Supplies:

• Empty 1/2 gal. Milk Cartons
• Potting Soil
• Grass Seed (fast growing if you have it)
• Stuff to Decorate Carton

Take empty milk cartons, cut down to 4-5" high. You can cover this with contact paper or construction paper and decorate. Fill 2/3 full with potting soil, the generously cover with grass seed. Have children water daily; grass should grow in about 4-7 days. With remaining carton, cut a handle to staple to the basket. Fill with decorated eggs.

OSTARA - CRAFTS

    INDEX:

•  Puffy Paint Eggs
•  Beautiful Potpourri Ostara Eggs
• Natural Dyes For Ostara Eggs
• Natural Dyes For Crafting
• Old-Fashioned Easter Egg Coloring
• Natural Egg Dyes
• To Make Ostara Eggs
• Natural Egg Easter Dyes
• Nature's Dyes for Ostara Eggs
• Egg Piñatas
• Egg Shell Mosaics
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* Puffy Paint Eggs *

You can cut the cardboard out in the shape of eggs about 5" x 8" and have the children decorate the eggs. After the eggs dry, decorate a bulletin board with the eggs and cut construction paper grass to use on the bulletin board too! Btw, be sure to cut the cardboard into the desired egg shapes before decorating, as the paint is very thick and may crack when it dries.

Materials needed:
         Flour
         Salt
         Water
         Food color or tempera paint
         Empty squeeze bottles
         Cardboard

Mix equal parts of flour, salt, and water to make the puffy paint. (It should have the consistency of frosting). Stir in desired amount of food coloring (remember that paint will dry lighter than it is when wet.) Fill the squeeze bottles with the mixture (one color per squeeze bottle). Squeeze the paint onto the cardboard. Try zigzags, dots and other designs. Allow the cardboard to dry flat. When it is dry, the design will be raised and will sparkle!
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* Beautiful Potpourri Ostara Eggs *

Make these beautiful potpourri eggs for Ostara and hang them on a Tree you make from real branches from the great outdoors! In addition to providing a decorative touch to your home, they emit a pleasant aroma to enjoy throughout the Holiday! You will need:

     Styrofoam egg, or real egg with the egg white and yolk blown out;
     White Glue
     Bowl
     Paintbrush
     Spoon
     Ribbon, about a quarter of a yard
     Potpourri (delicate and small petals, stems, leaves)
     Long hat pin or corsage pin, or quilting pin

Spread a generous amount of the white glue on half of the egg with the paintbrush. Pour the potpourri into the bowl or container and dip the glued egg into the potpourri, using the back of the spoon to gently press the potpourri onto the egg. Allow to dry at least 1 hour before repeating the same procedure on the other half of the egg. Cut half of the length of ribbon (1/8" works best). Insert the long pin into both ends of one piece of the ribbon, and then into the Styrofoam egg, this will form a long loop.

(Note, if using a real egg, do not use the pin, you will have to hot glue the ribbon onto the egg, or, see the helpful hint below for tips on hanging a real egg). With the remainder of the ribbon, fashion a small bow, and glue to the top of the egg. You can hang your beautiful eggs from an Ostara Egg Tree you make yourself, and guaranteed, no two trees are alike!

YOU WILL NEED:
     Pot or container
     Interesting tree branches, sizes depending on the size of your container
     Acrylic paint or spray paint, your choice of colors (match to the colors of your potpourri if you wish).
     Moss
     Newspaper
     Branch clippers or pruning shears
     Floral form brick (available at florists or most craft supply stores)
     Knife for cutting floral foam
     Ribbon bows

Using your clippers or pruning shears, cut the ends of the branches at sharp angles. Paint each branch completely and allow to dry.  Cut the floral foam to fit into your pot or container firmly. Insert the stem of your branch about 3 inches into the foam. You may want to apply a little bit of white glue to the tip of the branch before you insert, for added stability. Next, apply a little glue to the top of the foam, and lay the moss completely around the foam. Hang up your eggs, add bows or other decorative items.

