
The dye packaging should indicate the dyeing method. There is nothing complicated in using ready-made liquid paint. It is applied to the prepared egg, distributed evenly and allowed to dry. The general method of painting with water-borne dyes looks like this:

Sixth: a string from the world - a colorful egg

A riot of colors in one egg is a way of dyeing with floss threads. Very simple and beautiful:

Wrap multi-colored floss threads around a raw, room temperature, pre-washed egg. Combine colors and thread placement as your imagination dictates!
2. Boil them in the usual way until hard-boiled (12-15 minutes).
3. Remove the threads.

Seventh: fabric transfers

Transfer a beautiful pattern from fabric to an egg? It is quite possible. You just need to take the choice of fabric seriously. In our age of extremely developed chemical industry and the desire to reduce the cost of an item at any cost, you can run into chemically dyed fabric. Despite how beautiful the drawing is depicted on it, it is better to refuse to use it. Examples of permitted material could be a Pavloposad scarf or a silk tie with an interesting pattern.

Place the selected fabric with the right side on the egg. Secure it by stitching along the contour.
You can additionally secure the material on top by wrapping the egg in a nylon stocking or white cotton cloth.

Add 9% vinegar to the cooking water (3 tablespoons per 1.5 liter saucepan) and hard boil the eggs (12-15 minutes).
Drain the water, cool the eggs and remove them from the cloth. The pattern should appear as delicate contours on the shell.

Painting with children

Both adults and children look forward to Easter with equal impatience. Give the kids the opportunity to make a beautiful craft egg and give it, for example, to their grandparents. By engaging in such creativity, we encourage children’s desire to do beautiful things and give it to loved ones. And it’s also very interesting and fun!

Eighth: craft egg

You can make a perky chicken out of dye:

Color the egg yellow with food coloring. Although chickens can be of other colors: blue or pink, for example. Even a child from 3 years of age can handle coloring with colored powders or tablets diluted in water. Of course, under the supervision and sensitive guidance of an adult.
Cut out parts for decorating the chicken from colored paper: eyes, wings, tail, beak, scallop. And also: a bow - if it's a girl or a bow tie - if it's a boy. You can also use decorative fluff from a craft store. It turns out funny and very cute!
To fix the prepared parts, use gelatin glue. To do this, soak the gelatin as indicated on the package. Drain off excess liquid and heat the granules until they dissolve. There is no need to bring it to a boil.
Apply gelatin glue with a brush to the parts, egg and gradually turn it into a chicken!

Ninth: funny faces

Show your children that they can draw on eggs in unique ways. But since this is a product and is then eaten, the colors must be natural. For example, it is very easy to make edible “gouache” from cocoa powder. She can draw the face of an animal, the face of a funny weirdo, or even a portrait. You can also draw eyes, but it will be more interesting to glue ready-made ones from a craft store.

Boil the eggs. If necessary, color with food coloring, for example, if you are making a lion's face, use yellow.
Pour warm water little by little into a tablespoon of cocoa until the consistency of sour cream.
Place the finished eggs on supports, such as plastic bottle caps, and draw.
Let the chocolate gouache dry.
Then glue the eyes with gelatin glue if they initially do not have an adhesive base.

Tenth: wax crayons (pencils)

This is a method for school-age children. Since you will have to work with a hot, freshly boiled egg.

Remove them from the pan and dry with a towel.
Place the egg on a stand, such as a bottle cap.
Start drawing the design with wax pencils. The wax will diverge from the heat and create bizarre transitions and overflows. Choose your colors carefully!
You can color eggs in this way not only with pencils, but also by sprinkling them with wax crumbs. To obtain it, grind crayons on a fine grater. And then they pour it onto a hot, freshly boiled egg.
Another way to decorate with wax crayons is to melt them and dip an egg into it.

Save time

When a woman is not only a housewife, but also the main breadwinner in the family, there is not much time for home life. Moreover, Easter eggs are painted on Maundy Thursday. This activity is not postponed until the weekend. Therefore, if you don’t have time, you can resort to “quick” ways to make Easter eggs.

