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Wild, Styled West: Gorgeous, Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs
This is the first in a guest series from Kim Foren, seasoned stylist and owner of sustainable, Portland-based floral company, Geranium Lake Flowers. When she’s not running around delivering organic flowers from her farm (in her biodiesel van!) she’ll be sharing a few of her eco-friendly inside secrets on table styling, floral arrangements and more with ecofabulous readers. First up, how to create Martha Stewart worthy eggs, all naturally.
To easily make fabulous, non-toxic eggs this Easter, simply collect the vegetable skins of yellow and red onions (beet tops work great too) and place in a 8-quart stock pot filled with water and let simmer about 15-30 minutes. When the water turns a gorgeous, deep sienna-brown color, add 3 tsp of white wine vinegar. Collect plant material like small leaves, grasses or anything that will fit on an egg and act as a resist (see picture below to get an idea).
Place the plant material on the unboiled eggs and then stretch a small, 6″ square piece of nylon stocking (tights work too) and secure it with a rubber band or piece of twine. Once the unboiled eggs are all ready to go, place them in the simmering vegetable dye for approximately 15 minutes (leave the onion skins in the water so the eggs will turn a deeper hue of that beautiful chestnut color). After done cooking, remove from the pan and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.
Finally, you can remove the nylon and plant material and the effect will be magnificent, almost resembling an old fashioned sienna photograph. I love to polish with a little olive oil on a dry cotton towel, and for a gorgeous presentation of your beautiful eggs, make a pussy willow circular basket lined with fresh green moss.
*photo credit: Erica Ann Photography
