Ask me anything about pysanky—tradition

Ask me anything about pysanky—tools, technique, tradition and more . . . .

Question – What is the traditional Ukrainian pysanka symbol for leadership?

Answer – A deer.

Check out our Book Preview of My First Pysanka—Symbols my Baba taught me by Joan Brander on YouTube here

#PanyaPysanka #AskUsAnything #JoanBrander #BabasBeeswax

Tuesday Tips for pysanky — removing beeswax

What’s your learning style? is it listening (we have a podcast), is it watching (we have a YouTube channel), is it doing (we have a tutorial), is it online (we have digital resources), or is it reading (we have unique publications). We’ve been doing all this and more since 1991 and this year we’re celebrating our 30^th anniversary! Learning pysanky is easy, fun and affordable. Continuing in our FB series we have Tips and Troubleshooting for eggs, beeswax, kistka, dyes, candles, pencil guidelines, removing beeswax, emptying your eggs, varnishing your pysanky, using a drying board, displaying your pysanky and more . . . .

Today’s Tip is on removing beeswax using the candle method. If you do use a candle, do not place the pysanka directly in the flame. This could cause soot from the wick of the candle to blacken your design, or worse, burn it. The burned areas cannot be repaired.

Our future Tuesday Tips will cover other methods of removing beeswax, as well as removing unwanted black soot from your pysanka.

Our team has you covered. You can trust the experts at Baba’s Beeswax. Our Mission is to provide you with everything you need to make beautiful pysanky the traditional way from pysanky supplies and kits to workshops and books. Our Vision is to inspire and encourage beginners, experts, and anyone interested in Ukrainian egg decorating to discover the magic of one of the great traditions of all time—PYSANKY!

 #BabasBeeswax #TuesdayTipsAndTroubleshooting #PysankySupplies

Ukrainian Soul

See Joan Brander’s whimsical, inspirational, and cute designs on face masks, apparel (more than just T-shirt), gifts and novelty items for your home or office (greeting cards, mugs, etc.) in our Ukrainian Soul Collection at https://www.cafepress.ca/babaspysankyboutique/17220234

©Joan Brander

#CafePress #pysanky #UkrainianEasterEgg #BabasBeeswax

Take a Look. Read a Book

There's so many reasons to enjoy reading: to learn, discover, expand your worldview, have quiet time, and to feel and smell books are just a few. If you'd like to add to your pysanky collection of books, have a look at Pysanky on Paper : An Activity Book for Children by pysanky expert Joan Brander featured on our YouTube Channel | Book Preview Playlist and see if it'll fit into your library. Here’s the YouTube link.

Whimsical image of “Panya Pysanka” courtesy J. Brander.

#PysankyBooks #BabasBeeswax #JoanBrander

Friday Funnies – Collection Plate

Today is Friday and who couldn’t use a little pysanka humour to start off the weekend? Credit for this one goes to ©Daniel Reynolds

Ask me anything about pysanky—technique

Ask me anything about pysanky—tools, technique, tradition and more . . . .

Question – What causes my kistka to require cleaning?

Answer – Dirt, debris (from the candle wick) and fibres from paper or tissues (if you practice using your kistka this way) block the funnel preventing the melted beeswax from writing on your egg smoothly. See more in this short video in the Pysanky How To's and DIY playlist on YouTube here.

#PanyaPysanka #AskUsAnything #JoanBrander #BabasBeeswax

Seasonal Greetings from Guy Kistka - Autumnal Equinox

Our playful mascot, Guy Kistka, loves the first day of fall and the crunchy sound he makes as he runs through the leaves! The team of pysanky experts at Baba’s Beeswax loves the autumnal equinox with its explosion of yellow, orange and red—which also happen to be three basic colours of pysanky dyes! Thanksgiving and Halloween will carry us through the season and all the woodland creatures will start storing up for the long haul of winter.

What do you love about fall? What special traditions do you have?

