Eggs have been decorated as far back as 60,000 years ago, and eggs made of precious metals were found in Sumerian and Egyptian tombs as far back as 5,000 years ago. Later on, painting eggs became a custom of early Christians in Mesopotamia, a tradition that we carry on today.
With Easter coming upon us, many of us are decorating eggs in beautiful colours and designs. Chemical-free dyes can be made many ways. Wellfield Botanic Garden’s Angie Bell says that a red dye base can be made with:
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups beet or 2 cups cranberries
While yellow can be made with
- 3 tbsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 3 cups water
(For more dye ideas, click here).
Designs can be pressed on by a lot of things you might have lying around the house and yard. For example, leaves (from trees or parsley) can be pressed on to the egg. Stripes can be made by tying the eggs and boiling them.
Additionally, while we’re on the topic of eggs, do you know about all of the great health benefits of eggs?
- They’re rich in riboflavin and vitamin B12 for energy production retinol for eyesight, and vitamin E, a potent antioxidant.
- In addition, eggs are rich in choline, the precursor for the memory-boosting neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
- They’re also a great source of protein, needed for mood and building muscles.
However, remember that the nutrition of eggs is often related to how the hens were raised. For more information on buying eggs, check out Bundles’ guide to buying eggs.
