Dying Easter eggs using plant-based dyes is a tradition in Eastern Europe. It’s so easy to do, and everyone should give it a try at least once! To create these gorgeous eggs you need some herbs and colorful veggies. You can use spinach leaves, beets, red cabbage, or onion skins for the dyes. As for the designs, herb leaves work well, or you can go outside and look for interesting leaves and plants. What better way to welcome spring than with some natural Easter eggs decorated by Mother Nature herself? Let’s get started!

Supplies:

1) A dozen eggs

2) Vegetables, fruits, and spices (red cabbage, spinach, carrots, onion skins, blackberries, blueberries, paprika, and turmeric are dyes that work well)

3) About 1 1/2 cups of white vinegar

4) Salt

5) Leafy herbs or fresh leaves that you’ve found outside

6) Two pairs of sheer stockings, cut into tubes

7) Pots (each dye will need its own pot)

Step #1:

The first step is to make your dyes. To make a green dye, add about 5 cups of water to a pot with 1 pound of fresh spinach leaves. Add in a pinch of salt and bring it to a boil. After it starts boiling, turn down the temperature to a simmer. Allow the dye to simmer for 1 hour. If you would like an orange dye, add about 5 cups of water, 10 carrots, 5 tbsp of paprika, and a pinch of salt to a pot. As before, bring it to a boil and then turn down the temperature to a simmer for 1 hour. For a blue dye, do the same using 1 whole red cabbage. If you’d like a reddish-brown dye, use onion skins (you need about 5-6 onions worth of skins). For a pink dye, use beets (about 3 cups). If you want your dye to be yellow, use turmeric (2 tbsp). When your dyes are ready, strain the vegetables and fruits, leaving only the liquid. Pour your dyes into a measuring cup to see how much dye you have. For every cup of dye, you need 3 tbsp of white vinegar. When you’ve measured out the amounts of dye, pour the dyes back into their pots and add the required amount of vinegar.

Step #2:

Once you have made your dyes, it’s now time to decorate your eggs! Rub a paper towel soaked in vinegar over each of the eggs. Place an herb leaf on each egg and arrange it any way you want. Take a stocking tube and place the egg inside the tube. The stocking will hold the leaf in place. Tie the ends of the stocking and repeat this process with all your eggs.

Step #3:

Place your eggs in the dye pots and boil them for 10 minutes. When the 10 minutes are up, take them off the heat and allow them to cool completely. Place them in the fridge overnight. If you’d like them to be a pale color instead of a vibrant color, keep the pots in the fridge for 1 hour.

Step #4:

When the eggs have reached the shade you like, you can take them out of the stockings and place them on a wire rack to dry. When the eggs have dried, you will notice that the colors may not seem so bright. To make them shiny, you can rub a tiny bit of oil over them to bring out the beautiful colors.

Photos: Adventures in Cooking, Craft Hubs, Indulgy.

If you’re unsure of how to decorate your mantle this fall, take a look at this one! It’s simple, festive, and you can put it together on the cheap! Scroll down for more pictures!

The first thing we noticed about the mantle is the neutral backdrop. The mantle itself is a crisp white, which makes the fall accessories pop! For your mantle, choose fall shades that stand out. The bright oranges work great against the white, and if your mantle is more of a beige color, choose contrasting, but similar tones. Since the crisp white of the mantle is a cold tone, the fall accessories are as well. Choose what fits your mantle best.

The rustic crate makes the perfect stand for these flowers. To fill up the crate, a pumpkin nestled on top of leaves works great. The mini pumpkin, squash and pinecone look so cute inside, too!

One of the easiest ways to accessorize is with pillows! You can use slipcovers if you don’t want to buy new ones. For festive but cheap pillows, check your local Wal-Mart or Target.

Add warmth to your mantle with candles! Grab cheap candleholders and candlesticks at the thrift store and spraypaint them to match your mantle.

The top of the mantle is kept simple, with a salvaged piece of fence painted white, a leaf wreath, and more mini pumpkins. The garland adds a cute touch to the mini shutters, which can easily be replicated at a larger scale, if you like. You can make a large garland covering the entire mantle with burlap, which is a great choice for those on a budget.

Photos: The Frugal Homemaker.

Who knew that dried leaves could have so many uses? Compost, insulation, kindling, and fertilizer are just a few of the ways you can use up your dried leaves this fall.

1. Kindling

If you’re going camping, leaves make great kindling for your campfire. They’re readily available, so gather up a bunch to start your campfire. They light in seconds, and are great if you don’t have any fire starters on hand!

