Greetings all!

We have now grown over 90 members!!!  I would like to designate at least 2 moderators to help with ideas, blog projects and anything else they feel will benefit the group.  I'm having a hard time keeping up with the blog pattern of the week and other projects I have going due to family & work issues.  I am asking for your help on this project.

If you feel this would be a project you're willing to take on, please let me know.  If you want to try it for awhile then make a final decision, that's fine. :) 

Thanks and blessings,

Laurel

As Ostara is fast approaching it's time to begin thinking of things to do to decorate our homes.  This project can easily be done and the resulting "goo" can be used for other things such as baking, and what not. This project can be done by children, though I would recommend the adults to prep the eggs.  (There is a risk of salmenella due to working with raw eggs.)

You will need:

1. Eggs (large white are best)
2. a bowl
3. a stick pin 
4. a planter
5. peat or spanish moss
6. potting soil, rocks or florist foam (to fill planter)
7. string, yarn, fishing line or anything to use to "string" your eggs
8. Decorations: Beads, glitter, glue, crayons, paint or whatever you desire

• Use a pin and make two holes in an egg, one at each end opposite each other.  Begin blowing slowly & steadily until the egg comes out.  (It may take awhile).  Use the egg for other purposes such as cooking... Rinse the empty eggshell in cool water & allow to dry.  It's ready to decorate!

Fun- Decorating & Displaying 

• You can use egg dyes or natural home made dyes, paints, glitter, jewels, crayons... whatever your imagination desires! 
• To display your creativity use a planter and a nice branch left over from last fall. 
• Place a piece of floral foam or potting soil or rocks in the planter as filler, poke the branch in the "filler" and use peat moss or spanish moss to hide the filler.  Use yarn, string, fishing line or the like to string your egg like an ornament using a colorful bead (or beads) at the bottom.  Hang your creation on your Ostara Tree.

Natural Egg Dyes (from Wicca Craft for Families)

The colors are subtle and children are usually amazed that onion skins & red cabbage produce the colors they do.  Boil a large handful or two of the dye material in 2 to 3 cups of water for about 10 minutes.  Watch to ensure your pot does not go dry.  Strain, pour into cups, add one tablespoon of vinegar to fix the dye, let sit a few minutes then it's ready to dye the eggs.

Colors & materials to produce them:

• Deep golden to light golden brown  - skins from brown onions
• Light blue - red cabbage leaves
• Light blue-grey to dark grey-violet - blue berries
• yellow - tumeric or saffron powder
• pink - beet juice
• pale orange - carrot juice
• light purple - grape juice

*not necessary to boil the juices, just add vinegar.

(These dyes can be used for traditional egg dying)