Eleventh: thermal film stickers

Once and done - this is about one of the easiest ways to create an Easter mood using thermal stickers. How beautiful they are: with Gzhel and Khokhloma paintings, with intricate patterns, butterflies, flowers, church scenes, as well as with rabbits, kittens and even children’s cartoon characters! If you plan to use thermal stickers, choose eggs that are not the largest in size. Otherwise, they simply will not fit into the thermal base. Stickers can be applied to unpainted boiled eggs, and they can also be used as a backup option if the shell suddenly cracks during coloring.
Please note: eggs in thermal stickers have a shorter shelf life than, for example, eggs colored with peel or food coloring.

Boil the eggs as usual.
Place the thermal base on the egg and place it in the strainer.
Place the strainer in boiling water for a few seconds. As soon as the thermal sticker “hugs” it, pull it out.

Twelfth: festive outfit

Being one of the most important Easter symbols, the egg requires an appropriate outfit. So far we have talked about its coloring, but you can do it differently. Just wrap the boiled egg in bright foil. Voila! And it is in the spotlight. And in addition it will be decorated with exquisite decoration.

Boil the eggs.
Cut multi-colored foil (available in office supply stores) into rectangular pieces large enough to wrap the egg.
Prepare decorative elements or just use confetti.
Wrap the cooled eggs in foil. Attach the decor to them with glue.

Flight of fancy

If the standard traditional methods of coloring eggs seem boring and monotonous, let your imagination fly and follow it like a white rabbit.

Thirteenth: Rainbow Power

This method is a variation of coloring with food coloring. The combination of colors, the depth of painting, the number of layers... All this is selected individually. Therefore, such paints are 100% original. However, in order for the eggs to turn out like in the picture, you need high-quality dyes that give rich colors. You need to breed them according to the instructions. Another tip: you need to start with light tones, gradually resorting to darker and darker ones, and end with the darkest ones.

Boil the eggs.
Take one and paint it completely the lightest color.
Dip the painted egg into paint a tone darker, but not completely, but halfway.
Wait for the paint to set. Then drain it.
Next, do the same, applying paint in layers.

Fourteenth: eggs “on style”

Easter, originally a religious holiday, has now become more secular. Therefore, eggs are not only traditionally painted red or a pattern corresponding to the holiday is applied, but they also approach this activity more simply and creatively. For example, eggs will turn out stylish if you apply a pattern to them with a permanent marker. You can come up with a coloring page yourself or get ideas from the Internet.

Boil the eggs, be sure to hard boil them.
Place them on stands and mark your chosen design with a permanent marker.
After finishing work, let it dry. This will take about an hour.

Fifteenth: stencil work

This method is relatively traditional. We find a stencil, apply it to the egg, and paint it with natural or food coloring. A flight of fancy should manifest itself in the choice of stencil. Here everyday experience, information from books, magazines, and the Internet can come to the rescue. Or maybe you have family symbols. The main thing to remember is that the chosen color and stencil must be in harmony with each other.

Choose a design for the stencil.
Apply it to ultra-thin paper (tracing paper).
Wet the paper until it becomes pliable and can be easily applied to the egg.
Fix the attached stencil firmly on the egg with a nylon stocking or bandage (gauze).
When the preparation for coloring the eggs is completed, do it in any way: onion skins, food coloring. Only if the eggs are colored with onion peels, they do not need to be boiled first. And if you choose the method of coloring with food coloring, then they must be hard-boiled beforehand.
Remove the fixing material and stencils from the finished, cooled eggs.

Sixteenth: marble effect

Those who decide to paint eggs marble will need artistic flair. It's not difficult to do this. The main thing is to choose colors beautifully and purchase high-quality dyes.

Boil the eggs.
Paint them in a light color dye: yellow, orange, blue. Let dry.
Dilute a dark color dye in a deep narrow container (in a glass, tea cup): purple, brown, dark blue. Add 1 tsp to each cup of dark solution. vegetable oil. Stir until the spoonful of oil breaks up into many small oil droplets.
Dip light colors into dark dye. Ideally do this once.
Let dry. Marbled eggs are ready!

Options for decorating ready-made colored eggs

If simply coloring eggs is not enough and your soul asks for artistic continuation, choose one of the proposed options. Turn your paint into a work of art!

Seventeenth: 3D decor

Quite a labor-intensive, but worth it method. To decorate the eggs you will need a wax or paraffin candle, as well as a variety of cereals, small pasta, confectionery sprinkles and whatever else your heart desires.

