Pysanky

Yes, These are all eggs I've done.  Click on picture to enlarge.

Pysanky, Ukrainian Easter Eggs. I've been making these for several years now. I'm not Ukrainian at all. I learned from a girlfriend back in college. That was (ahem) a few years ago. But I got all the supplies and bought a bunch of books, and kept challenging myself. I've even taught some of my friends to keep the tradition going. I make them as Christmas ornaments along with the usual Easter decor.

I've found patterns that I already use in zentangles in my eggs and found some new ones too. My egg books are a great resource for ideas.

 These eggs are all blown out. Traditionally, the eggs are left intact and they dry out naturally. However it's normal to lose a few when the gases cause an egg to explode (small explosion). When it's an egg you are really pleased with it's heartbreaking, so I always blow my eggs out now.

They are done with a wax resist process. You start with a white eggs and apply melted wax with a tool called a kistka. You put the wax every place you want the white to remain. This is usually the 'string'. You put the egg into a yellow dye bath next. Again you apply wax everyplace you want the yellow to remain. This continues through progressively darker colors until you get what you want. Then you remove all the wax. Traditionally this is by holding the egg next to the flame of a candle and wiping the wax off as it melts. When it's all done, I varnish them. There is a good explanation with pictures here.  http://learnpysanky.com/steps.html

Yes, it takes some time do do an egg. I am proud of them and expect my children will be happy to pass them down in years to come.