Quick Tip

Mesh produce bags like this:

 

make awesome bath toy bags.  They're see-through, free, and allow the toys to air dry.  Did I mention they're free?

P.S.   I'm generally not a fan of navel oranges, but those Cara Cara oranges are deeee-lish.

Blown Eggs - the EASY way!

Blowing eggs the traditional way can be a chore.  You have to mouth an egg and end up with two holes in the shell.  This way is much easier and your shell will have only one hole.  And, you won't get light headed unless you hyperventilate from sheer excitement.  In which case, you need to get out more. :)

Supplies:

*  eggs, can be dyed, but must be uncooked
* syringe with large gauge needle or sewing pin/needle and bulb syringe(also known as a booger bulb in our house)
*  some sort of receptacle to catch the egg innards
*  paper towels or old rag
*  mineral oil

Instructions:

1.  Decide which side of the egg you want to display.  On the opposite side, poke a small hole in the shell.  I used an 18 gauge needle and it went right in when I twisted it like a drill.  Then, I used the tip to break a tiny piece or two of shell outward.

2.  Wipe off the bits of shell using a paper towel or rag.  Try not to leave any loose pieces so you can use the eggs once they're out of the shell.

3.  Insert the needle and gently scramble the egg a bit in the shell.  You want to break the yolk up  a little.

4.  If using the syringe, pull the plunger back so it's full of air.  Insert the syringe or bulb syringe and gently blow air into the egg.  As air goes in, egg will come out.  Repeat as needed until the shell is as empty as you can get it.

5.  You have a couple options to clean the remaining egg residue from the shell.  You can use your syringe to squirt water in and blow it out until it runs clear(ish).  Or, you can hold the shell under running water in your sink, then shake the water out.  Both work fine, I did a combo of both using the syringe first, then the sink as I was washing the outside of the shell.

6.  Allow to dry hole side down or bake in a 200 degree F oven for 15 minutes.

7.  Dye or decorate, if desired.  I left my eggs natural, I love the variety of colors my hens lay.

8.  Coat lightly with mineral oil for a light sheen.  Pour a dime size amount on a paper towel, then rub the eggs well.  Allow to sit for a few minutes, then buff off the excess oil.  You could use a vegetable oil if you want, but the mineral oil will last longer.  This step is also optional.

Enjoy your beautiful eggs year after year.  Or until your kids break them. :)

Hints:

*  If you're using eggs you've already decorated, practice on one you don't love to make sure you've got the hang of it.
*  If you dye afterward, the eggs will float, so you'll have to fill them with dye if you want them to sink.
*  I did my eggs in batches as I needed them over the weekend for cooking and baking.  It only added about 5 minutes to each thing I was making and then the eggs didn't go to waste.

Linked to parties at: The Girl Creative, Cottage Instincts, Making the World Cuter, Today's Creative Blog, A Soft Place to Land

Weekend Plans

Ten things I'm doing this weekend, in no particular order:

1. Sewing.  I have a few fun projects waiting to be done.
2. Mopping.  I actually like to mop, it's just hard to find time.
3. Playing with my kids.  On the floor.  None of that "in a minute" baloney, either.
4. Blowing a bunch of eggs.
5. Preparing to dye eggs.  We're using homemade dyes this year and I'm gonna need to either prep before involving the kids or break out the booze, so I'll prep.
6. Playing Super Mario Bros. on the Wii.  That was my birthday gift from the kids and it's a lot of fun to play together.  Might be doing a lot of this since the Mr. has a badly sprained ankle and is camped on the couch.
7. Probably absorbing some basketball via osmosis.
8. Soaking up the sun.
9. Reviving my neglected sourdough starter so I can do some baking.
10. Battering and freezing a batch of chicken fried steaks.  Yum.

I'll be doing a lot of reveling in this, too.  Smushing and squeezing and kissing.