Take the finished paint.
Light a candle and use melted wax (paraffin) to apply a pattern on it. Do this very carefully. The flame should not touch the shell, otherwise a gray soot mark may remain.
Dip the egg in the material of your choice for decoration. You can also place decorative elements onto the adhesive base by hand.
When the work is dry, you can grease the decorated surface with vegetable oil for a more presentable look.

Eighteenth: sugar lace

Eggs in voluminous lace are very stylish, festive and go well with any traditional dyed pattern. To make them, you will need powdered sugar (about a glass) and water. If you don’t have powdered sugar on hand, you can make it yourself. For this you need granulated sugar and a coffee grinder.

Slowly pour water into the powdered sugar until you get a white mass of thick consistency.
Place the decorative sugar mixture in a pastry syringe.
Take the finished paint.
Apply a pattern to it.
Let dry.

Nineteen: decoupage technique

In order for a picture to appear on the dye, it is not necessary to apply a thermal sticker to it or transfer the pattern from the fabric. You can remember the decoupage technique. It is designed to decorate not only plates and furniture, but can also be transferred to the plane of Easter decor. To do this, we will have to use beautiful napkins or their elements and gelatin glue. To prepare the glue, gelatin is soaked according to the instructions on the package. Then the excess moisture is drained and heated, without bringing to a boil, until the granules dissolve.

Twentieth: drapanki

Colored eggs with a white pattern can be made not only by applying a stencil. The design can be scratched onto the surface of an egg painted with onion skins using a stationery knife or a thick, sharp needle. This method is labor-intensive, but is applicable when you plan to make a thin, elegant pattern on the egg, which is difficult to achieve by applying a stencil.

Make dye using onion peels.
Draw a pattern on it with a simple pencil. You can do without it if you feel confident or have your hands full.
Go along the pencil line with a stationery knife, scratching the outline.

Easter is a family holiday that gives hope for the future and faith in miracles. Touch a piece of beauty too - choose the method you like and paint eggs for the Easter table. There is only one drawback to coloring eggs using the methods described. It may turn out so beautiful that you will be sorry to eat it!

August can feel a little sad - autumn, followed by a long winter, is already on the doorstep. But the flower beds are still full of colors, and their color scheme creates an atmosphere of warmth and joy. The rich palette of August flower beds mainly consists of yellow, orange, and crimson tones. And it seems as if the garden has become warmer and has more sunny color. What flowers should definitely be planted in flower beds so that they brighten up the inevitable passing of summer with blooms?

Coriander is one of the most popular spices in the world, and its greens are called coriander or coriander. Interestingly, cilantro leaves no one indifferent. Some people adore it and happily use it in any salads and sandwiches, and they love Borodino bread for the special flavor of coriander seeds. Others, citing the smell that evokes associations with forest bugs, hate coriander and flatly refuse to approach bunches of cilantro even at the market, let alone plant it in their own garden.

Sweet and sour marinated cherry tomatoes with red onion and basil marinated with balsamic vinegar and mustard. These pickled vegetables will decorate any holiday table; they are very tasty and aromatic. Marinade filling is a completely different story: you get a delicious brine, the only drawback of which is the small quantity. Choose sweet, red onions. Cherries are strong, slightly unripe, and the smallest. Fresh basil will work either green or purple.

My first acquaintance with hydrogel took place a long time ago. Back in the nineties, my husband brought funny multi-colored balls from Japan, which greatly increased in size when filled with water. They were supposed to be used for bouquets or for some other decorative purposes. Of course, at first it was funny, but then I got tired of playing and abandoned them, I don’t even remember where they went. But I recently returned to using hydrogel. I will tell you about my experience in this article.

Watermelon and summer are inseparable concepts. However, you won’t find melons in every area. And all because this African plant takes up a lot of space, is quite demanding of both heat and sun, and also of proper watering. But still, we love watermelon so much that today not only southerners, but much more northern summer residents have learned to grow it. It turns out that you can find an approach to such a capricious plant, and if you want, you can get a decent harvest.

You can make red gooseberry jam in 10 minutes. However, it should be borne in mind that this is the time required to cook the jam without preparing the berries. It takes a lot of time to harvest and prepare the berries for processing. Cruel thorns discourage any desire to harvest, and you still have to cut off the noses and tails. But the result is worth it, the jam turns out excellent, one of the most aromatic, in my opinion, and the taste is such that it is impossible to tear yourself away from the jar.

