Tea With Christine~

Tea with Christine from www.TEENER1416.Etsy.com  by Vanessa www. whisperingoak.Etsy.com

Just in time for Easter, we are presenting Teener1416.  I have been admiring this store featured in the Etsy Discover Pages for Easter.  And now produly invited to be in the Martha Stewart Show.  Read more:

I am a 25 year old graduate of Duquesne Law School. I took the bar exam a month ago and am waiting for the results. Crafts have always been a part of my life. I love trying everything from knitting, to baking, crosstitch, and so on. The most involved craft I fell in love with was egg etching. Ten years ago I really got into egg etching. It is an Eastern European technique. I am Lithuanian, and my family and I try to bring traditions from Lithuania into Modern times.

My mom and sister make straw ornaments while I do the eggs. Every year we sell at a Lithuanian Festival in Frackville Pennsylvania. Also we try to keep traditions in addition to the crafts alive such as Lithuanian food, Christmas and New Year’s traditions and games. At Easter we boil eggs and dye them. Each person picks an egg and take turns hitting each person's egg. The last person standing with an uncracked egg wins. My dad always seems to win.

I started etching eggs and could not stop! It was a stress relief aid while in school. Now I hope to make this into a business more than a side hobby.

 The eggs are hollowed out. We try to eat the insides of all the eggs to not waste them. I don't want to know ho high my cholesterol is. Then the eggs are cleaned and dyed. Once dried I draw some guide lines on the egg and start etching. I use a box cutter to glide along the top of the shell, taking off only a small layer of shell.

One time I was studying abroad in Italy and was worried about not having a job that summer. My mom emails me while I'm in Rome to tell me the wonderful news that I was asked to do a wedding order of 175-200 eggs for wedding favors. I was ecstatic! Then I found out I would have a 2 mnoths to complete the order... I think a little less even. I got home and started dying and etching eggs on the spot. With a little help from my mom we got the order done.. and I couldnt feel my hand for a few weeks. 

I am currently preparing to be on the Martha Stewart Show March 29 10am and 2pm Hallmark channel to show how to etch my eggs. I hope everyone can tune in!

Statteam has opened the land of treasuries to me more and more! I used to be in a couple treasuries a week, but now I am in them daily and I love seeing how people's creativity translates into treasuries. The colors and themes are lovely and imaginative. I feel that exposure has helped my shop and I hope to continue with the team from a long time!

We are so excited for you and wish you lots of luck