Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

Eggs and hares were symbols of fertility and a new beginning in spring. Since time immemorial, eggs have been associated with world or universe by many cultures. So, it is not surprising that eggs for hundreds of years have been used for rituals, decorated and were hung in temples in Babylonian time. They dyed, painted, decorated, and then used egg as a symbol for spring festival since eggs represent new life and a new dawn. When Christianity spread out across the world, egg becomes a symbol of man’s rebirth rather than nature or spring. Christians symbolize the egg to Jesus Christ tomb from which he broke forth and rose again. Likewise, they painted the egg with red to symbolize the blood of Christ, and every year the decoration becomes elaborate and colourful. Today, Easter eggs decorated with myriad of colours to make it more fun to look at, and children  can better understand their importance to the celebration of Easter.  From Ten Easter symbols and Their Meaning  ...

I love this way of decorating eggs for Easter - it is a natural process and we can eat the eggs without too much guilt or damage to our waistlines. All I did  today was boil up some brown onion skins /peel. I prepared the eggs by cutting up some nylon stockings and placed a leaf down over the stocking and then the uncooked egg on top. Then I pulled the nylon stocking tight around the leaf and egg, making sure the leaf was placed where I wanted it, and secured the parcel with a rubber band. I put the eggs in the dye bath and slowly brought them to a boil, let them cook for about 10 minutes, and let them cool in the dye bath for at least.an hour. I think the better results came from the heavier, stronger leaves -   the upper left is grevillea, and the lower left is rosemary or perhaps you prefer the more delicate prints from the ferns? Happy Easter!  

With Easter and Anzac Day making the next weekend a five day holiday, it is a great opportunity for  a family "get together ". We will have a house full of relatives, so we are all looking for a special time with my mother, niece and her partner and of course our own children and grandchildren. How cute is this Easter card made by our grandson? My mother has been with us for a week, and has been very busy making "Easter" eggs - aren't they beautiful ?  And  we have both been making felted eggs as the photo shows. I have also just finished some little art dolls ... This little serene green goddess symbolises the peace I wish everyone for Easter... If you celebrate Easter, best wishes for a blessed and happy Easter and  I hope Anzac Day is a special day for all Australians.

Happy Easter to all my friends and family who celebrate this special religious event. Most associate eggs with Easter, so I thought this photo of quail, duck and chicken eggs for sale at the morning markets in Luang Prabang in Laos on Friday morning  was most appropriate. Jim ( my husband) and I arrived home yesterday from our amazing, wonderful, exciting, spiritual and inspiring trip to Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. You may have guessed we enjoyed  all the different experiences and I will be blogging about some of the mjore interesting stories with photos over the next couple of weeks.   Whatever beliefs you have, there is no denying that one of the most spiritual and peaceful places in the world is Angkor Wat in Cambodia.  When I  reveiwed  my holiday photos and came across this one, I am reminded that " Easter tells us that life is to be interpreted not simply in terms of things but in terms of ideals." ~ Charles M. Crowe Ke...