See his greeting on our YouTube Channel (Fun Stuff Playlist) here https://youtu.be/2eDYJzjDMrg 

If you like Guy’s video, comment below. If you don't please let us know how he can make improvements. We value all feedback.

 

#BabasBeeswax #GuyKistka #PysankyExperts #AutumnalEquinox

Tuesday Tips for pysanky — pencil guidelines

What’s your learning style? is it listening (we have a podcast), is it watching (we have a YouTube channel), is it doing (we have a tutorial), is it online (we have digital resources), or is it reading (we have unique publications). We’ve been doing all this and more since 1991 and this year we’re celebrating our 30^th anniversary! Learning pysanky is easy, fun and affordable. Continuing in our FB series we have Tips and Troubleshooting for eggs, beeswax, kistka, dyes, candles, pencil guidelines, removing beeswax, emptying your eggs, varnishing your pysanky, using a drying board, displaying your pysanky and more . . . .

Today’s Tip is about using pencil guidelines. It is better to make long, smooth lines, rather than short sketchy lines. Listen to Episode 5 of our Pysanka Power Podcast “The Technique of Using Pencil Guidelines” on your favourite app or here https://www.babasbeeswax.com/X-Pysanka%20Power%20Podcast/The%20Technique%20of%20Using%20Pencil%20Guidelines.mp3

Our team has you covered. You can trust the experts at Baba’s Beeswax. Our Mission is to provide you with everything you need to make beautiful pysanky the traditional way from pysanky supplies and kits to workshops and books. Our Vision is to inspire and encourage beginners, experts, and anyone interested in Ukrainian egg decorating to discover the magic of one of the great traditions of all time—PYSANKY!

 

#BabasBeeswax #TuesdayTipsAndTroubleshooting #PysankySupplies

The World of Pysanky

See Joan Brander’s whimsical, inspirational, and cute designs on face masks, apparel (more than just T-shirt), gifts and novelty items for your home or office (greeting cards, mugs, etc.) in The World of Pysanky Collection at https://www.cafepress.ca/babaspysankyboutique/17223982

©Joan Brander

#CafePress #pysanky #UkrainianEasterEgg #BabasBeeswax

A Pysanka Poem Worth Sharing

Once Upon a Pysanka . . . . some literary works about pysanky. This poem, Pysanka: Icon of the Universe, is by Roman Onujfrijchuk, Winnipeg, 1975.

And child:
this thing is no longer egg,
its time of “egg”
is long gone, only to be recounted in memory.
it once was egg, and came from clucking hen but that time has passed . . . long.
And this thing . . . no longer egg,
when it was; but egg was;
more perfect, more beautiful then others
in colour,
in shape,
in the life within . . . so its honour was greater
chosen
collected
and now, the days of our youth gone . . . long
it is pysanka
 
Pysanka, a name:
what meaning has it in you?
What doors of secret memory can it open?
Pysanka, book of my people, book of the ages.
You are written, pysaty is to write.
You are written, chytaty is to read.
Pysanka, a name:
what meaning has it in you?
 
Pysanka, ancient art,
since before times you have been with us
Your humble people.
When we were trypillia,
Five thousand summers ago
out of clay we made you painting these our meanders on you
Three thousand summers ago
We drew a reed through wet glazes
and you, pysanko, came to life.
 
Name the names of the artists:
the great artists
and there are no names but
you and I; in every hand
pysanka lives
for everyone.
 
Five thousand years we have done this:
from steppe to carpathians
we have mixed the dyes,
heated the beeswax
drawn these little wax roadways
drowning this once-egg in sunset (spreading, glowing)
                    night (count the stars on velvet)
                    spring (and the dance of our youth)
fire (of the passion for life)
                    harvest (rich ancestral ocean)
                    sky (meadowlark’s song)
                    evening (and nightingale)
                    and the resplendent sun . . .
and watches these flow
in and out, meander, weave . . .
sudden into the daybreak
sudden into wishes.
 
you are book of my people, pysanko!
you are my people’s soul.
 
