Panoramic Sugar Eggs

    At my home Easter begins weeks before the Easter bunny starts picking out colors for his eggs. In my mind the joy of Easter consists of granulated sugar and meringue powder. My husband doesn't appreciate the endless crunch of sugar on his shoes, or the way the kitchen and dining room seem to disappear under the assortment of icing bunnies and chicks, but he has learned to tolerate it with a smile. I KNOW that he loves me just in the sweet way he puts up with how my obsession transforms our normal simple home life for 4-6 weeks every spring.

    I remember with fondness the time my sister, Nani invited my girls and me to her home to decorate sugar eggs for the first time. I think my mom may have made a sugar egg once or twice while I was young, but the craft had not become a common activity. I certainly had no clue to the awesomeness of this art and how it would effect my spring every year after that. In 2012 over sixty eggs were molded, carved and decorated in my home. I do NOT do this alone. I mostly do the molding and carving by myself, but the decorating is accomplished by people aged five to one hundred. With adult supervision even the youngest kids are successful at creating masterpieces with royal frosting and frosting decorations. It is usually the adults who need a bit of prodding before they realize the Picasso with in them.

    Decorating sugar eggs has become a fun way for me to meet my neighbors, new friends and to share a unique activity with people of all ages in my life. The beauty and creativeness is boundless. I have learned that it is important that I take a picture of the artist and egg before they leave my house. I don't think we ever took a photo of Brandon's bunny spacecraft. I kick myself over that one every year. The hours spent preparing shells to decorate are spent in anticipation of what surprises and masterpieces will magically be created with sugar and water. Some of the best masterpieces are the enduring friendships renewed and made. I certainly love the magic of sugar eggs!

    P.S. The next few weeks will be predomitely spent with sugar instead of paper.