Information: Policies and FAQ   Policies How do I place an order? To order, please visit the For Sale page. Click the "add to cart" button under any items you wish to purchase. When you have finished your shopping, you can click "view cart," which will take you to the PayPal page where you can finalize and pay for your order. What kinds of payment do you accept? Payment is accepted through major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover), PayPal, or personal check. Credit cards are handled by PayPal through a secure connection. You do not have to have a PayPal account to pay by credit card. Should you choose to pay by check, I will ship the order once the check has cleared the bank. When you contact me to place an order I will ask you to choose a method of payment. What are your shipping charges? Shipping charges are based on how much you spend, as follows: $1 - $50 : $5 shipping $51 - $100 : $7.50 shipping $101 - $200 : $10 shipping $201 and up : $15 shipping All shipping is via Priority Mail with delivery confirmation included. Insurance is optional but recommended. Can I return an item? Should an egg you purchase arrive cracked, broken, or for any reason not meet your satisfaction, you are free to return the egg for a full refund or replacement within 14 days of receipt. Items other than eggs are non-refundable. Do you take custom orders? Fulfillment of custom orders is dependant on my time and availability. Generally, if you just want me to reproduce a small egg that is pictured in the Gallery page, I would be more than happy to do so. Larger eggs or unique custom eggs take more time and planning, and are dependant on the situation. Feel free to contact me and we can discuss what you have in mind.   FAQ How are your batik eggs made? All my eggs are made using a wax resist method similar to that used to make batik cloth. I start out with a room-temperature, symmetrical egg, rinsed clean in a vinegar solution. I then use a small tool, called a kistka, to cover with beeswax the parts of the egg that I want to remain white. The next step is to dye the egg the next darkest color, usually yellow. I then repeat the process, covering the areas of the egg I want to remain that color and then dying the egg the next darkest color, usually finishing off with black or another dark color. Once all the layers of wax and dye have been applied comes the fun part: I heat the egg over a flame and remove the wax. This is when the pattern is revealed and I can see the finished product. After all the wax has been removed the egg is covered with layers of a UV resistant varnish to add strength and protect the design and egg itself and also to give the egg a glossy shine. At this point the eggs are all emptied through a tiny hole in either the top or bottom. The eggs are then finished and can be displayed on stands or hung to make ornaments or other decorations. What are the definitions of the terms you are using? Pysanky "Pysanky" refers to batik eggs that are decorated with traditional Ukranian designs. These designs often use specific colors and symbols in their designs. Batik eggs “Batik eggs” refer to any egg that is decorated using the wax resist process, regardless of the design. Trypillian Trypillia was the site of a Neolithic civilization that existed from about 5,400 - 2,700 BCE at the location of modern Ukraine. Archaeological excavations of the region have recovered numerous examples of colorful pottery which is well known for its red, white, and black designs of spirals and stylized forms. Trypillian eggs feature the designs, colors, and symbols of Trypillian pottery. Krapanky "Krapanky" refers to a method of decorating eggs where instead of using a kistka to apply the wax, a pin is dipped in melted wax and then quickly pulled across the surface of the shell, creating a "drop-pull" effect. Kistka A kistka is the traditional tool used to create batik eggs. It features a small metal funnel attached to a handle. A small amount of beeswax is scooped into the funnel, which is then held over a flame to melt the wax. You can then write with the tool much like a pen, drawing a line of wax out of the hole in the end of the funnel. Modern electric kistkas have made life easier for many batik egg artists. Are these real eggs? Yes, they are all real eggs. How fragile are they? Egg shells are stronger than many people give them credit for. The larger an egg, the thicker the shell; an ostrich shell, for example, is about the same thickness as a nickel. Additionally, all of my eggs are coated with layers of acrylic varnish, which adds a certain amount of protection to the shell. Remember however, that these are all real empty eggshells, and while they can last a lifetime if handled gently, they are fragile and will likely shatter if knocked off a shelf or dropped on a hard surface. Note that all of the eggshell jewelry is filled with plaster and thus can stand up to normal wear. How long will they last? All the eggs are coated with a thick layer of UV resistant acrylic varnish. With gentle handling, they can last indefinitely.