All that is, is through God.
And the words of prayer
                    are the first designs on this white field
                                        richer than any
                                        richest of all
                    holiest foundation.
Without them, child, no kistka
should travel the path of pysanka
Child:
                    first comes the prayer
                    and in it comes the power
                    and the beauty of sunrise and dew-wing
                    on this one-egg.
 
Love, living egg, prayer
and
the secrets of the signs
And Child:
this little thing is no longer egg;
its time of egg
is long gone,
is long gone.
and child:
from the clucking hen it came
to be gathered by our hand
and taken away in all of its life
                    in all of its perfection
that it could become no longer egg
that its time of egg could end.
 
and we coloured it Child, with sunset
and dew song
and hot august sun
and flight of skylark
and the passions of the stars.
 
and they came from the depths of our soul, child,
 
and they came from the silent prayer,
                    that all creation prays with its breath:
                    to the maker.
and they came to the lover that has home in this
ancient heart of yours
                    of mine.
 
pysanka: a name
what meaning has it for you?
pysanko,
book of my people, pysanko, book of my soul
pysanko.

Friday Funnies — Easter Egg Hussy

Today is Friday and who couldn’t use a little pysanka humour to start off the weekend? Credit for this one goes to nobleworkscards. com. Hope your day is eggs-tra special.

Ask me anything about pysanky—tools and technique

Ask me anything about pysanky—tools, technique, tradition and more . . . .

Question – Why won't hot wax drip out of the kistka after I've taken it out of the flame?

Answer – I love how pysanky teaches science! The reason is the cohesive forces between liquid molecules responsible for the phenomenon known as surface tension. Even though the hot, melted wax is a liquid, it won't come out of the kistka until the tip touches your egg.

#PanyaPysanka #AskUsAnything #JoanBrander #BabasBeeswax

Tuesday Tips for Pysanky — dyes

What’s your learning style? is it listening (we have a podcast), is it watching (we have a YouTube channel), is it doing (we have a tutorial), is it online (we have digital resources), or is it reading (we have unique publications). We’ve been doing all this and more since 1991 and this year we’re celebrating our 30^th anniversary! Learning pysanky is easy, fun and affordable. Continuing in our FB series we have Tips and Troubleshooting for eggs, beeswax, kistka, dyes, candles, pencil guidelines, removing beeswax, emptying your eggs, varnishing your pysanky, using a drying board, displaying your pysanky and more . . . .

Today’s Tip is what to do if dyes turn cloudy (i.e. showing evidence of bacteria growth). Simply strain them through cheesecloth, bring to a boil, and add 1 tablespoon of vinegar (keeping in mind that some dyes don’t require vinegar—read your dye directions carefully). Listen to Episode 3 of our Pysanka Power Podcast “All About Pysanky Dyes” on your favourite app or here https://www.babasbeeswax.com/X-Pysanka%20Power%20Podcast/All%20About%20Pysanky%20Dyes.mp3

Our team has you covered. You can trust the experts at Baba’s Beeswax. Our Mission is to provide you with everything you need to make beautiful pysanky the traditional way from pysanky supplies and kits to workshops and books. Our Vision is to inspire and encourage beginners, experts, and anyone interested in Ukrainian egg decorating to discover the magic of one of the great traditions of all time—PYSANKY!

 

#BabasBeeswax #TuesdayTipsAndTroubleshooting #PysankySupplies

Ukrainian Pysanka Reflection

See Joan Brander’s whimsical, inspirational, and cute designs on face masks, apparel (more than just T-shirt), gifts and novelty items for your home or office (greeting cards, mugs, etc.) in our Ukrainian Pysanka Reflection Collection at https://www.cafepress.ca/babaspysankyboutique/17219974

©Joan Brander

#CafePress #pysanky #UkrainianEasterEgg #BabasBeeswax

Ask me anything about pysanky

Ask me anything about pysanky—tools, technique, tradition and more . . . .

Question —Why isn't food colouring used for pysanky?

