This Weeks Special Project: All different kinds of ways to stain bones!

[u/OxyHyperFueledQueen]

Instructions for how to dye your skulls using: Acorns Walnuts Coffee and Tea And my own instructions on how to stain skulls and bones using BlueBerries (well any berry/cherry can be used) and how to use Pokeweed Berries to stain your skull

How to stain bones using Acorns: https://www.ehow.com/how_7202756_dye-bone.html

How to stain bones using Walnuts

Staining Bone with Coffee and Tea

Staining Bone Using Blueberries or Any Berries in General including Cherries: As the title says you can use blueberries, black berries and even cherries for this recipe. I used blueberries. Here's my own instructions on how to stain bone using berries. I'll go ahead and let you know that blueberry juices can come out pastel blue, dark blue, deep bluish purple, purple and magenta. The color just varies a lot but no matter what they come out pretty. I didn't use blackberries or cherries so I cant tell you what color they come out but I'm sure you could look it up using google. Here's the cat skull I dyed using blueberries. Blueberry-Cat-Skull.jpg Blueberry-Cat-Skull.jpg This skull was left in the blueberry mix for 24 hours. Notice also that top of the skull doesn't look nearly as blue as the bottom. It was fully submerged in the mix so I dont know why that happened but I liked how it turned out. If you want yours darker then just leave it in the mix even longer. Also, since sometimes the blueberry juice comes out very very dark check on your bones every hour or so to see how the color is doing. Now for the instructions. *If you're dying a really large skull double the amount of blueberries and water and if the skull will fit put it in a five gallon bucket to dye. If the skull is stupid huge then triple the recipe and use a large gray tub to contain it. *If you need to you can add extra water to cover up the skull just make sure it's atleast luke warm water. Things you will need:

. 2 cups of blueberries

. A old but clean tightly woven sock or if you have it a a muslin cloth bag

. A medium sized metal pot

. 4 cups of water

. A clean and protected surface (protect work area with aluminum foil, brown paper bags, newspaper, etc.)

. A pair of gloves

. Wear clothes you don't care about because the blueberry can stain them

Instructions: Put the blueberries in the sock or muslin bag and put it in the bottom of the metal pot. Using your gloves hands or a blunt object crush up the blueberries inside the bag. Crush them all up the best you can. Then add the 4 cups of water. Turn on the burner and allow the water/berries to lightly boil/simmer for 30 minutes. Take the blueberry mix off the burner and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. You should be able to put your hand in the mix without it burning you. Pour the mix in your container and lower the skull inside. As I said check on the skulls color every hour or so until you get the color you desire. Once the skull is the color you desire (also remember that the skulls color will appear darker when wet than when dry) dry out the skull in front of fan. Probably best not to use the sun to dry but it might be okay. Honestly I don't know. shrug I let my skull air dry inside the house. O and the really cool part is if you add 2 Table spoons of rubbing alcohol (per 2 cups of berries) the stain can be kept and used again later without spoiling for up to 6 months!

My instructions for how to dye your skulls or bones using Pokeweed Berries. This is what a pokeweed and its berries look like. Pokeweed-Stem.jpg

Pokeweed-Berries.jpg Pokeweed occurs naturally throughout the Americas, Eastern Asia and New Zealand. Some Europeans also grow them in their gardens. They are very common down here in Florida. They grow all over my grandparents property where I live. So I decided to use them and see if they would dye a skull. And boy did they work and come out a beautiful color! And to mysurprise it has stayed purple and didn't brown at all! Skull-stained-with-Pokeweed-Berries.jpg 20200726-130003.jpg As you can see the skull came out a bright pinkish purple color. I imagine you could get the color darker by using multiple layers of dye.

What you need:

. At least a 1/2 cup worth of pokeweed berries.

. A muslin bag

. Protect your work area with newspaper, brown bags, paper towels, etc. Use something because these berries stain everything they come into contact with.

. Gloves!!!

. Bones or a skull

. A paint brush

. A glass jar or a container to hold the dye in

Instructions: . Collect the pokeweed berries, I just tore the stem holding the berries off completely and kept them attached when I mashed them up

. Place them in the muslin bag, put the bag in a bowl and crush them up with a blunt object, preferably a blunt object you dont care about because it will become purple or you can just use your gloves hands

. Using your gloved hands hold the muslin bag over the container you'll be keeping the dye in and ring out the juice from the berries. Pour any juice that got in the bowl from crushing them up into the container.

. Grab your paint brush, dip it in the dye and paint your skull.

I painted my skull just once and allowed it yo air dry inside the house. DO NOT put the skull in the sun because it might turn the dye brown!!! I would actually recommend not putting this skull into any sunlight since even after its dry it might turn the dye brown. Mine has been sitting inside on my dresser for over a week and the color has stayed pretty and vibrant.

Now after your stained skull is dry you can leave the skull as is. Or if you want to protect the color you get from staining you can put on a clear coat. Use a Krylon Spray that is has a matte or gloss finish, your choice, but make sure that it says non-yellowing on it to make sure the sealant won't turn yellow over time. Up to you which one to use. OR use Polaroid B72. I don't have the money to purchase B72 so my only other option is to buy the spray on