[caption id="attachment_1839" align="alignnone" width="900"] Simmering the eggs in different natural dye solutions (Photo ©Mabelle Chedid)[/caption] Natural dyes and herbs was the only option for our ancestors for decorating Easter eggs. Our grandparents used spring flowers and plant leaves to create imprints on the eggs, and simple kitchen ingredients such as spices and coffee bean and vinegar to stain them. Making use of these natural ingredients ensures the eggs are healthy to consume. To decorate Easter eggs this year, all you need is: 1 dozen of white eggs, hard boiled. The exact color below will be obtained with white eggs, and the stain on brown eggs will be slightly different White vinegar Salt Water Vegetable oil Green leaves from the garden: you can choose compound leaves (divided into many separate parts or leaflets) to have nice designs [caption id="attachment_1837" align="alignnone" width="900"] Easter eggs decorated with leaves imprint[/caption] Vegetables and spices for the dyes: Orange: 3 chopped carrots and 5 tbsp. of paprika Blue:  1 cup of red cabbage, chopped Reddish-brown: 1 cup of onion skins Pink: 1 cup of beetroots, shredded Yellow: 2 tbsp. of turmeric, grounded or I cup of wild chrysanthemum flowers Green: 2 cups of green leaves (preferably spinach), chopped Nylon stocking [caption id="attachment_1835" align="alignnone" width="900"] Place the flowers and leaves in the position you want (Photo @room-decorating-ideas.com)[/caption] To prepare the dyes:

1. To prepare each dye, add the needed ingredient to a pot with 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to boil and then let simmer for 30 mns.
2. Add 3 tbsp. of vinegar and the eggs you wish to dye, and bring to boil again.
3. Remove from fire and let simmer for 15 mns.
4. Allow to cool completely.
5. Every cup of coloring solution can dye 3 eggs.

[caption id="attachment_1836" align="alignnone" width="900"] Close the stocking tightly to hold the leaves in place (Photo @room-decorating-ideas.com)[/caption] To add the pattern:

1. Place the leaves and patterns on the hard-boiled egg as you wish them to be and wrap it tightly with the stocking.
2. Put the eggs in stocking in the dying solution and let simmer for 15 mns. Make sure the eggs are well submerged.
3. When the wanted color is obtained, remove the eggs from the solution gently and let dry.
4. Remove the eggs from the stocking and put them to chill in the refrigerator for an hour for a more intense color. For a more vibrant color, rub them gently with vegetable oil using a paper towel.

[caption id="attachment_1840" align="aligncenter" width="768"] Naturally dyed Easter eggs (Photo @betterhousekeeper.com)[/caption]