2. Insulation

Unknown to many, leaves are an excellent source of insulation. They can actually help you save money on your heating bills this winter! If you have any open crawlspaces or exposed areas in your home, gather up some leaves in a bag to fill up the spots.

3. Mulch

Place your leaves around your plants to keep the soil moist and add some much-needed nutrients. You can leave them on top of the soil, or bury them a few inches down.

4. Grass Fertilizer

Use your lawn mower to go over the leaves and shred them. Simply leave them on your lawn and they will break down and fertilize your grass!

5. Add Them to Your Compost Pile

Just like with your lawn, you can also use leaves as a natural compost in your garden. Leave them in a pile in your garden and they will break down and turn into nutrient-rich black soil. In the spring, spread this soil around your garden.

6. Craft Projects

There are tonnes of cute craft projects you can do with leaves. A quick search on Pinterest will yeild you many, many results! Decorate your home this fall with your very own unique leaf decorations! We’re loving this leaf craft megapost over at Remodelaholic!

Photos: Lowes, Countryside Industries, Webdesigner Depot, Wikipedia, Fresh Basil, The Haring Gardens.

These autumn touches will make your home cosy in no time! Autumn colors, natural elements, and rustic pieces are a cheap way to bring some fall into your home.

1. Autumn Colors

Think burnt orange, rustic brown, and brick red. Choose a color scheme that matches your home, and tone down the orange and red with neutral tones.

2. Pumpkins

Arrange pumpkins throughout your home for an instant fall vibe. We love these painted white pumpkins decoupaged with leaves using Mod Podge.

3. Knit Pillows and Warm Blankets

As the weather gets colder, store small blankets in your living room for easy reach. Add a few knit pillows on your couch for added comfort. You can easily make a few knit pillows for cheap using thrift store knit sweaters.

4. Mason Jar Decor

Mason jars can add a cute rustic touch to any room. Arrange them on your kitchen table, and toss in a few acorns and a candle! You can also wrap wire around the rim and hang them up for instant lanterns!

5. Make a Wreath

This wheat wreath would look great on anyone’s front door! Tutorial here.

6. Decorate Your Mantle

Add rustic pieces, natural elements, and neutral colors to your fall mantle. We love the cute pinecone garland and antique gears.

7. Decorate Your Porch

Get your porch fall ready with pumpkins and dried corn stalks! Don’t forget the leaf wreath on the front door!

Photos: Annie Bowman, Alison Gootee, Tog and Porter, Camilla at Home, Daisy Mae Belle, Grand Design Co., Tumblr.

Mulch is really important for any garden, not only does it conserve moisture and enhance plants, it’s also an erosion buster! If you’re having a weed problem, mulch helps by stopping weeds from taking root. On hot days, the mulch helps shade the roots of your plants.

The first thing when it comes to applying mulch is do you want organic or inorganic? Organic mulch is wood, bark, compost, leaves, and grass clippings. It will eventually decompose and improve the soil as it’s decomposing. Stone is a more permanent mulch. It’s a low-maintenance option but it’s not easy to plant in. When choosing a mulch, you need to decide if you will need to do any gardening that requires digging and moving the mulch around. If so, choosing an organic mulch would be a better option.

Now you need to pick the right mulch, since every mulch is different. For example, bark nuggets can float away if there is heavy rain. Cocoa hulls have an aroma, but are expensive and are toxic to dogs. Most choose shredded bark or wood, as it’s inexpensive and easy to apply. The con is that it doesn’t add as many nutrients to the soil as other mulches.

If you’re on a budget, you can use your yard waste as mulch. Grass clippings, leaves, and compost are all good mulch. Although compost adds tonnes of nutrients, it isn’t very good at keeping weeds at bay. Grass clippings can be effective, but don’t pile them too deeply because they can get soggy. Remember not to use grass clippings that have been treated with herbicides. If you decide to use leaves, make sure to shred them first. Pine needles are a great choice because they last a long time, and work well with azaleas (and other acid-loving plants), since pine needles acidify soil.

Don’t spread the mulch too thickly, and don’t spread it too thinly, either. Spread the mulch 2-3 inches thick. If it’s thicker, it could attract pests. You can apply mulch any time, as there isn’t a specific time you need to mulch your plants. Plants will accept mulch any time of the year. If you decide to apply mulch in the winter, wait until the ground freezes before mulching.

Photos: Eco Pro Mulch, Look Home Design, The Floor Decor.