HELPFUL HINT: Preparing a real egg. Before preparing your egg, ensure it has had the chance to sit at room temperature, as a cold egg will break more easily. Using a long pin, pierce each end of the egg and carefully make the hole on the large end of the egg bigger by breaking away tiny pieces of the egg. (This will allow you to place a ribbon or hanger into the end of the egg, without having to glue). Now insert the pin into the egg again (you may have to use a skewer), and break up the yolk as best as you can. From the small end of the egg, blow to force the insides out of the large end. Wash the egg in hot soapy water (this will help to avoid salmonella poisoning). Allow the egg to dry, by laying it on top of a paper towel. You may have to give the egg a little shake to get rid of the remaining water inside. Fold your ribbon in half and tie a knot in each of the free ends. Place the loop through the large hole, and, with a very fine steel crochet hook, catch the loop from the small end and pull through.
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* Natural Dyes For Ostara Eggs *

The practice of decorating eggs is probably as old as the first human who saw life come from them. Eggs were held as sacred objects of life, carried as fertility amulets, decorated to honor the deities, and given as a cherished gift.

To make the dyes, boil a large handful of herb or flower [list below] until the water is well colored. Place the water in a glass heat-resistant cup or other non-metal container, stir in a teaspoon of vinegar, then place a hard boiled egg in the mixture. It does take some time before the color takes - be patient. Try to keep the eggshell from being scratched.

YELLOW: carrots, tumeric, fenugreek
ORANGE: onion skins, paprika
RED: red onion skins, madder root, cayenne
RED-VIOLET: purple grapes
GREEN: carrot tops, bracken
BLUE: blueberries, red cabbage, black raspberries
BLUE-VIOLET: blackberries, beets
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* Natural Dyes For Crafting *

One source of natural dyes can be found right in your own back yard! Roots, nuts, flowers are just a few common natural ways to get many colors. Yellow, orange, blue, red, green, brown and gray are available.

Orange - sassafras leaves
Brown - sumac leaves, walnut hulls
Yellow - onion skins, marigold blossoms, willow leaves, Queen Anne's Lace
Reddish - dandelion root, beets, red onion skins
Bluish Purple - red cabbage, elderberries, blueberries
Green - spinach leaves, black-eyed Susans, grass
Grayish Black - Iris Roots

Gathering plant material for dyeing:  Blossoms should be in full bloom, berries ripe and nuts mature.

To make the dye solution: Chop plant material into small pieces and place in a pot. Double the amount of water to plant material. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about an hour. Strain. Now you can add your fabric to be dyed. For a stronger shade, allow material to soak in the dye overnight. Getting the fabric ready for the dye bath: You will have to soak the fabric in a color fixative before the dye process. This will make the color set in the fabric.

NOTE: Its best to use an old pot for dyeing and wear gloves when handling the fabric that has been dyed. It will stain your hands.
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* Old-Fashioned Easter Egg Coloring *

Over the years, I have colored Easter eggs many ways.  I have dipped them, swirled them, and have even colored on them with crayon.  But my favorite method, the way my mother was taught, and the way she passed down to me, is by using onionskins.

If you never heard of this method, you are in for a treat.  Many years ago, people colored eggs the simple, natural way of using dyes from plants. Especially during the Great Depression, people had to rely on items they had around the house.  As a result, this method only uses a few simple items: an old cotton sheet, a spool of thread, onionskins, and of course, eggs.

To begin, save all of your onionskins.  To ensure that mold doesn't form while you are collecting your skins, store them in an old butter tub or other plastic container with the lid off, and then set them in an out-of-the-way place, such as one of your kitchen cabinets or under the sink.  The plastic container will serve to protect the skins from being crushed.

Now for the coloring process:  wrap an uncooked egg in the onionskins, covering it completely. It is important that there is no white shell showing through. If there is, that part will not be dyed.  Next, carefully wrap the egg in a square that you cut out of the cotton sheet (about 6"x6"). Finally, wrap the thread around the egg in all directions so that approximately 20-25% of the surface is covered.  This will ensure that the skins are thoroughly making contact with the egg.  There is no need to tie off the thread as it is so well wrapped that it really will not unravel.

When this process is completed for all the eggs, place them in a pot.  After covering them with water, place the lid on the pot and heat over low flame. When it starts to boil, set the timer for 10 minutes.  Remove from the fire when the time is up.  Let the pot sit with the lid on for about 15 minutes. This will not only set the color, but will also complete the hard-boiling process.  Finally, drain the water.

When the eggs are cool enough to touch, unwrap and discard the thread, material, and onionskins.  What is left is a beautifully marbled egg.  To make it shiny, rub butter over the surface.

