Tutorial Tuesday- Easter eggs

Good morning, friends!  Welcome to the second Tutorial Tuesday!  Today I will be sharing the details of how we like to decorate Easter eggs.  Since April is finally here, I am getting ready to put mine out for the month.  We always blow the middles out of our eggs before we dye them so that we can enjoy them year after year.  If you've never blown eggs before, here's how you do it:

- Use a sharp object (like the pointy end of a steak knife) to make a small hole in each end of an egg.  We do a mixture of tapping and twisting and eventually a bit of shell will break away. 
- Stick something into the hole (like a skewer or toothpick) to break the yolk.
- Hold the egg over a bowl and blow on one of the holes until all of the whites and yolk come out and you can blow air through it.
- Wash the egg shells with soap and water and let them dry.
- Make quiche with the insides (this part is optional, but what a great excuse to make quiche!)

We prefer natural looking eggs to brightly colored ones.  Previously, we have purchased an egg dying kit and mixed up the dyes as directed.  Then we just dip each egg shell into a color and pull it out immediately.  Each egg then gets dipped very quickly into the yellow dye, to tone down its original color.  Once the eggs are dry, we put some brown paint on a stiff paintbrush and flick the bristles to make speckles on the eggs.  I think that speckles on eggs are super cute. 

And that's it!  You can keep using your beautiful eggs year after year!  I like to put mine in bowls of  moss to make little nest displays. 

This year, I think we are going to make some more eggs to add to our collection and try something new.  I read a great how-to in the latest Country Living magazine about all natural egg dyes and think that the neutral colors will be lovely.  Here's what you do:

- Select produce based on color choice: 12 oz. fresh cranberries (tan), 1 head purple cabbage, sliced (blue), skins from three yellow onions (rust)
- In a covered, 8 quart stockpot over medium-high heat, bring 10 cups water and produce to a boil; let boil for 30 minutes.  Reduce heat to low, then strain and discard produce.
- Bring water back to a gentle boil, then stir in 3 tablespoons vinegar (1/4 cup for cabbage).  Gently lower eggs into pot and boil for 30 minutes.
- Turn off heat, cover, and let stand for 2 to 3 hours, or until desired color is achieved.  Remove eggs and transfer to carton to cool. 

It's certainly a more time consuming process, but I love the idea of making my own dye and even using table scraps, like onion peels, to do it.  We probably won't get around to this until closer to Easter, so if you try it before then, be sure to let me know how they turn out!

Easter is Steve's favorite holiday and we always host a big Easter lunch at our house after church.  It is usually a great mix of family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors, and we all play croquet in the yard after the meal.  I'll be sharing more details of this year's party, like the menu, as the date gets closer. 

And I haven't forgotten the rest of the weekend pictures- look for them tomorrow!