Easter felted egg cozies by YanArt

Get into an Easter spirit while making these colorful felted Eggs cozies! This tutorial is kindly offered to our readers by Yana (YanArt)

For this tutorial it is preferable you had some basic felting skills.

You will need a ruler, scissors, a marker, and a piece of PV film. For example you can use an old package. You will also need wool, water, soap and an egg.

Measure your egg's «waist» and add to the size 30% more (for example 14 cm + 30% = 18.2 cm). In the process of felting wool tends to shrink which is why you should add some size.

Divide this size in 2 (18.2/2 = 9.1cm) – this will be the size of the bottom of the triangular pattern for your hat.

You can choose the size of the top up to your liking but not less than the half of the egg's height. It can be a very tall or smaller hat, it's up to you (remember that wool shrinks).

1. Put the PV film triangular pattern on the bubble-wrap and spread several layers of wool (horizontally and vertically). Put a bit more on the edges – you will turn them over later.

2. Moist the wool with a light soap solution, cover with bubble-wrap and rub a little. Turn everything upside down. Remove the bubble-wrap and thoroughly turn the edges of the wool over the sides of the triangle.

3. Spread the wool on another side of the hat.

4. Repeat step 2. Turn the edges of the wool over the sides again horizontally. Lift and turn the wool at the bottom.

Do it in the upper direction (vertically) to make the bottom of the hat even.

5. Cover with a bubble-wrap and rub gently in circular movements.

6. Wrap everything up in a roll and roll it 50-80...100 times. Unwrap, shift a little the triangular pattern to avoid clotting and wrinkling.

7. Wrap up in a roll. Repeat step 6 several times.

8. Unwrap the roll. Remove the PV film pattern and felt with your hands.

Rub to achieve the shape of a pointy hat and to even the bottom of the hat.

9. Rinse the hat in warm water. Shape it up let it dry.

10. If needed you can use special needles for dry felting to make the bottom of the hat even.

Have fun felting and happy Easter!

Coffee cake Citrus Delight

Spring is coming so lets add some nice moments to our lives!

Baking is one of life's little pleasures for me so I'd like to share this recipe with you. I am always pleased making this coffee cake, that's why I named it Citrus Delight. Some believe that food is carrying the energy of the cook so make it with love!

You need:

For the dough:

150 g butter, softened

2 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups of flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

zest of 1 large orange

For the topping:

1 lemon with the seeds removed and finely chopped

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

2 egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

1. Separate egg yolks from egg whites. Put egg whites to the refrigerator until ready to use. Mix the 2 egg yolks and 1 cup sugar until thoroughly mixed. Add orange zest.

Add softened butter and baking powder.

Mix well, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Make a lemon-walnut mixture: mix finally chopped lemon and walnuts and refrigerate until ready to use.

Whisk together chilled egg whites and 1/2 cup sugar until foamy. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 170'C. Remove the dough from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Spray a rectangular baking dish with a cooking spray and spread the dough evenly with your fingers.

Spread the lemon-walnut mixture evenly on top of dough. Spread egg whites & sugar over lemon-walnut mixture.

Bake at 170'C for about 25 minutes in the middle of the rack. Then move it to the top rack for 5 more minutes. Do not over bake, it should be moist and soft.

Slice your Citrus Delight. It smells wonderful, tastes great and is ready to be served!

Recipe by Yana (YanArt)

Translated by Tanya (Socksandmittens)

Interview With A Star - Yana at YanArt

Yana is one of the talented felt artist from Ukraine who is also a member of our group. So we asked her to tell us more about herself, her work, her inspiration. She kindly agreed and we are happy to introduce you Yana at YanArt today!

Please tell us a little bit about yourself

My name is Yana. I live in Cherkasy, Ukraine. It’s a beautiful town on the bank of the Dneper river. From my early childhood I liked to draw, sew, knit, and sculpt clay. So sometimes I even wonder why I graduated from the university with an absolutely different major. Probably this is why now I invest more time in my hobby which begins to gradually replace my profession. Of course, it became possible only with the support of my family, and I mean all its members! My beloved cat is always around :)

Tell us more about your work

I learned about felting a few years ago. This particular method attracted me with its variety and unlimited possibilities: you can mix wool in the same way as you mix paints and literally draw with it and see it comes to life in your hands.

Do you use any special techniques or tools?

I prefer to use natural materials in my work: wool, clay and fabrics. Though at the present time I spent much time with felting/needle felting. You can’t often predict the outcome though but the result is always magnificent.

Work with wool is surprising, live, interesting and remarkable. There is no place for ordinary, it is always one of a kind! It is also a constant self-perfection of your own knowledge and techniques. Wool allows you to create felt products using different kinds of fabrics as a basis and different kinds of wool, fibers of silk, banana, etc. It goes further, it’s not only wet felting, but also dry or their combination!

What are your main sources of inspiration?

What gives me inspiration? Just about everything! A beautiful sunset I can see through my window, a bouquet of summer flowers, sparkling raindrops in the spider’s net. All these things are so appealing!

Do you take custom orders?

I do and I am often inspired by the orders themselves. Take a look at my work for a little girl who was only two month old at that time, for instance:

The most touching requests are to create a figurine in memory of a passed pet:

Also, I just have to mention my favorite client, a little Roxolana:)

Each and every of my creations are made with great love. They carry a bit of my soul and warmth of my hands. It is very important for me that everyone could feel it and get the greatest satisfaction possible!