Ancient Wisdom and Pagan Spirituality

icymist

(15,888 posts) Wed Mar 7, 2012, 09:58 PM Mar 2012

How To Use Natural Dyes to Color Your Ostara Eggs

Ostara is a time of fertility and rebirth, and few things symbolize this as well as the egg. By coloring them with bright pinks, blues and yellows, we're welcoming the colors of spring back into our lives, and saying farewell to winter. However, a lot of commercially available egg-dying products are made from chemicals. They may not be toxic, but on the other hand, you might not have a clue what the ingredients are. Why not try using natural sources to get a variety of shades, and REALLY celebrate the colors of the season?

Time Required: Varied

Here's How:
1.
First of all, plan on only doing about 3 - 4 eggs at a time. You'll want them to have room to bob around in the pan, and not be piled on top of one another. Before starting, poke a small hole with a pin or needle in the end of each egg. This will help keep them from cracking while they boil. You'll really want to have at least a dozen eggs, just because it's a lot of fun to experiment with different colors.

http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/ostaracrafts/ht/NaturalEggDyes.htm

3 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

How To Use Natural Dyes to Color Your Ostara Eggs (Original Post) icymist Mar 2012 OP

I'll share this idea with my daughter, I've done some natural dyes before but mostly on cloth. Ruby Reason Mar 2012 #1

Hi Dear Heart, Here you go: icymist Mar 2012 #2

Thanks you. Ruby Reason Mar 2012 #3

Ruby Reason

(242 posts)

1. I'll share this idea with my daughter, I've done some natural dyes before but mostly on cloth.

Reply to icymist (Original post)

Sat Mar 17, 2012, 07:37 AM

Mar 2012

Since I'm not the Pagan in the house, my daughter is, could you give me a brief explanation of Ostara. Is it the predecessor to Easter? Unrelated? And does it have a specific date or dates that it is observed?

By the way, I've never tried poking a hole in the shells before boiling, but if you salt the water then the egg does not escape through the cracks (resulting in egg soup). But we have found that the cracked shells will often let in the dye and leave a very pretty pattern on the egg itself!

icymist

(15,888 posts)

2. Hi Dear Heart, Here you go:

Reply to Ruby Reason (Reply #1)

Sat Mar 17, 2012, 12:31 PM

Mar 2012

Vernal Equinox

The vernal equinox, often called Ostara, is celebrated in the Northern hemisphere around March 21 and in the Southern hemisphere around September 23, depending upon the specific timing of the equinox. Among the Wiccan sabbats, it is preceded by Imbolc and followed by Beltane.

The name Ostara may be related to the word for "east". It has been connected to the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre by Jacob Grimm in his Deutsche Mythologie.[11]

In terms of Wiccan ditheism, this festival is characterized by the rejoining of the Mother Goddess and her lover-consort-son, who spent the winter months in death.[12] Other variations include the young God regaining strength in his youth after being born at Yule, and the Goddess returning to her Maiden aspect.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_of_the_year

Also, check out the old WitchVox article I posted. =)

Ruby Reason

(242 posts)

3. Thanks you.

Reply to icymist (Reply #2)

Sun Mar 18, 2012, 08:43 AM

Mar 2012

I remember my daughter talking about the Mother Goddess and her lover. She had invited me to watch the sun rise last summer for the summer solstice. I enjoyed doing so and she told me a short story version of the cycle. She's a great young lady.

Reply to this discussion