Monsteras, anthuriums, caladiums, dieffenbachias... Representatives of the Araceae family are considered one of the most popular categories of indoor plants. And not the last factor in their widespread distribution is diversity. Aroids are represented by aquatic plants, epiphytes, semi-epiphytes, tuberous plants and lianas. But despite such diversity, because of which it is sometimes difficult to guess about the relationship of plants, aroids are very similar to each other and require the same care.

Donskoy salad for the winter is a savory appetizer of fresh vegetables in a sweet and sour marinade with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The original recipe calls for regular or apple cider vinegar, but with a combination of wine vinegar and light Balsamico it turns out much tastier. The salad can be prepared without sterilization - bring the vegetables to a boil, put them in sterile jars and wrap them warmly. You can also pasteurize the workpieces at a temperature of 85 degrees, then quickly cool.

The main mushrooms collected are: porcini, obabka, boletus, chanterelles, boletus, moss mushrooms, russula, milk mushrooms, boletus, saffron milk caps, honey mushrooms. Other mushrooms are collected depending on the region. And their name (other mushrooms) is legion. As well as mushroom pickers, of whom there are more and more every year. Therefore, there may not be enough for all known mushrooms. And I know for sure that among the little-known there are very worthy representatives. I’ll tell you about little-known, but tasty and healthy mushrooms in this article.

The word "ampel" comes from the German word "ampel", meaning a hanging container for flowers. The fashion for hanging flower beds came to us from Europe. And today it is very difficult to imagine a garden where there is not at least one hanging basket. In response to the growing popularity of container floriculture, a large number of hanging plants have appeared on sale, whose shoots easily fall outside the pots. Let's talk about those that are valued for their beautiful flowers.

Apricots in syrup - aromatic apricot compote with cardamom from peeled fruits. These are very useful preparations for the winter - bright and beautiful halves of canned apricots can be used to prepare fruit salads, desserts or decorate cakes and pastries. There are many varieties of apricots; for this recipe, I advise you to choose ripe, but not overripe fruits, from which it is easy to remove the pit so that the peeled slices retain the correct shape.

Today in pharmacies you can buy many different medications with a general strengthening, tonic effect that are used for colds. Despite this, I always prepare my own nettles and St. John’s wort for the winter, as I consider them indispensable medicinal herbs for the prevention and treatment of colds and many other diseases. Why these plants are valuable, how and when to collect them, dry them, store them and prepare healing infusions, I will tell you in the article.

Among species of orchids, phalaenopsis are real Spartans. And one of the hardiest species is Phalaenopsis four-scutellum, or Tetraspis. He is content with minimal care, is not capricious at all, and easily adapts. And, unfortunately, it almost completely disappeared from the windowsills. Varietal hybrids with their spectacular flowering are found at every step, but you will have to hunt for each species specimen. But if you love the exotic, then Phalaenopsis tetraspis is worth it.

Boiled chicken stewed with vegetables is a delicious hot dish that is very easy to prepare from available ingredients. This dish will appeal to both adults and children; it can also be included in a not very strict diet menu, when you need to eat something satisfying, but not fried or fatty. The recipe for stewed boiled chicken can be classified as “healthy recipes”! Legs or thighs are ideal for cooking, but breast fillet will turn out dry, it is better to make cutlets from it.

I fell in love with roses fifteen years ago. My first roses often upset me: either with multi-colored spots on the leaves, or with a white powdery coating of powdery mildew, or with some other nuisance. What I haven’t done to treat rose bushes and prevent diseases... For the last five years, fungal diseases have only occurred on my site twice and have not caused any harm to the rose garden. I will share the secrets of preventing fungal infection in the rose garden.

Since ancient times, people have exchanged eggs and Easter cakes for Easter. The tradition has developed over many years, resulting in many ways of coloring and decorating paraphernalia. With the words “Christ is risen!” men and women, children and older generations exchange eggs, later examining the intricate designs. Among other things, coloring eggs is quite a fascinating process that can unite household members. There are basic methods, let's look at them in more detail.

How to prepare eggs for painting

As mentioned earlier, experienced housewives, through trial and error, identified the main options for coloring eggs for Easter. However, regardless of the chosen method, they must first be prepared.