If you do try this method of coloring this year, I'm sure you will thoroughly enjoy the simplicity and fun of the project, not to mention the wonder of uncovering the egg to see the design and colors. Yellow onionskins reveal yellow, gold, and beautiful amber colors.  Red onions produce purple, red and pink colors.  Mix and match different skins for more variety.  Just be warned.you will need a lot of skins.  So start collecting now!
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* Natural Egg Dyes *

COLOR/ HERB/ TYPE OF MAGICK/ RUNE:

Green/ Colts-foot, bracken, for a pale green: spinach leaves/ growth, prosperity/ Fehu

Yellow green/ Carrot tops, for a green-gold: yellow delicious apple peels/ fertility, new beginning/ Berkana

Yellow/ Tumeric, for a light yellow: orange or lemon peels, carrot tops, celery seeds or ground cumin/ sun, energy, vitality/ Sowulo

Orange/ Yellow onion skins/ sun, energy, vitality/ Sowulo

Rust/ Onion skin/ strength/ Uruz

Red/ Madder root, for a pale red: fresh beets or cranberries, frozen raspberries/ sacred eggs/ Sowulo

Pink/ Madder root/ love, affection/ Gebo

Blue/  Blueberries/ protection/ Thurisaz, Algiz

Bright blue/ Red cabbage leaves/ Spirit, Sky Father/ Tyr, Mannaz, Ansuz

Beige to brown/ strong brewed coffee, for a reddish brown: limes, deep brown: pecan or walnut shells/ Earth, Mother Goddess/ Berkana, Laguz

To dye the perfect eggs the natural way, here's what to do:

1. Put eggs in a single layer in a pan. Pour water in pan until the eggs are covered.

2. Add about a teaspoon of vinegar.

3. Add the natural dye appropriate to the color you want your eggs to be. (The more eggs you are dying at a time, the more dye you will need to use.)

4. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

5. Remove the substance you used to color the eggs. Put eggs in a bowl. If you want your eggs to be a darker shade, cover them with the dye and let them stand overnight in the refrigerator.

Decorations:

Use small leaves from fresh or dried herbs like flat parsley, rue, thyme or fern. Press the leaves against the egg and wrap securely with a section of old nylon stocking. Do this before putting in the dyebath. After dyeing, rinse these eggs in clear water before unwrapping. The area under the leaves will have little or no dye if done properly.

Glue dried, pressed flowers, sequins, crepe paper, or similar flat decorations to the eggs. Use your imagination.

Create designs with markers, stickers, paints. NOTE: Drawing designs with crayons won't work here as the waxy crayons will melt off in the boiling process.

(References: Ancient Ways: Reclaiming Pagan Traditions by Pauline
Campanelli, The Rune Mysteries by Nigel Jackson and Silver Ravenwolf)
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* To Make Ostara Eggs *

Boil a handful of an herb of flower until the water is well colored. Place the water into a heat-resistant cup or bowl. Stir in a teaspoon of vinegar and a pinch of salt and allow soaking.

For the colors use the following:

Color - Herb
Yellow - Carrots, white grape juice, turmeric, fenugreek
Orange - Onion Skins, Madder Root, Cayenne
Red - Red onion skins, madder root, cayenne
Red-Violet - purple grape juice, red raspberries
Green - Carrot tops, bracken
Blue - Blueberries, Red Cabbage, Black raspberries
Blue-violet - Blackberries, Beet juice, Mulberries
Pink - Heather

The meaning for the colors:
White: Purity, birth, virginity, and ignorance.
Yellow: Youth, light, purity, happiness an wisdom
Red: passion, love, enthusiasm
Orange: Endurance, strength, power
Green: Renewal, freshness, hope, victory of life over death
Brown: earth
Blue: Sky, good health derived from air
Purple: patience, trust and power
Black: remembrance, eternity, constancy, death
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* Natural Egg Easter Dyes *

SPRING CHICKEN YELLOW
Ingredients:
 1 t Tumeric
 2/3 c Boiling water
 1/4 ts Vinegar

Wash eggs in mild soapy water to remove oily coating which could prevent dye from adhering. Add tumeric to boiling water, stir until dissolved. Add vinegar.

EASTER BUNNY BROWN
Ingredients:
 1 tb Instant coffee -- heaping Tbsp
 2/3 c Boiling water
 1/2 ts Vinegar

Wash eggs in mild soapy water to remove oily coating which could prevent dye from adhering. Add heaping Tbsp heaping instant coffee to boiling water, stir to dissolve. Add vinegar.

