Thursday 17 April 2014

Eggs To Dye For

      Happy Easter!  
     My Easter egg is a dyed goose egg, the chocolate one is already gone!!!!
     This egg started life as a goose egg. It has been blown to remove the contents, which make very good fruit cakes, and washed in cold water to clean it out.
     The egg is then wrapped in onion skins and tied around with cotton to secure the skins and form a 'tie dyed' type pattern. Once wrapped it was then put in a pan of water and boiled for a couple of hours, onion skins are an amazing natural dye.
     When the egg has cooled you can remove all the skins and gently wash off any bits. This one has been varnished to protect it. The tiny hole at the top is covered with a small jewellery finding, as is the larger hole at the bottom. There is a small tassel hanging from the bottom using the same embroidery cottons as the hanging thread loop at the top.
     The stand was made by my Dad from a small piece of wood and some brass tube that he bent into shape. Mum and I used to make lots of cut and decorated eggs a few years ago, it's been good to get back to one of my favourite techniques like dyeing them. I've just done my weekly shop and come home with a bag full of red onion skins so tonight I shall be blowing hen's eggs and making cake ready to dye the shells tomorrow, I've run out of goose eggs. 
     This is something that can be done with young children, just make sure that the eggs are cold again before you let them unmask their masterpiece. If they come out rather plain don't worry, all is not lost, you can scratch a picture on the shell rather like you would one of those foil scrapper pictures. Spray varnish would be good for these too, a little thread loop on the top and a small tree branch to hang them on in a pot on the window sill. Not quite Faberge but still very pretty.

I would like to enter my egg in the following challenges:
Craft Your Passion - Bunnies, Chicks or Eggs
Rhedd and Rosie Challenge - Anything Goes

12 comments:

  1. What a fabulous effect!!! Don't be surprised if I put a link to your post on my own blog tomorrow

    Kathyk

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    1. I would be honoured Kathyk, thank you.

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    2. Done for you - see it here ...

      http://purpliciousprincessdiaries.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/happy-easter-greetings-to-all-my.html

      Kathyk

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  2. Absolutely stunning. Hugs Mrs A.

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  3. EEK, this is AMAZING, Rocky! SO gorgeous! How do you get the holes in the egg without the shell cracking?! HUGS and have a happy weekend! :) Mynn xx

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  4. This egg is gorgeous!!!!
    Thank you for joining my DL.ART Thankful Thursday #130 “EASTER” challenge, And the April linky challenge.Have a Blessed day
    DIANA L.
    http:// http://dianamlarson.blogspot.com

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  5. This is so pretty. My mum used to do this when I was small but just on the hen's eggs we had for breakfast. I love that yours is for keeps and the varnish gives it a real look of luxury. A bonus that you got cake from this project too! Thanks for joining in at Anything But A Card this time.

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  6. Wow this looks fantastic.
    Thanks for joining us at Craft your Passion.
    xxx Michelle (DT)

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  7. That is stonking Rocky! Fabulous egg, the colours you have achieved and the finished egg - well just stunning! Using the onion skins reminds me of the fabulous re-runs of The Good Life that I love to watch. Blooming gorgeous! Karen xx

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  8. Wow,this egg is stunning...so much work has gone in to it,so well worth all your time to end up with something so attractive.
    Thank you for playing along in our challenge over at Rhedd & Rosies...x

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  9. This is a great way to display your eggs. I love your technique for dying them. It gave such a rich effect. Thank you for joining in at Anything But A Card. Cheers, Di

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  10. Beautiful! I love the patterns and shades of color achieved from dying with the onion skins! Thanks so much for joining us at Anything But a Card!

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