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Sometimes I want to make something but I don’t want to leave the house. That’s exactly how these fun, baking soda painted Easter eggs wound up existing. I was basically bored and I had realized that Easter is just about upon us, which is nuts. One one hand so much has happened in 2021 and it’s only March! But yet, it feels like hardly any time has passed and definitely not anywhere near Easter. But it is!
I suppose you can say that I’m fickle. One minute I think one thing and the next I change my mind. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t waffle on things pretty much constantly. If you’re one of those people that can make up your mind and stick with it, I salute you! I, on the otherhand, will never get a tattoo, or anything permanent for that matter, because as it’s being inked on, I will change my darn mind. Pretty much guaranteed.
But one of the things that never changes for me is that I LOVE decorating Easter Eggs. From eggs that change colors like a Mood Ring, to Galaxy Eggs that went viral and broke my website, doing up some eggs is one of my favorite crafts year after year.
This year, I was down to DIY decorate but I wasn’t down for leaving the house. Because, well, COVID, for one. And with all of this self-quarantining business I’ve become a bit of a hermit :) And so I’m really proud to say that these eggs are vibrant and fun and a little different but only use items you probably already have on hand.
Supplies Needed to Make Baking Soda Paint to Dye Easter Eggs
- Boiled Eggs (try our easy Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs!)
- Baking Soda
- Red, Blue, and Yellow Food Coloring (from an Assorted Colors pack)
- Soft Bristled Paintbrushes
- Sandwich Bags
- Water
- Vegetable Oil
- Paper Towels
How to Make Baking Soda Painted Easter Eggs
Grab the red, blue and yellow bottles of color and let’s make some baking soda paint. Today, we’re using only primary colors just because it’s the easiest way to always get gorgeously colored eggs. Toss in some green and when it interacts with the red you’ll get brown spots, which just isn’t as pretty. Feel free to use any color combinations but pay special attention to how all of the colors you use will interact with one another.
And the eggs are totally safe to eat (so long as you refrigerate them while the paint sits on the eggs) – which is another win in my book. Because this time of year, I really get to craving egg salad sandwiches!
How to Make Baking Soda Paint
In a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 4-5 drops of food coloring. Add water a splash at a time.
Stir the paint mixture adding a splash of water as needed to make a baking soda paint that is similar in texture to a runny school paste.
Continue mixing together your baking soda paints adding more food coloring to lighter colors such as yellow.
* Note, I did not add enough food coloring to my yellow backing soda paint. As such, my eggs hardly took the yellow (in some spots they still look white). If you want a nice, punchy yellow (and oranges and greens where they mix with the blue and red) really saturate your yellow paint with lots of food coloring.
Applying your Baking Soda Paint to Easter Eggs
Using smooth bristled brushes (one for each color) brush the paint onto the eggs. Keep an old cloth or a paper towel handy to wipe the paint away from the brush if the color becomes muddy.
Your paints should be smooth and a bit runny. If it’s difficult to brush on to your egg, add a splash of water until you get a better consistency.
Cover the entire egg with food coloring paint. Don’t worry about drips, it only adds to the pretty marbled effect in the end.
Place the painted egg in a sandwich bag and spin too close.
Store the bagged eggs in the *REFRIGERATOR at least 4 hours for pastel shades and 12 hours for bolder tones. (more below)
If you choose not to refrigerate these eggs do NOT eat them. These eggs are only safe to eat when refrigerated.
Remove eggs from the refrigerator. Open and run each egg individually under water until it runs clear.
Dry the rinsed egg well and apply a few dots of vegetable oil to the surface. Rub the oil in with your hand and then buff away the excess oil with a clean rag or paper towel.
*Note, some dye might come away from the egg so don’t use a good towel as it might become stained.
Each painted egg will be totally unique!
Both of these eggs were painted with the same batch of baking soda paint. Notice how one to the left is much lighter than the one on the right?
The amount of time you allow your eggs to rest in the paint will directly affect how well the shell takes the color. The egg on the left was allowed to rest only 4 hours and the one on the right 12 hours. Both have a fun, dreamy look but I just love that punchy pink!
