Friday Egg: Etched Turtle Pair

Today's Friday Egg is a design you have seen before, but this time I started with a brown chicken egg. There are two turtles, one on each side, playfully chasing each other around the egg. I like the soothing greens and blues paired with the natural brown of the chicken egg.

First I applied wax to cover the brown of the eggshell, Then I etched the eggshell in a vinegar bath to reveal the white eggshell just underneath the brown layer and added wax to those areas where I wanted it to stay white. Then I did the same process through Key Lime and Turquoise and finally dyed the egg Black.

Friday Egg: Butterfly Tree

A beautiful blue egg swathed in lacy tendrils - it's a butterfly tree.

I started with an egg dyed Asparagus and waxed in all the stems and leaves.  After I washed it down to white with Ivory dish soap, I dyed the egg Golden Yellow for the leaves and the butterflies.  There are two lighter yellow butterflies just for fun - maybe they aren't ripe yet?  The final color is Peacock Blue.

Friday Egg: Purple and Orange Traditional Rose

Purple, orange, yellow and green on a black background. This traditional Pysanka is one of my favorite designs to create.  There's something quite satisfying about the balance of a central medallion on each side encircled with an eternity band.  Just feels right.  And no matter what color combination I choose, it always comes out lovely and exactly right.  I started with a white egg, as is traditional, then went through yellow, green, orange, and purple then dyed it black for the final color.

Because it is a traditional egg, there are many meaningful symbols including:

- Nets = Protection
- Crosses = Christianity or the four corners of the earth
- Spirals/Curls = Protection from evil
- Dots = Stars or Spring (they represent eggs!) or Mary's tears
- Rose = Love and caring
- Diamonds = Knowledge

The eternity band is also a protection from evil.  Because it has no beginning or end, an evil spirit will become trapped in the egg.

It's on Etsy if you are interested:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/76200914/traditional-ukrainian-egg-stylized-rose

I hope you enjoy it!

Friday Egg: Etched Brown Egg

This is such an intricate little egg:  I'm secretly tickled to make such an intricate and delicate design with a brown egg because they are so rustic and utilitarian that the rose design is doubly stunning.

I started my first layer on the brown egg, then etched the shell down to white using regular white vinegar full strength. It usually takes about 20 minutes for the shell to etch down to cream.  After the etching bath I scrub it in running water with a baby toothbrush to clean it up and make sure all the dissolved shell is washed away.  I dipped it in Avocado dye and drew in some details with wax, then dipped in Peacock Blue for the next layer of detail.  Finally, I washed off as much of the blue dye as I could and then etched again to a creamy white.  I listed it on Etsy today, so go visit if you are interested:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/75338890/etched-and-dyed-brown-chicken-egg

Happy Friday!

Friday Egg: Colorful Exotic Bird

This week's egg is a downcast exotic bird of some kind sitting on a fern-like tree.  I like the repetition of horizontal elements: in the fern and in the eternity band encircling each bird. Everything is stretched out and elongated which gives a dynamic feel to the usually more static traditional elements. The colors are unusual for this one too: hot pink, red, green and a deep yellow on a brown background.  It worked out nicely I think!  I hope you like it!

Friday Egg: Fiesta!

I love this little egg!  I rarely start with a white egg and end with a white background as I fear that the white outlines will not stand out against the background, but I took a chance here and I am so glad I did.  The colors are bright, vibrant and playful: just about perfect for the Fiesta celebrations going on in San Antonio this week!  And a nice segue into Easter week as well.  I hope you like it as much as I do.

If you are interested in purchasing this egg, please visit my Etsy shop!

Happy Friday!

Friday Egg: Flower and Fern

It's Friday!  I'm working hard getting ready for my big April events.  Just a reminder that I have my Sweet Charity show coming up next Thursday, April 7th (click on the link to the right for more information) and my only spring workshop on Saturday, April 16th from 10:00 a.m. to 1 p.m.  If you want to learn how to make these wonderful eggs and create your own Easter tradition, please email to reserve your spot!

Friday Egg today is a sweet floral using that same skeleton that I am seemingly obsessed with! I always like the effect of the "fern" leaves. Graphic and organic at the same time!  And they add so much movement to the design and your eye slides down them to the next design element.  I hope you enjoy it.

Happy Friday!

Friday Egg: Nice Skeleton! and April Events

It's that time of year again! Lots of events and a workshop on offer. I think it is easiest just to list them:

• First of all, I have a demonstration and sale at Sweet Charity Gift Shop at 1206 West 38th Street in the 26 Doors Shopping Center (512) 324-3399. The sale is on Thursday, April 7th from 11:00 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Next, I am offering my spring workshop on April 16th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at my studio. Contact me by email if you are interested!
• Finally, Saturday, April 23rd, the day before Easter, I am doing another demo and sale at Artworks Gallery at 1214 W. 6th Street, Austin, TX (512) 472-1550. This demo will go from 12:00 Noon to 4 p.m.

I hope that you can come to any or all of these events. They are going to be fun!

I have decided that this pattern is one of my all time favorites. I think of the basic pattern like a framework or skeleton that underlies the colors and patterns I choose that make each egg unique. This skeleton always works. I cannot remember a time when I finished an egg with this design and didn't think it was a success.

Today's egg is a chicken egg in a crisply defined pattern of turquoise, orange and olive green. This reminds me of a starched and ironed shirt, straight from the cleaners!  I think it is the dark outlines that make it look so regimented.  I am a fan of orange and turquoise together, and they are playing well with others here!

Happy Friday!