Vinegar

Purple Easter Eggs

If your wanting a natural purple for your easter eggs I suggest using beets or cabbage.

HOWEVER, there is a catch to getting the purple color and getting it to stay purple and not turn grey.

Beets or Purple Cabbage chopped fine
Place in a stainless steel sauce pan
Cover twice as deep with Vinegar and add one cup of sugar to the mix.
Bring to a boil.
Strain the vegetation out of the liquer.
Return the dye juice to the sauce pan.
Bring back to a boil and then remove heat source.
Place your eggs in the hot liquid and roll around in the liquid.
Do this for about 15 minutes.



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To increase depth of color, texture, and over all interest apply tannic acid to your pieces while they are rusting. The simplist source for tannin is tea, however, tannic acids in the form of quebracho's give richer colors and depth. Immerse in a solution of soda ash and water for even deeper patterning.Note however that each step reduces the archivalness of your piece.
Happy Rusting