Color Easter Eggs Naturally With Dyes From Your Kitchen

Written by Debra Lynn Dadd


The most beautiful dyes for Easter eggs come from foodstuff you probably already have in your kitchen.

I have been delighted withrepparttar results ofrepparttar 110279 colors I have tried and my friends have been thrilled to receive them as springtime gifts. The colors are very unusual -- gentle, earthy, soft, and very vibrant, without being harsh likerepparttar 110280 artificial dyes -- and when I tell peoplerepparttar 110281 colors come from plant dyes, they always want to knowrepparttar 110282 origin of each color.

To color these eggs, you boilrepparttar 110283 eggs withrepparttar 110284 dyestuff, rather than boilingrepparttar 110285 eggs separately and they dying them.

Here arerepparttar 110286 general directions:

1. Put raw, white-shelled, organically-raised eggs in a single layer in a pan. Cover with cold water. 2. Add a little more than a teaspoon of white vinegar. 3. Addrepparttar 110287 natural dyestuff forrepparttar 110288 color you want your eggs to be. (The more eggs you are dying at a time,repparttar 110289 more dye you will need to use, andrepparttar 110290 more dye you use,repparttar 110291 darker repparttar 110292 color will be.) 4. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. 5. Quickly checkrepparttar 110293 eggs for color by removing them from repparttar 110294 dye liquid with a slotted spoon.

Ifrepparttar 110295 color is as desired, pour offrepparttar 110296 hot dye liquid and rinserepparttar 110297 eggs immediately in cold water to stoprepparttar 110298 eggs from cooking. Continue to changerepparttar 110299 water until it stays cool inrepparttar 110300 pot becauserepparttar 110301 eggs are no longer releasing heat. Drain and allow eggs to cool inrepparttar 110302 refrigerator.

If you wish a deeper color, strainrepparttar 110303 hot dye liquid into a container, then rinserepparttar 110304 eggs immediately in cold water to stop them from cooking. Continue to changerepparttar 110305 water until it stays cool inrepparttar 110306 pot becauserepparttar 110307 eggs are no longer releasing heat. Drainrepparttar 110308 last ofrepparttar 110309 cold water, then cover repparttar 110310 eggs withrepparttar 110311 strained dye liquid. Add more water if necessary so thatrepparttar 110312 eggs are completely covered. Put into repparttar 110313 refrigerator immediately and keep eggs inrepparttar 110314 refrigerator untilrepparttar 110315 desired shade is achieved. Overnight is good. Longer than about twelve hours some ofrepparttar 110316 colors just get muddier instead of deeper, andrepparttar 110317 lighter shades are more vibrant.

Why Creativity and Self-Expression are Important to Little Kids

Written by Sherry Frewerd


Can you draw a straight line? Most adults don’t consider themselves artistic. Parents do, however, worry about their toddler’s art abilities. As a child care provider forrepparttar past 10 years, I’ve had many discussions with parents about ‘how their toddler is doing’ as far as getting ready for preschool or kindergarten. They worry a lot aboutrepparttar 110278 final product of their toddler’s art projects. I try to explain to them that art is not just knowing how to draw a flower or a puppy, or whether or not little Jason colors inrepparttar 110279 lines. Little kids need to experience self-expression andrepparttar 110280 ‘doing of art’ more than having a page from a coloring book to hang onrepparttar 110281 refrigerator.

When a two-year old puts his chubby little hand in a tub of finger paint and happily smears all ofrepparttar 110282 colors together onrepparttar 110283 paper or when he makes yet another ‘snowman’ out of play-doh, he’s creating. Granted, he will certainly tell you that his painting is his dad’s truck even though you ‘just can’t see it.’ The important thing to remember is that by allowing our little kids to experience art in their own way, we let them show us how they seerepparttar 110284 world around them, how they feel and think.

I always enjoy art time with my toddler and preschool age groups. Yeah, they can make a mess, but they just wiggle with excitement when I take outrepparttar 110285 ‘arts & crafts’ tub of supplies! Having been a military wife and lived in a few different places, I’ve always returned to providing home day care. As a result, I’ve had to make do with whatever space I can find inrepparttar 110286 various homes we’ve lived in. There’s not always a lot of room, but art can take place just about anywhere. I’ve found thatrepparttar 110287 activity is most effective when it’s pre-planned and when I’ve set goals forrepparttar 110288 activity.

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