How We Dye Eggs Naturally {a non-schooling and easter weekend recap}

Count on me to wait until the last minute to dye eggs for easter.  I almost forgot about it to be honest, I didn't realize how soon easter was this year, but luckily had everything I needed already to do a couple of colors.  Here's what we did...

I started with already colorful eggs from our beautiful chickens! 

Boiled for about 18 minutes, and while those were boiling started the dyes. 

To get a red rust color we used beets, quartered and boiled in hot water with a splash {about 2tbs vinegar} and a dash {about 1tbs} of salt. 

The girls helped add the beets to the cool water, then I started to simmer it. 

You can see how powerful the natural color of this plant is, before even simmering the water was already turning pink.

and I always love the patters created by cutting fruits on our cutting board. 

For the next color we chose red cabbage which actually makes turquoise. 

This had to simmer for about 20 minutes with the same splash of vinegar and dash of salt. 

I finished the beets first and let them cool for a few minutes while everything else was still cooking. 

A few of our eggs cracked, which is fine, since we use natural dye I don't worry about it getting directly onto the egg we're going to eat. 

We let them sit overnight, to bring to my parents house the next day for brunch.

The next afternoon, when we got to Grandma's and Grandpa's, we pulled out the eggs to see what colors we had made, I didn't tell them what it would do I asked what they thought it would do.

Although, she was less than enthusiastic about the red cabbage ones... 

She was very interested in the red beet ones!

I also love how the girls both accidentally coordinated with the eggs.

And just to make sure we were all captured in our sunday bests we headed out front to take a few photos...

future niece or nephew on the left and all the single ladies {I hope you sang that as you read it!} on the right. 

...as we try for a decent family photo....

and one to mock the high school prom pictures that adorn my parents home, and another because photo bombing.

...and finally, a decent one to share.

Hope you all had a wonderful Sunday, no matter what you celebrate! But speaking of celebrate, what are your favorite ways to celebrate spring?!  I'd love more links to homeschooling or unschooling projects.