When I received this issue of Country Living last spring, I knew I would be
using the gorgeous cover photo as inspiration
somehow the following year.
Everything about that image appealed to me—
the earthiness of the dyed eggs, the soft white elements,
the serenely sophisticated style.
a few months ago, I decided to pull this magazine
back out and plan my strategy.
As I began collecting the various pieces needed to
re-create the Country Living vignette, I found I was lacking
two things—the proper dish to hold the eggs and
a bird figurine that I didn't mind painting.
A visit to one of my favorite flea markets proved to be quite productive.
I found this pretty ceramic piece and the cute little vintage,
plastic birds for a mere buck each.
The colors were not what I wanted, but the styles were
"eggs"actly what I had in mind. ; )
With a tiny repair, to replace the missing beak of one of the birds, and a good coat
of my favorite white spray paint—KRYLON's Fusion in
Dover White—both flea-market finds were ready to be put into service.
Next, I selected four silver-plated forks from my stash of mismatched goods
and four white English ironstone dessert plates.
I thought these vintage Boopie glasses—pieces inherited from
my grandmother—would make a nice addition.
The pretty cross-stitched linens were another fabulous deal.
I found them at an estate sale a few years ago...
for a grand total of twenty-five cents!
None of the walls in the cottage are blue, so I had to come up with something else
that I felt would be the perfect backdrop for my spring vignette.
And you know where I go when I need that "perfect something"!
Yep, you guessed it...the barn.
That's where this fantastic, old, chippy-paint door has been
stored—amid all the other wonderful architectural pieces
awaiting their day in the sun.
Once I had gathered the flowers and leaves from around the farm
and concocted the homemade dyes, it was time to get down to creating
the part of this vignette that makes it so impressive.
Of course, the beautiful, dyed eggs are really the showstopper here!
Since my tulips have not bloomed yet, I had to make a quick stop
at the local supermarket—meaning forty minutes away for me—
to find these lovely, white beauties.
I'm actually quite pleased with the end result of this copycat challenge.
And I learned a lot about making my own natural dyes...
as well as, the best ways to use the materials from nature
to embellish the eggs being dyed.
I also discovered a number of things NOT to do!
My eggs are certainly not perfect.
But for my very first attempt, I think they're terrific.
I wonder how many eggs the folks at Country Living
had to prepare to come up with the flawless masterpieces
that graced that magazine cover? ; )
If you would like to know how to create pretty spring eggs like these,
be sure to stop back by in a few days. I would love to share some special tips that will make
your experience a little less "trial and error" than mine was. ; )
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