Eeek. There’s a reason I don’t do videos! One pysanka nearly got away!
Tag: pysanky
First pysanky of 2024
I like to do pysanky of all different sizes. These first two are pee wee eggs. To give you an idea of the size difference, here’s my first pee wee beside an XL egg from last year:
Here’s a step by step (primarily so I can show you the nifty Tryzub nail art that Lacey at Hair Body Boom did for the Kobzar event:
A simple pysanka, step by step
Step one: lightly sketch outline in pencil, then cover up with hot wax everything you want to remain white.
Step two: soak egg in your next lightest colour of dye (yellow is a classic second colour).
Step three: cover up with hot wax everything you want to remain yellow.
Step four: soak in the next next lightest colour — in this case pink — then cover up with wax everything that you want to remain pink.
Step five: soak in your darkest colour.
Step six isn’t shown, but I use raw eggs with the guts still inside because the egg settles into the dye jar better. I remove the guts once all the dying is complete. I dribble hot wax onto the spot where I make my one hole so that the egg guts doesn’t disturb the dye and then I blow air with a syringe, followed by water with the syringe. I ensure the opening is free of filament (ie, if the hole is plugged, the egg will explode in the next step).
Step seven: put a soft buffing cloth on the tray of your microwave. Set your hollowed egg on top. Zap for 10 seconds. Immediately remove and buff with a clean soft cloth. Done! Finished egg above is the one on the far right.
Tryzub pysanka
This year’s pysanky (so far)
Five new pysanky, and now back to work
I’ve started a new manuscript and to keep on track, I need to write a minimum of 3,000 words a week. This week, I had written 3648 words by Friday, so on the weekend I rewarded myself by writing 5 extra-small pysanky. Did 440 words yesterday … tick, tick, tick…
There you are, my little fishies …
Refugee experience: art and storytelling
It was such a treat to virtually speak with students from grades 1 to 3 via Richmond Hill Public Library for Ukrainian Heritage month, discussing how art can be used to talk about the refugee experience and to discover the power of storytelling. I showed them a simplified way of creating pysanky (Ukrainian Easter Eggs) and how when the first Ukrainian pioneers came to Canada they wouldn’t have survived without the guidance and friendship of the Indigenous community. We talked about the cultural exchange of kokum scarves and I showed them a beautiful Polish beaded necklace (thank you Mateusz) and how the craft in its making blended so many cultures. I think there will be many kids making stick-tak or bubble-gum pysanky soon, and they all liked my bookshelf!
All my pysanky for Easter 2022
With the war, I’ve been obsessed with bees as a uniquely Ukrainian symbol of resistance. And blue and yellow.