Mel picked up "The Natural paint Book"; we tested a few natural finishes for our woodcraft items. A paste made from beeswax and turpentine produced excellent results; the finish was smooth and satiny. Staining with tea and iron acetate worked like a charm. However, our beet dye didn't perform very well. We'll try steeping larger amounts of vegetable matter. I also have some Paduk sawdust from a turning project; it should make good dye. I've also been hunting down a food safe finish for my bowls. Mineral oil and beeswax is one option, but I am a bit leary of using a petroleum product. 'Tried and True Wood Finishes' has a line of food safe, solvent free, oil-based finishes that look promising. Also found during the hunt for color- Sinopia. It's a nice site, and they have tons of bulk pigments for sale- handy for making custom finishes and paints.