Pysanky.

Happy Friday morning, friends!

We're back after a wonderful, family-filled week at home in Minneapolis. Our adventures will be posted later, but for now, in the spirit of springtime, here are some shots of what took over our dining room table for the last few weeks. 

Pysanky are traditional Ukrainian Easter eggs, and have been a part of Ukrainian culture for thousands of years. The word pysanka comes from the word pysaty, or "to write," referring to the fact that the designs are written on the egg with wax. Each design and color has its own meaning, with roots in pre-Christian times (it was once believed that the more colors and symbols an egg had, the more magical it was!). Now, centuries later, Ukrainians continue to make pysanky to preserve the traditions of the past and pass down this incredible art to younger generations. 

Here's how the process works: you start with a regular, plain egg (they're raw, so no, you really can't eat them). Using a kistka, a wooden (or, to bring us into the 21st century, an electric) stylus with a tiny well that's heated in a candle to melt the wax, you write each design onto the egg. Dying the eggs is a layering process: as you move from light to dark colors, the wax designs preserve whatever color is underneath. When you're finished, the pysanka will have wax all over it, hiding all the earlier colors and designs. 

My favorite part of making pysanky is the final step - melting off the wax. I use a candle; others do this en masse and melt several eggs at a time under a heat lamp. As the wax melts off and is wiped away, all the colorful designs are revealed. I've done this so many times, and still, each time, I'm surprised and excited to see the finished pysanka. They really are the perfect symbol for spring, signifying rebirth and new life. 

Making pysanky is a beautiful tradition that I'm so proud to continue! If you want to learn to make your own, visit the Ukrainian Gift Shop in Roseville, MN - they have everything you need to start making pysanky - from dyes and styluses to instructional kits and books filled with inspirational designs. They're really the go-to experts on all things pysanka! 

Have a wonderful weekend - hopefully the weather cooperates and starts to actually feel like spring!