Pysanky is the plural of the word “pysanka.” It means “to write.” One egg is called a pysanka; two or more are pysanky. We “write” the eggs.

The wax relief (batik) method, using an empty eggshell, a writing instrument called a kistka, a candle flame, beeswax, aniline dye and an idea.

The design is built by layers of melted beeswax and colored dyes. A layer of dye, melted beeswax applied to cover the portion of the egg that will remain that color in the finished design, followed by a dip into the next color of dye, and then a layer of beeswax to cover the area that will remain that color, and so on. At the end, you have many layers of different colored dyes protected by many layers of hardened beeswax. When you’re ready for the reveal, the wax is melted off in the flame of a candle, revealing the beautiful design beneath.

No, I empty the eggs before I work on them. Lots of scrambled eggs and omelets in our house!

Well, we’re talking about an empty egg shell. Dropped on a carpeted floor, it may not break if it doesn’t hit anything on the way down. Dropped on a counter top or hard floor, the egg will break. However, displayed in a basket or on a display stand on a shelf, your egg will be very safe and happy!

Yes. Unless otherwise noted, the finished egg has been dipped in a sign-painter’s gloss acrylic to protect the egg from dirt and dust and to prevent the dye from running. It will not, however, prevent the dye from fading. For this reason, never display your pysanka in direct sunlight.

The minimum amount of time to complete a simple egg, for me, start to finish, is about four hours. Most run between six and ten. The extremely detailed emu, rhea and ostrich eggs take a minimum of 24 hours.

Many of my eggs are traditional Ukrainian folk designs. Some are traditional designs but nontraditional colors. Others are traditional design elements that I have combined into something pleasing. If you’d like to know about the origin of a design on a particular egg, feel free to contact me.

❤️ My unconditional satisfaction guarantee: If you are not completely, 100% pleased with your purchase, for any reason, please contact me within 7 days of receipt of your order to arrange for a return and refund (less the original cost of postage). I can offer this extraordinary guarantee because of my attention to detail and confidence in the quality of my product. There should be no surprises when your package arrives, except perhaps that it is even more beautiful than you imagined it could be. ❤️

Please contact me immediately if your pysanka arrives broken, with photos of the damaged packaging and the broken item. While I will pack your egg expertly for the trip and do not expect a pysanka to ever break in transit, I also do not want your hard-earned money to be wasted. Any item broken in transit will either be replaced or the full payment refunded, at my choice. You may shop Beautifuleggsbydiane with complete confidence.

To prevent fading, NEVER display your pysanky in direct sunlight! No varnish or topcoat can totally prevent fading.