I've got a long way to go!

 Whew!  See . . . there is someone with more eggs than me!!!

Happy Easter Everyone!

A Lutheran German couple decorates their garden tree with 10,000 painted eggs.

Easter comes but once a year -- but one couple has turned it into a lifetime's project.

German pensioners Volker and Christa Kraft have decorated the tree in their back garden in Saalfeld for Easter for more than 40 years.

The tree now drips with more than 9,800 colorful Easter eggs, painted with pastoral scenes and religious icons.

Blah, Blah, Blah

I don't write for 2 months and now you can't shut me up!

I just had to show you two Blackbird pieces I picked up from my new framer!  I LOVE them!!!  They did such a great job at The Carriage House in Kingsport, TN (and they have such cute things there: yarn, clothing, jewelry, purses, etc.) . . . and reasonably priced too!!!  Thanks!!!!   I left 3 more with them . . . and I think all 3 are Blackbird pieces too . . . I like Blackbird Designs, what can I say?! 

Left is:  Beneath the Sunlit Sky                Right is:  Awake the Dawning Day


I really dislike picking out frames.  I find it painful!  I always worry if I picked the right one . . . fearful that I'll hate it when it's done.  I don't know why . . . I've never been disappointed with the outcome.  Torture!!

Have a great day!!!                        ~*

Eggstravagant!

I showed you some of my egg collection in an earlier post (those eggs that stay out year-round).  Here are the eggs that come out every Easter.  These were purchased in various places in Europe: Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia and Austria mainly.

These are saturated color with raised white wax designs.  They're perfect for these cute tulip egg cups.

These are various eggs decorated with drilled holes, colored waxes, scraping and what looks like some sort of stenciling.  I would have loved to have asked about the methods . . . the language barrier never got much better in the 3 years we lived in Eastern Europe.

There are many different wired patterns.  How do they do this without breaking the egg?!?

More varied techniques.

These are painted wooden eggs and like an inlaid effect.

These are drilled (someone told me they used a dental drill) and then a pattern is done with wax.  In Slovakia the braided willow in the picture above is used by boys at Easter to whip girls with . . . seriously.  They also throw water on girls or take them to the river and throw them in . . . don't ask me why.  We did not go outside at Easter . . . nor would we have open the door if someone had knocked!

Don't know how they do these . . . just love them!

These are made gluing a pattern with embroidery floss.  My daughter made the bottom egg cup in elementary school . . . too cute!  The bunny cup above I found in the Dollar Store . . . can you believe it!?

Love this egg cup . . . think I got this cup at Tuesday Morning.

These all hang and I haven't gone outside to find the perfect branch for my indoor egg tree . . . it's just been too cold, wet and snowy to tromp through the woods.  Some of these have crocheted or beaded decorations, more wax and embroidery floss designs.  One is cut out and painted to look like a basket.

And these!  Wow!









So, you see why I got a little crazy collecting these . . . I just couldn't stop myself!!!

                                           HAPPY EASTER!!!   ~*

Forgot To Tell You!

Last Saturday I went to the Spinning & Fiber Meet at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area in Elizabethton (a neighboring town).  There were two ugly-cute Alpaca in a pen . . . have often thought it would be fun to raise them (next life).  Folks were selling all sorts of fiber related crafts and materials.  There were spinners and weavers from the Overmountain Weavers Guild who meet at the Exchange Place in Kingsport (another neighboring town).  (The Exchange Place is a restored farm complex which once served travelers along the Old Stage Road.  Here Virginia currency was "exchanged" for that of Tennessee and tired horses for fresh ones . . . hence the name.)  I got to try my hand at weaving . . . signed up to be contacted for classes in August!  I've always wanted to weave!

Sycamore Shoals offers classes in all sorts of arts and crafts throughout the year . . . that will chase away the blues next winter!

Welcome Spring  ~*

Hibernation is OVER!

What a blue funk I have been in this winter!   Forget the daylight savings time thing . . . let's just shorten winter!  I may have been hibernating but, I was not unproductive.  I've been a crocheting fool!!!

 I've made dish cloths . . . dozens!  ("Sandy Shore Washcloth Set" on the  Lion Brand website - free)

Scarves (they really look better than this in person) . . . pretty much made-up designs.

Things for my someday "grandchildren hope chest". . The Owl Granny square was adapted from:  http://www.petalstopicots.com/2012/08/guest-post-repeat-crafter-me-owl-granny.html
And for the Pond Friends Stacking Toy:  http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/90075AD.html

I've also made some cards from some downloaded clip-art (all found on Pinterest) to wind my vintage lace around . . . much easier to see and choose with them out of the brown paper bag they've been in.

I've also been working on organizing my craft room . . . I mean studio.  It's not quite picture worthy yet but, it's getting there.  

I played interior decorator and painted the master bath a slightly purple shade of gray, found the perfect bath mats, used some pottery accessories I've had for years that have been packed away . . . for years.  It turned out so nice!

I have three designs ALMOST ready . . . two for spring . . . hope to have them ready by next week.

Spring begins tomorrow!!!!  Here in northeastern Tennessee the daffodils are blooming, the forsythia have just burst and the early blooming trees are showing the first signs of color . . . THANK YOU GOD!!!!

~*