A few hours before you plan to color them, remove the eggs from the refrigerator and leave them at room temperature. This move will help avoid temperature changes that cause the shell to crack. An alternative is to pierce the shell with a thin sewing needle, which will prevent the eggs from bursting.
If food pigments or onion peels will be used as the main coloring method, it is recommended to wash the shells first. To do this, use a kitchen sponge and baking soda. The end result is that the paint will lie smoothly without streaks or spotty inclusions.
Before starting the procedure, degrease the shell by wiping it with vodka or medical alcohol. If neither is available, treat the surface with soapy water, then rinse thoroughly and dry.
To make the shells shiny after painting, wipe the surface of the eggs with vegetable or corn oil. Do not use cotton pads for these purposes; gently wet your fingers in the mixture, then spread over the shell.

When you have prepared the “material”, start painting. Choose the best option for yourself, and then strictly follow the instructions.

Method number 1. Food colorings

Food coloring is rightfully considered the most common type of coloring for Easter eggs. You can purchase ready-made colors or create your own shades. Pigments can be pearlescent, glossy or matte, it all depends on the manufacturer.

To properly prepare the composition, take care of enough containers in advance so that there is a separate bowl for each color. Dilute the paint with water at room temperature; there should be a lot of liquid so that the eggs completely drown in it.

After diluting the paint, pour in 30 ml. table vinegar solution, then place boiled or raw eggs into the bowl. The duration of exposure varies, it all depends on the intensity of the shade you want to achieve.

Stencil

Buy tracing paper - ultra-thin paper - online or at a stationery store. Cut out any image from it in the form of a stencil (the inner part has been removed). Anything can be used as a drawing: your favorite cartoon characters, Easter themes, Jesus Christ, etc.
The photo for the stencil can be downloaded from the Internet. The final result depends on the quality of the original image and the material itself. When you have made the stencil base, namely printed and cut it out, moisten the paper in water at room temperature. The material should become elastic, repeating the shape of the egg.
Attach the stencil to the shell and smooth out any creases. If your drawing is small, duplicate it in several places. Secure the stencil with gauze or a piece of nylon stockings (tights).
Dilute food or natural coloring, add eggs to it and cook them until cooked. Upon completion of the procedure, remove the eggs, place them on toothpicks or newspaper, and cool to room temperature. As soon as this happens, remove the gauze and stencil and enjoy the result.

Vegetable oil

A beautiful result is achieved by coloring eggs with the addition of vegetable oil. To perform the procedure correctly, prepare two containers with the same shade. Pour oil into the first one and leave the second one unchanged.
Boil the eggs hard, cool to a temperature of 30 degrees (the coloring composition should have the same indicator). Dip the “material” into a bowl of paint, wait the required interval (the exact period is indicated in the instructions).
After this, remove the eggs and leave the paint to dry. When this happens, place the product in a second container with vegetable oil and wait again. Dry the eggs and evaluate the result.

Insulating tape

Cut the electrical tape lengthwise to create thin strips (you can skip this step if you wish). Prepare several containers with diluted paint, preferably choosing blue and yellow colors.
Glue a strip in the shape of a spiral or any other pattern of your choice. Place the eggs in a bowl with blue color, wait a while, remove and wait for them to dry. Remove the tape.
Now glue the next strips, which will slightly cover the previously obtained pattern. Dip the egg into yellow paint, wait an interval, remove and dry.
You will end up with a yellow egg with blue and green stripes. The good thing about this option is that it allows you to experiment with obtaining new shades by applying one color to another.

Stationery erasers

Buy rubber bands, which are usually used to tighten banknotes (silicone base), at a stationery store. Boil the eggs hard, cool, prepare paint of one or more shades.
Next, you can proceed in two ways. The first involves painting the egg in any color with prominent white lines (rubber bands are attached to a previously unpainted egg). The second option is two-phase coloring, as a result of which the lines turn out to be the color in which the egg was originally painted.
Let's consider the second option, it is more complex. Paint the egg yellow and dry. Wrap the rubber bands in a chaotic crisscross pattern. Dip the “material” into green paint and wait until the pigment sets. Dry and remove rubber bands. You will see that the egg has turned blue with yellow stripes.

Plant leaves
The technique is similar to the stencil technique with only one clarification - plant leaves are used as a design, most often parsley and dill play their role.

