Mid-Week at My Place: Tie Dye Eggs

We've been in the Easter spirit this week over here. The kids decorated the house and I've been trying too remember to blow out the eggs rather than crack them each time we use eggs to collect a few for dying. Truth is, I don't remember very often and I'm not the kind of mum who turns round and bakes a cake or something when she finds herself in need of a bowl full of eggshells. And while I love getting crafty I'm a lazy mum I try to gear the craft to the abilities of my young kids so we don't all get frustrated.

So last year I found a few people talking about how to dye eggs with old silk ties and I began to experiment with it. I was hooked. The kids too. And the bonus, no one is getting their fingers covered in dyes that last for days. We love this craft so much the kids both asked me to make kits to share with their friends and since that was easy enough I happily obliged.


This year we have done a bunch already and we plan to more still and since I did remember to blow a few eggs out we might even try a few more traditionally dyed eggs.

If you want to know how to tie dye your own eggs here is a little how to. It's real easy and you gotta just love how they turn out.

Tie Dye Easter Eggs

Cut apart old silk ties and cut out squares big enough to cover an average egg.  

 

 Wrap a raw egg with a piece of the patterned silk, making sure the printed side of the material is facing the egg. Silk can still be used if it doesn't fit perfectly around egg and you can wrap the egg with 2 swatches of silk too if you like. 

 

Place the silk-wrapped egg in the piece of white sheet and secure tightly with a twist-tie. Make sure it is good and snug.

Place the egg(s) in an enamel or glass pot.* Fill pot with water to cover eggs completely. Then, add three tablespoons of white vinegar. Do not overcrowd the eggs. 

*do not use a metal pot, it may react with the vinegar.

 Bring water to a boil, turn heat down, and simmer for 20 minutes.Remove eggs from water with tongs or spoon and let cool.Remove silk from cooled egg.

 Additional Ideas:

• For shiny eggs, wipe with vegetable oil
• Silk squares can be reused.
• Any silk goods such as ties, blouses, and boxers can be used to make more squares but the heaviest silk and brighter/more intense patterns tend to have more ink and that seems to work better.
• The white squares are sheets and tablecloths. 
• Make gift sets to share with friends. Tie the bundles together with a strip of the white fabric. 

BHappy and have fun!
Barb

Mid-Week at My Place: Colourful Hang-Outs

We had lots of fun painting bird houses for our local feathered friends this week.

Using yummy smelling all natural paints from Clementine Art and some funky pre-made wood bird houses we picked up recently we got stuck into an afternoons fun of pattern making and serious paint splodging.

 The paints are great. Hand down - of course - it is fabulous that Clementine Art makes these paints with all natural ingredients, they're completely free of chemical dyes and petrochemicals - just the kind of stuff I like my kids playing with. It also means I don't mind being lazy and using a kitchen plate and egg spoons as artists equipment. But the Interior Designer in me also loves how the set is comprised of a balanced palate, made with Mayan mineral earth pigments, the colours are beautiful and work so great with each other.


Today one of us was a master blender of colour,

While another was working much more meticulously on her pattern making.

No matter how we came to our finished creations we were really proud of our results and just couldn't wait to hang them up outside.

Hope the birdies enjoy them as much as we've enjoyed their Spring songs!

And hope your having a great day too!
Barb