DIY: Easter Egg Tree by Ruth Lonsdale

Each Easter, my sister Ruth sends my children a beautiful hand-decorated egg (an artist in her own right, Ruth often uses the egg form in her ceramics work). So when we dreamed up a blue-and-white-themed Easter egg tree for yesterday's Tablescapes feature, we asked Ruth to create the eggs. Drawing her inspiration from traditional Japanese indigo prints, she coated each hand-blown organic hen egg with seven thin layers of white acrylic paint, then decorated freehand with a dark blue acrylic ink. For more information on Ruth's eggs, go to EggsRa. To create your own Easter egg tree, see sources below (also check out Martha Stewart's guide to creating an Easter egg tree).

Photography by Simon Bevan for Remodelista.

Above: Hand-painted eggs by Ruth Lonsdale hang from branches of White English Blossom, arranged in a simple glass vase from Wild at Heart. The pair of Victorian Bristol Blue Glass Candlesticks (c. 1850) are from Guinevere in London. The white ceramic goblets, dinnerware, and Silver Hand-Beaten Tumbler Cup on the Antique Chest (c. 1700) are from Rose Uniacke's line of accessories and antiques.

Above: The eggs are suspended from wires strung with glass beads, shells, and semi-precious stones.

Above: Hand-Blown Hollow Eggs are $14 for a dozen from Etsy seller Elegant Farmhouse. Clean hand-blown Goose Eggs ready for decorating can be found at Beverly's Goose Hatchery; prices begin at $1 for a small egg.

Above: Ruth used traditional Japanese hand-dyed indigo fabric prints as inspiration.

Above: Liquitex Acrylic Ink is $4.01 per bottle from Dick Blick.

Above L: Blue Japanese Seed Beads are $3.75 per 30gm tube at the BeadRoom. Above R: White Japanese Seed Beads are $3.75 per 30gm tube at the BeadRoom.

Above: If you can't source branches locally, Save on Crafts sells Pussy Willow Branches; six 50-inch-tall branches for $15.