As the Spring 2010 semester nears an end, Seton Hill University’s (SHU) Easter break is the last time for students to relax and spend time with family and friends before finals. Dyeing Easter eggs is a classic way to celebrate this time and a throwback to childhood.
By Richelle Dodaro &
Aja Hannah
Contributor & A&E Editor
As the Spring 2010 semester nears an end, Seton Hill University’s (SHU) Easter break is the last time for students to relax and spend time with family and friends before finals. Dyeing Easter eggs is a classic way to celebrate this time and a throwback to childhood.
First, lie down newspaper or a cover over the table. Then hard-boil the eggs for about 10 minutes. If the eggs become cracked, they were cooked too long. You can still dye and later eat them as most dye is not harmful, but it will stain the whites of the eggs.
After removing the eggs from water, prepare your dye. Most egg-dye can be bought at the local grocery store and on sale as Easter is over. The most popular egg dyeing kit found in stores is PAAS. Everything from the egg dye to the crayon is provided.
Egg dyeing can also be done using regular food coloring. Follow the instructions on the egg dye box. Some need water and vinegar. Others just vinegar and still others just the dye.
Each color dye gets its own cup and after the dye dissolves, as is many times the case, the eggs can be colored. The longer eggs are left in the dye, the darker that color they become. Several ideas for unique designs offer the chance to create these eggs any way one would like, incorporating and representing specific aspects of a student’s life, including SHU.
Two simple stripes on the top and bottom involve little difficulty. Dye one side red and the other yellow. Make sure not to mix the dye or let your egg fall over in the process. If this happens, the egg will likely become orange. Spoons, tongs or specialized egg utensils (usually coming in the kit) can be used to hold the egg up during the dying process and transfer them dye to dye.
To spice it up, use a wax crayon to write “SHU” or your name alongside a design. The wax crayons keep the dye off that part of the shell and the design will show up white. These crayons can be bought with certain dye-kits, but any white crayon will do.
Glitter adds extra design and brightness, so students can try gluing glitter on, along with some stickers that are provided in several kits. If the kit doesn’t provide the stickers you’re looking for, the dollar store or Greensburg art store sells them by the strip.
Fancier ways to decorate the Easter eggs involve wrapping ribbon around the eggs or placing trim or lace around them. To get groovy, place the egg in a small plastic bag and drop dye onto the shell. Then, rub the dye in using the plastic bag to create a tie-dye effect.
College students can still have fun with egg dyeing as it is suitable for all ages and several games can be played. Competitions can be made to see who can make the most wildly designed egg, or the prettiest egg and the egg that’s most Easter-themed.
Egg dyeing also provides a time for friends and family to come together, and trade ideas. Students getting together will have plenty of time to talk, reminisce, and bond.
After the eggs dry, they can be hidden for hunts or eaten. If hunting is your game, make sure to find all of them or suffer rotten egg stench. If you prefer to eat the eggs, run them under cold water. Tap it to break the shell and peel back your handiwork.