My favorite part of Easter when I was growing up was dyeing eggs. It was even more fun to me than hunting them. I loved seeing how creative I could get with those five glasses of dye and that one wax crayon! As an adult, I still love dyeing eggs with my children, and last year, I tried to look or a way to make it educational as well.

So when I discovered that rather than purchasing your egg dye you can actually make it yourself, I had to try it! It was like a science and chemistry lesson all rolled up in an earth-friendly craft! And best of all, my kids loved it! This year they want to see what else in our yard and refrigerator can be used as natural egg dye! And although natural egg dyes are not as vivid as artificial dyes (no real neon colors found in nature!) they are every bit as beautiful.

You can make your natural egg dyes from a variety of foods, flowers and plants. The dye is transferred to the egg either while boiling the eggs or, as with normal dyes, after the eggs have been hard-boiled. When boiling the dye with eggs, be aware that you will be limited to the number of colors you can do at once by the number of burners your stove has (or the number of pots you have!)

All you do to dye the eggs while boiling, is place enough water in the pan to cover the egg (or eggs.) Simply add the coloring ingredients to the water and turn on the heat to boil. You can include a teaspoon of vinegar for deeper colors.

If your children are young, and you would rather dye the eggs after they have been boiled, you can do that as well. This method may take a bit longer, but it is safer for smaller egg artists. Simply boil the eggs, and then once they have cooled, add them to a cup with enough water to cover the eggs (you can use a bowl if you want to do more than one at a time.) Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the container and add the dyeing ingredients. Allow the eggs to sit in the dye in the refrigerator until they are the desired color.

Here are some suggested ingredients you can use to create the colors you want for your naturally dyed eggs. Once you have mastered the process, feel free to experiment with other ingredients for different colors!

• Red - A large amount of red onion skins boiled with the eggs. Using the cold method, add canned cherries in their juice, pomegranate juice, or raspberries.
• Blue - Purple grape juice or canned blueberries added to the water and placed in the refrigerator, red cabbage leaves placed in the water while boiling
• Green - Spinach leaves boiled with the eggs
• Yellow - Any of these can be boiled with the eggs: orange or lemon peels, carrot tops, celery seed, ground cumin, or ground turmeric. To get the same color with the cold method, add green or chamomile tea to the water.
• Orange - Boiled yellow onion skins; cooked carrots, chili powder, and paprika will result in the desired color in the cold method.
• Lavender - Violet blossoms plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice, Red Zinger tea, or a small amount of purple grape juice
• Violet blue - Small amount of red onion skins placed in the water while boiling, violet blossoms, hibiscus tea, or red wine
• Brown - Black walnut shells boiled with the eggs, or you can add strong coffee, instant coffee, or black tea to water in the refrigerator.
• Pink - Use any of the following, added to water and placed in the refrigerator overnight: beets, cranberries or cranberry juice, raspberries, red grape juice, or the juice from pickled beets.

Once the eggs are the desired color, remove them from the water, place them in an egg carton, and let them dry. If you want your naturally dyed eggs to look shiny, you can rub a little vegetable oil into the egg shells. Making your own natural egg dyes can become a great Easter tradition for your family. You will be so amazed at how beautiful naturally dyed eggs look - you may never return to commercial egg dye again!

Article by Stefani Padilla, author, entrepreneur, home based business owner, wife and mom. For more great craft ideas, visit http://www.Momprovement.com

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