Adhere common supplies such as tape, stickers, or even little leaves to eggs; when you dye the eggs and remove the "masks," the designs stand out. There are lots of ways to vary this technique to create original eggs.
To make a plaid egg using masking tape, start with a white or brown egg, or dye one a light hue. Wrap 1/4-inch masking tape lengthwise around the egg for stripes; rub the tape at the edges with your fingernail for a good seal, so dye can't seep underneath. Dye egg to desired color. Blot with a paper towel. Let dry 10 minutes.
For other design options, use rubber bands or small stickers (such as dots, stars, and ring-shaped paper reinforcers, available at office-supply stores; big stickers won't lie flat on the rounded surfaces of an egg).
You can also grace eggs with the delicate shapes of greenery. You'll need an egg white, small leaves or sprigs such as those from various herbs, a tiny paintbrush, a nylon stocking, string, dye, and paper towels.
Apply egg white to the back of a leaf with the paintbrush, place the leaf on an egg, and press gently with fingers. Cut stocking into 4-inch squares. Lay egg in center of square and pull nylon around it, stretching it taut; tie with string. Submerge egg in dye for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove egg, and blot with a paper towel.
Snip string, and unwrap nylon stocking to check color. If egg isn't the desired hue, retie, and dye again. When the desired color is achieved, remove nylon; peel away leaf carefully. Blot with a paper towel, then dry egg on paper towels for 10 minutes, leaf side facing up.
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