SEREN'DIP'ITY COLORS
BOIL EGG WITH 1/4 TS VINEGAR MIXED WITH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
Onion skins -- (golden orange)
Beets -- (reddish purple)
Spinach -- (pale green)
Red Cabbage Leaves
Walnut shells -- (buff)
Grape Juice -- (mauve)

Wash eggs in mild soapy water to remove oily coating which could prevent dye from adhering. Add 1/4 tsp vinegar to water. Try boiling eggs with one of the listed ingredients.
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* Nature's Dyes for Ostara Eggs *

In General - Leaves, berries, roots and fresh fruit give a good color for dying Ostara eggs. Chop, shred or crush one cup or more of the fresh material, or measure out a minimum of 2 Tablespoons of dried spices.

Place the dye material into a glass, enamel or ceramic pot, along with 4 cups of water and simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes to extract the color and then strain the liquid from the dye material. Wipe the eggs with a solution of 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar to 1 cup of water. This will remove any oily coating. Rinse and dry. Dip clean, white eggs into the dye, making sure that the eggs are totally covered by the liquid. If you'd like a pale shade, use eggs that have already been cooked. For a deeper, stronger shade, cook the eggs right in the dye. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the color is the depth you want. Turn the eggs frequently during the dying process to ensure an even color.

When the eggs are the color you wish, remove them from the dye and put them on paper towels, or a rack, to dry. Turn them at least once to prevent spotting. Some of the colors may continue to develop, even after drying.

Material - resulting color

Alder Catkins - Yellow
Blueberries (frozen) - Pale Grey-Blue
Instant Coffee & Walnut Hulls - Deep Rich Brown
Madder Root - Light Red
Onion Skins - Yellow-Orange
Paprika - Light Rusty Brown
Pecan or Hickory Bark - Toasted Beige
Red Onion Skins - Pale Blue
Sassafras Root - Deep Rusty Orange (Add 1 tsp. vinegar/cup)
Tumeric - Bright Yellow (Add 1 tsp. vinegar/cup)

Egg Wrapping. Another way to color eggs is to wrap the plant material around the egg, then tie the egg well in cheesecloth. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes in clear water, and then remove the cheesecloth. A spotty or mottled egg is the result. You can control the spotting by differing the placement of the plant material, or by putting a leaf, seed or fern frond between the egg and the plant material.
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* Egg Piñatas *

Materials:

• One part flour
• One part water
• Newspaper or grocery bag strips (1 inch by 3 inches)
• Small to medium balloons
  

Blow up balloons and tie ends. Strip newspaper/grocery bags. Mix one part water and one part flour together. Dip strips into the flour and water mixture and then apply to balloons. Cover them completely. Do this until each balloon has 5 layers. Set aside and allow to dry for 2 to 3 days. Poke the "egg" with a needle in one end to pop the balloon inside. With a knife, cut a circular opening. Fill the inside of the "egg" with candy or treats. All candy and treats should have wrappers on them. Seal the hole closed with more strips dipped in flour and water or use masking tape to close. Paint the balloons/eggs with tempera paint (see below for ideas on painting). Allow to dry for a day. To hang, string with yarn and a fat needle or poke two holes at the top to push the yarn or twine through. How to paint: Our ancestors would color eggs red to signify rebirth or yellow for the rebirth of the sun. Traditional designs were spirals for creation and zigzags, symbols of the goddess. When breaking these eggs, you and your children are breaking through the shell, allowing for the "birth" of good things (sweets and candies).
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* Egg Shell Mosaics *

You will need:
         Colored egg shells
         Construction paper
         Pencil, crayon, or marker
         Glue
         Your imagination

How to proceed: Carefully peel the shells from the colored eggs. Remove the membrane from the inside of the shell (otherwise, it will smell over time). The shell pieces should be large enough to handle, and small enough to lay mostly flat when placed on paper. Group like colors together. Draw an outline for the mosaic on the construction paper (this may be necessary for younger children, or if you can't complete the project in one sitting). You may want to use Sabbat-appropriate designs, or just whatever takes your fancy. Coat the mosaic area with glue. Place eggshells on the glue in the patterns you desire. Allow the glue to dry.