ORChick's Not-a-Journal

[ORChick]

I like the look of the Pysanka eggs too, some are really intricate and stunning! Sounds like a fun thing to learn! So, where's the pics of yours?

I left it with my friend for the final finishing. It needs to be covered with something to protect the design, and we didn't have the time today, so she will do it for us.

It is an interesting process. You start with a white egg, and build up the color. But it is all backwards - you have to think first about what will remain white (and cover that with wax), and then add detail - lightest color to darkest. And then melt, and wipe off, all the wax, until the design appears. I have a hard time visualizing the design in this manner, so it was definitely a brain exercise. I'm thinking I should get the basic equipment, and start doing more of these, as a brain stimulation exercise . (Not a bad idea ... for a woman of a "certain" age )

Generally one starts with white eggs. My only white layer is a Hamburg, and she lays peewee eggs - might be kind of cute. Maybe starting with green eggs would make an interesting design.

Eeeeeek! Living with an artist is wearing off on me! Before you know it I'll be wielding a brush - and I thought I had finished with that in high school art class. No, I think I'll let him do the painting, and I'll stick with the fiber arts ... and maybe both of us will paint the occasional egg ... just for fun

 

[Wannabefree]

You can start with any color or size as far as i know. Traditionally it's white eggs, but green and blue eggs even brown ones, would be pretty. It sounds like fun, too bad no pics I bet it turns out great

 

[ORChick]

You can start with any color or size as far as i know. Traditionally it's white eggs, but green and blue eggs even brown ones, would be pretty. It sounds like fun, too bad no pics I bet it turns out great

Well, sure you can, question is only, would you want too? The peewee eggs would certainly be cute ... but that is a very small canvas. And the colored eggs ... oh my, that would be even more of a mind stretch in trying to visualize the final product.
As to pics - I just saw our results posted on facebook ... and I must say, we did a very credible job for beginners! I'll see about posting them here tomorrow.

 

[Denim Deb]

I've always wanted to learn how to do that. I read about it in a book years ago. And, you could probably sell the finished product-which is what I'd like to do. I know when I was a kid, we did blow the eggs out of the shell for something, but I don't recall now why.

 

[ORChick]

Not too bad for a first attempt, I think. Mine is in the middle; DH (the artist) did the one on the left, also his first try.

 

[Denim Deb]

Nice!

 

[snapshot]

Wow!!!!! That is really cool!!!!! I think you both did great!!!!!

 

[Wannabefree]

COOL! Love them! You both did a wonderful job! I doubt I'd do half that well on a first try

 

[ORChick]

My Barnevelder hen finally laid an egg today! I really don't know what to think about her. She took the longest time to start laying, a good six months till her first egg, longer than any of the others I have had. Very pretty dark brown eggs, but a long time coming. She is now 2 years old, and has gone broody twice (the only one of any of them to do that) and hatched out 4 chicks last May (was a good mother to them). When she lays, she lays well and often. But of course not when she is broody. So there hasn't been an egg at all from her since the end of September - first she was broody - but I convinced her that October was not a good time of year for chicks - and then she took her winter holiday. She is a very pretty girl, and (as stated) a good layer, when she is laying, as well as a good mother ... but I really doubt that I would ever want another Barnevelder, if she is typical. My girls are pets as well as egg producers, so I will accept her as she is ... but it does seem that there is an awful lot of time when she is not producing. I rather hope that she will go broody again this spring, as I would like to have her hatch out some more; but I think, as an egg producer, she is at the bottom of the list. Still, this is the reason that I have a mixed flock - so that I can enjoy their differences.

 

[lazyday]

I, have a Barnevelder as well. She is a about 19 mths old and has gone broody twice. When she first started laying she gave us 2 eggs then went broody started going broody again 3 mths later after only laying a couple more eggs. She lays beautiful eggs which is not often, maybe 3 times a week now. I notice she is plucking her breast feathers out again so I am thinking she is on her way to being broody again. I wonder if this is what you can expect from this breed?