Thing spring! It’s finally starting to warm up here in Detroit and thoughts of summer activities (cough, Maker Faire, cough) are quickly approaching. Did I mention there are rumors of an 80-degree Friday (!!!) and a lovely holiday weekend. Adios, snow.
If you ask me, Easter is another good crafter holiday. Whether you make baskets for your kids, a handmade card for a neighbor or have your own techniques for coloring eggs, there are lots of ways to show your crafty pride. One such person to do that was my great-grandma Alma. In the ’60s and ’70s, she owned crafty egg decorating.
A lover of art and making things by hand, my great-grandma was known to spend hours perfecting a project, especially her Easter eggs. I learned how to remove egg yolks based on a technique based down from her (there’s no good term for it!) and made several of my own growing up, but they were never the same as hers. (Note this terrible example from me circa the fourth grade.)
She saved trinkets she found at craft supply stores, toppers from gifts, and scrap trim. The tiniest bit of material could be put to use.
Alma used embroidery scissors to carefully cut out the front of the egg and long tweezers to create the scenery. This was not a fast craft – she spent days working on these so as not to ruin any of her hard work.
We’ve saved these eggs and bring them out every year for our egg tree. I have to wonder – who out there has made eggs like these? Do people still make them? I’d love to see photos! I’ve put more up over here on Flickr.
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