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DIY Pysanky (Decorative Eggs)

Today on the blog I share my journey on pysanky- a first for me and probably for most! My dear friend Oksana introduced me to the idea of decorating some raw eggs to keep us in the spirit of Easter. Add some delicious dinner and a glass of wine and you have yourself a night to            remember. I, two steps ahead decided to document the experience and share with you a        beautiful art that is not limited to specific cultures but fun for everyone.

finishedeggs finishedeggs-topview          underside
These beautiful eggs were decorated by Larysa Bablak

Pysanka
is by the definition of Wiki, a “pretty Ukraninian Easter Egg”, decorated with traditional Ukrainian folk designs using batik (a wax resist dyeing technique). What I loved about the process was how similar the folk designs were to my own culture (Azorean) and how beautiful traditional art really is.

Pysaty is actually a direct translation of “to write” in Ukrainian. Below are the steps on how you can decorate your own decorative Easter egg. It may seem like a lot of work (that’s because it is) and that paint is just an easier alternative (but isn’t as reliable). But this is way more artsy 😉

What you’ll need:
dye
Dye. Purchase multiple colours of dye packets- most will come in a kit already with a few               options. Follow the directions exactly how it says, add vinegar only when the packet calls for (and if it even does). Some colours do not require the additional vinegar. Also two large spoons to help dry and carry the eggs into the dye.

eggs
White large or extra large eggs. The bigger the better (yup- I said it)

candleflame
A candle, pure bees wax (ours already has some hot melted wax on it, the colour is normally yellowish), Kistka (your decorative utensil, can be purchsed at Ukrainian gift shops, amazon or ebay). Paper towel (lots of it, especially if this is your first time) and some sort of bristol board or newspaper to cover your workstation (this gets messy).

Next, you’ll want to pick your design or shapes that you will go with. Oksana was looking for simple shapes and lines for me to start off with.
designs
designs_sunset
picking_designs

Next
meltingthewax
Once you have everything in order, light up your candle and make sure that your egg is room temperature. Grab your Kistka and start warming up the funnel part of it (the part opposite of the point). Once you have heated it up for about 5-10 seconds, scoop some bees wax inside.
Test the lines with the point on newspaper or paper to see if it has enough wax / remove excess as you do not want blobs on your egg.

Next
applyingwax
wax
morewax
Start drawing designs similiar to what you chose. You can draw the design with pencil first if you wish, I did it the traditional way (free hand) and as you can see- I am no artist.

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dipping_the_egg
finished_dipping_yellow
cleaning_yellowyellow-Egg
Gently place your egg on the spoon and place it into the dye. DO NOT DROP THE EGG IN. The egg can crack or even break. Remember these eggs are raw and sensitive. Leave the egg in your choice of colour for about a minute or two. You can leave it in for as long as you’d like. Check to make sure it has a nice solid smooth colour before gently removing. Dab on a paper towel the excess dye.

Now continue drawing on it again with wax. You’ll notice yourself heating up your Kistka     often during this process and applying lots of wax. Not to worry, there isn’t much room in that      funnel area anyway. Whatever you draw now on the yellow egg will now be yellow in the end.

dipping_egg_blue
Oksana and I were actually working on two eggs by the way. This is the yellow black and blue one you’ll see in the end.

dipinpink
This is the purple, yellow and pink one that you’ll see in the end.

Another side note: Always start with the lightest colour first and work your way to the darkest.
blue_pink

Now time for the fun part!me_removing
removing_wax
removing more wax
showing_of_colour
revealed egg
Take your finished egg and slowly heat it near the flame. This step is now melting the black wax off the egg. Wipe and go along the way and do not keep the egg close to the flame for too long. You’ll be able to see the colour come from underneath and that is the perfect time to wipe the wax off with paper towel.

The more wax you have, the longer this process will be- especially if you applied it on thickly.

decorative_egg_final_again decorative_egg_final closeup_top
Remove all the wax and gently clean off the egg with your dry paper towel and voila, you officially made your pysanky for Easter!

finished_eggs_ top_flat_finished
You can keep the egg raw and as is in a safe decorative bowl or plate and toss them after Easter. Traditionally a small hole on the top and bottom of the egg are pierced and the yolk is blown out. This will allow the egg to be hallow and avoid the risk of causing a messy situation. This step is actually ideal 😉

So ladies and gents, I hope you enjoyed my first ever diy pysanky! Next year Oksana and I     decided to focus on a step by step guide on how to achieve certain designs. We hope you         enjoyed 🙂

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