To get an accurate result, tear off several leaves, attach them to the shell, and secure with gauze or a nylon stocking. Dip into the paint and wait a while.
When the time is up, remove the eggs, cool and dry them. Unfold the fixing material, remove the leaves, lubricate the surface with vegetable oil and enjoy the result.
An alternative to leaves can be the same electrical tape, self-adhesive paper or tape. Cut out the design you need from the material and attach it to the fat-free shell of a pre-boiled egg. Place the product in the pigment bowl, then remove and dry.

Method number 2. Natural dyes

Natural dyes can be onion peels, beets, turmeric, carrots, birch leaves, calendula, orange or lemon, spinach, red cabbage, nettle, coffee.
The main feature of “folk” coloring is considered to be that the composition acts slowly. As a rule, it takes about 8-10 hours to get results.
To prepare the solution, pour water into a saucepan and add a large amount of your chosen dye. Pour in 35 ml. table vinegar, stir. Bring the solution until the first bubbles appear, then reduce the power and boil for another 15 minutes.
When the paint is ready, leave it for about half an hour, then place the eggs in a container and simmer them over low heat for 25 minutes. Then turn off the burner and leave the product in the solution overnight.

Turmeric
To give eggs a seductive golden hue, use ground turmeric.

Boil water in an enamel pan, add 90 g. turmeric, bring to a boil. Place raw eggs in a container, cook them until tender, then let them sit for another 8 hours without removing them.
It is recommended to carry out the procedure with extreme caution, since it is quite difficult to remove turmeric from the surface of furniture and clothing, just like other natural dyes.

Red cabbage
A cabbage-based broth will give the eggs a rich blue tint.

Chop a whole head of cabbage into small slices, place in a saucepan and pour boiling water over it. Add 180 ml. table vinegar solution, cover and leave for 10 hours.
After the expiration date, place the eggs in a container and check the color intensity every 2 hours. Then remove the product and leave it to dry. If desired, paint the surface with gouache or felt-tip pens.

Beet
Beets will help color the eggs crimson or pinkish, it all depends on the length of time the product is kept in the solution.

Grate 4 medium-sized beets, then mash the resulting mixture with a potato masher or grind in a blender.
Pour boiling water over the finished mixture so that the water covers the beets completely. Pour in 150 ml. vinegar with a concentration of 9%, wait 6 hours.
Place boiled eggs in a saucepan and let sit for 5 hours. After the time has passed, remove the product and leave to dry.

Onion peel
Onion peels will color the eggs red-brown with a bronze tint.

To prepare the coloring solution, you will need to take at least 4 kg of husk. Luke. The raw materials must be placed in a large saucepan and filled with boiling water.
Place the container on the stove, bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 1 hour. After this, cover with a lid and leave to steep for 24 hours.
After the allotted time has passed, pass the broth through a colander or cheesecloth and cook the eggs in it for about 10 minutes. Then do not remove the product from the pan, leave until the liquid cools completely.

Regardless of the coloring method you choose, you can create patterns on Easter eggs using available materials.

Cook short grain or long grain rice, soak the egg in water and roll it in the rice so that the grains stick. Tie with stocking or gauze, secure on both sides with elastic bands.
Prepare the coloring pigment, dip the eggs in it and wait the required period of time. Natural dyes are better for this method.
When the eggs are colored, remove them and leave to dry completely. Remove the cloth, remove the rice, grease the surface of the shell with sunflower oil.

Silk fabric
Eggs can be dyed with fabrics; silk or cotton with existing patterns are ideal for these purposes.

Moisten the egg in hot water, wrap it with a piece of cloth so that the design fits tightly into the surface of the shell with the front side. Sew the egg with thread around the entire perimeter so that the fabric does not slip.
Wrap it in a piece of nylon and tie it on both sides, creating a kind of candy. Pour 100 ml into an enamel pan. vinegar (6%), add water, add to the eggs. Cook them for about 15 minutes, then turn off the stove.
Let the eggs sit in the solution for another quarter of an hour, then place them in a bowl of cold water and leave until completely cool. Carefully remove the retainer and stocking and evaluate the fruits of your labors.

First, prepare the eggs for painting: remove them from the refrigerator, leave them at room temperature, and poke a thin hole in the shell with a sewing needle. Consider coloring with food or natural dyes. Use a stencil, parsley leaves, silk fabric or scrap materials to create a unique design.