Answer — Bright vibrant aniline components have replaced natural dyes and food colouring as the preferred choice for dyes. 

© Joan Brander

© Sean St. Denis

#PanyaPysanka #AskUsAnything #JoanBrander #BabasBeeswax

Christmas Peace

Thinking about the months ahead and the magic of Christmas? See Joan (Ivanka) Brander’s whimsical, inspirational, and cute designs on face masks, apparel (more than just T-shirt), gifts and novelty items for your home or office (greeting cards, mugs, etc.) featuring pysanky in our Christmas Peace Collection. See it here.

© Joan Brander

#CafePress #pysanky #UkrainianEasterEgg #BabasBeeswax #JoanBrander

Ask me anything about pysanky — tradition

Ask me anything about pysanky—tools, technique, tradition and more . . . .

Question –What is the traditional Ukrainian pysanka symbol for good fortune? 

Answer – A circle. 

© Joan Brander

See a preview of more traditional symbols in Joan Brander's "My First Pysanka : Symbols my Baba taught me" in our Book Preview Playlist on our YouTube Channel here: 

#PanyaPysanka #AskUsAnything #JoanBrander #BabasBeeswax

Pysanka Reflection

See Joan Brander’s whimsical, inspirational, and cute designs on face masks, apparel (more than just T-shirt), gifts and novelty items for your home or office (greeting cards, mugs, etc.) in our Pysanka Reflection Collection at https://www.cafepress.ca/babaspysankyboutique/17219970

©Joan Brander

#CafePress #pysanky #UkrainianEasterEgg #BabasBeeswax

Tuesday Tips for Pysanky — removing beeswax

Our Tuesday Tips for Pysanky. What’s your learning style? is it listening (we have a podcast), is it watching (we have a YouTube channel), is it doing (we have a tutorial), is it online (we have digital resources), or is it reading (we have unique publications). We’ve been doing all this and more since 1991 and this year we’re celebrating our 30^th anniversary! Learning pysanky is easy, fun and affordable. Continuing in our FB series we have Tips and Troubleshooting for eggs, beeswax, kistka, dyes, candles, pencil guidelines, removing beeswax, emptying your eggs, varnishing your pysanky, using a drying board, displaying your pysanky and more . . . .

Today’s Tip is to use a cleaning wire to remove unwanted debris such as dust and lint from the funnel of your kistka. Watch How to clean your kistka presented by BabasBeeswax com on our YouTube Channel in the Pysanky How To's and DIY Playlist. Here’s the link https://youtu.be/uu31FTeDo9I

Our team has you covered. You can trust the experts at Baba’s Beeswax. Our Mission is to provide you with everything you need to make beautiful pysanky the traditional way from pysanky supplies and kits to workshops and books. Our Vision is to inspire and encourage beginners, experts, and anyone interested in Ukrainian egg decorating to discover the magic of one of the great traditions of all time—PYSANKY!

#BabasBeeswax #TuesdayTipsAndTroubleshooting #PysankySupplies

Seasonal Greetings from Guy Kistka - Back to School in September

New teachers, new friends, new shoes, new notebooks, and sometimes, a new school. Just a few things that mean back to school. Our playful mascot reminds us to slow down in school zones as excited kids head back to school.

What does back to school mean to you and your family? For the team of pysanky experts at Baba’s Beeswax back to school means the end of summer vacation and getting pysanky supplies and teaching aids ready for ordering. From beeswax and dyes to books and workshops we have everything you and your teacher need to make beautiful pysanky the traditional way.

We have been partners in education with teachers and schools since 1991!

See his greeting on our YouTube Channel (Fun Stuff Playlist) here https://youtu.be/VnaS4EsUgV4.

 

If you like Guy’s message, comment below. If you don't please let us know how he can make improvements. We value all feedback.

 

#GuyKistka #BabasBeeswax #BackToSchool #LabourDay #UkrainianEasterEggSupplies #DiscoverTheMagicOfPysanky #PysankaPowerVideo