Put all your eggs in one basket

An egg is beautiful in its simplicity, yet at the same time is like a small, rounded canvas that’s begging for decoration. But you don’t have to be Faberge to turn an egg into a work of art. There are dozens of ways to decorate eggs, and most of them are simpler than they look. Just use your imagination and have some fun, and you’ll be delighted with the results.

While decorating eggs can be fun for the whole family, there are some precautions you’ll need to take. Eggs need to be handled, cooked, and stored properly to prevent salmonellosis–a serious illness sometimes caused by the ingestion of raw or improperly cooked eggs. Discard any cracked eggs, whether they’re raw or boiled, and never leave eggs unrefrigerated for longer than 2 hours. You should also wash your hands after handling the eggs or their shells.

You can decorate either boiled eggs or hollowed shells without too much fuss. While boiled eggs are easy to work with (but don’t last forever), hollowed eggs can last for a long time (but are usually too fragile for children to handle). For the best of both worlds, try your hand at decorating both.

Prepare your work area

Dyeing and decorating eggs can be messy, so it’s important to protect your clothes and kitchen, and to supervise kids if they help. You may even want to set up two separate work areas. If kids are helping you decorate your eggs, for example, you can pour boiling water or handle raw eggs at a counter or in a sink, while kids sit at a table for the dyeing and decorating process.

Food coloring can leave deep, dark stains, so wear an old smock or apron over your clothes, or wear some old clothes you won’t mind staining. And cover your table or countertop with a plastic garbage bag and some newspaper (to help soak up spills). When everything is sufficiently covered, set out your supplies within easy reach, and keep a roll of paper towels and a wastebasket handy for quick cleanup.

Prepare your eggs

There are two ways to prepare eggs for decoration: boil them or hollow them. Boiled eggs are easier to handle than delicate hollowed shells, so if you prefer the no-fuss approach, this is probably the way to go. See 2torial #0704: for instructions on boiling eggs, then skip to Step 3 of this 2torial.

Unfortunately, boiled eggs don’t last for long. So if you want to preserve some of your miniature masterpieces, hollowing out the eggs first is the way to go. And while doing so may seem hard the first time you try, you’ll quickly get the hang of it. The main thing to remember is not to squeeze the egg.

To hollow an eggshell, you’ll need a long, sharp needle and a sterile glass eyedropper. If you plan to cook the raw egg in a recipe, you’ll need a container for it.

• Hold the egg in your nondominant hand–horizontally, like gripping a bicycle handlebar–as if to squeeze the egg (but don’t!). Tightly grip the needle between the thumb and bent index finger of your dominant hand.

• Bore the sharp tip of the needle (by gently rotating it) into the small end of the egg, making a tiny hole. (If your needle is very narrow, you can simply poke it into the egg, without rotating it.) Carefully chip away some of the shell to make the hole just a bit bigger.
• Reposition the egg and repeat the process at the egg’s other end, this time making a slightly bigger hole. (This hole needs to be a little bigger than the tip of your eyedropper.)
• Insert the tip of your needle through the larger of the two holes, far enough to pierce the yolk. Gently stir the yolk and the white together inside the egg’s shell.
• Expel the air from your eyedropper by squeezing and holding the bulb, then insert its tip into the larger hole in your egg. Release the bulb to suck out some of the mixed egg and then squeeze it into your container or wastebasket. Repeat this process until the eggshell feels empty.
• Flush running water through the hollowed shell (or dip it in a cup filled with vinegar), then shake out the liquid to remove as much of the remaining egg as possible.
• Prop the shell up on a bamboo skewer to let it drain (a jar of dry rice or beans makes a convenient stand for the skewer) or gently wrap the shell in a wadded paper towel. When it’s completely dry (after 12 minutes or so), it’s ready to be decorated.

Note: Instead of using an eyedropper, you can blow a raw egg out of its shell using your mouth. Blow forcefully into the small hole at the top of the egg to make the raw egg drip out the slightly larger hole at the bottom (do this sitting down, and take a break if you start to feel faint). To help prevent salmonellosis, avoid touching your lips to the raw egg, wash your face afterward with soap and water, and gargle with an antibacterial mouthwash.

Make patterns (optional)

Now for the fun part–putting patterns on your eggs before you dye them. (Or you can dye them a light color first, let them dry, then apply patterns before dyeing them a darker color.) The patterns will resist the dye you dip the eggs in, leaving white shapes (or pale ones) when removed. Whether the eggs are boiled or hollow, make sure they’re cool and dry before you start this process.

There are dozens of ways to make patterns, but here are a few easy methods:

Cut-outs. Use a pair of scissors to cut simple shapes (flower petals, leaves, hearts, clovers, fish, ducks, and so on) from electrical tape, or trace them on the peel-away backing of adhesive shelf paper and then cut them out. Position the sticky shapes on your boiled or hollowed eggs and leave them in place during the dyeing process.

Crayons. With white or clear wax crayons, lightly mark some patterns or designs on your eggs, or draw letters on them. Remember that hollowed eggs are especially fragile, so don’t press too hard. You won’t make visible marks, but the wax will resist the dye you dip the eggs in, causing a relief pattern. Use a dark-colored dye for the best results.

Candle drippings. With a lit candle, drip polka dots or abstract designs onto an egg. Carefully pick away the wax with your fingernail when you’re done dyeing the egg and it’s dry–or leave it if you like the effect.

Note: Hot wax can cause serious burns, so don’t let children use this last method. Also, never wear latex gloves while handling hot wax, since they can trap the wax next to your skin.

Dye the eggs

It’s time to add some color. If you’re using dye tablets, follow the instructions printed on the package. For food coloring dyes, follow these directions:

• Set out your cups or jars and add a teaspoon (5 milliliters) of food coloring to each. For mixed colors, use half a teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) of each. (For pastel colors, use just three or four drops of food coloring.)
• Add a quarter cup (60 milliliters) of white vinegar to each container. Stir the mixtures with a chopstick or plastic spoon.
• Boil water in a cooking pot or teapot and then turn off the burner. Carefully pour about half a cup (120 milliliters) of boiling water into each container, leaving enough room to submerge an egg. Stir each mixture again.
• Use slotted spoons or wire dippers to dip boiled eggs into the dyes, then remove them after 3 minutes. Note: A hollowed egg will float to the surface, but you can insert a bamboo skewer into one of the holes you pierced to help hold the egg in the dye. Roll it over occasionally for even coverage.
• Let your dyed eggs dry for at least 6 minutes before you peel off tape or wax, add more decorations, or dye the eggs a darker color. Prop them up on bamboo skewers or place them back in the original carton until they dry.

Note: If you hold an egg hunt, refrigerate your boiled eggs for several hours first, and discard any eggs with cracked shells. Count your eggs before hiding them and again after they’ve been collected. Make a map of where you hide the eggs (in case you’ve hidden some too well), place them out of direct sunlight, and don’t hide them near areas where animals relieve themselves.

Whether you put your decorative eggs on display or eat them all up right away, you’ll probably look forward to making more. There’s nothing to stop you from practicing year round–or to limit the endless variations you can dream up.