European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 14, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Story and photos by Charlie Bowden Munich bureaus seventeen years ago Sharon Hudgins could Only afford to Admire is intricately designed eggs that appear in store displays each year Al easter today her admiration. Has turned into a collecting obsession. Hudgins first came to Europe in t971, a Wida eyed Down Home girl from the Midwest. Since than she has visited 40 countries collecting along the Way. Her firs love is hand painted eggs. The Lime consuming Craft is honed to perfection by Folk craftsmen in Eastern european countries such As Hungary Czechoslovakia. Yugoslavia and Poland. Hirst saw the egg Trees in 1970 when i moved to Germany the first time recalled Hudgins a freelance writer teacher and gourmet Cook who also writes a regular food column Lor stripes Magazine. I always admired them but i did t have the Money then to buy whom so i just admired Hudgins left Germany returned or a second Lour and then moved to Texas. Of course there Ware no easier Trees in Texas and i wanted one so i decided to make one with thai decision Hudgins Learned that one can make an easier egg Iree at Home Lor very Little Cost. Just some branches a few eggs some magic markers and a lot of hot air. In her Case since Sha was living in Texas she decorated the eggs with scenes depicting Texas life ranging from armadillos to blood red sunsets. That s the Nice thing about egg Trees you Don t have to spend a lot Money on one. You can do it yourself and give it your own personal her do it yourself Altitude changed however when she returned to Europe in 1961. We started Raveling extensively in Eastern Europe then and that s when i started to collect eggs Lor an egg five years later her collection consists of a couple of Hundred eggs of assorted shapes sizes and designs. Including about 60 hand painted eggs in predominantly red that she uses to decorate her Christmas tree. She now has wooden eggs blown Glass eggs and hollow Metal eggs irom England and while the majority c Hor collection i vow straight from Eastern european stores some she has purchased in Germany. But she adds a word of caution eggs Are expensive in German stores. If you buy them in Germany no Mailer where they come from they Cost More than if you buy them in the country where they re made. Your Best bet is to visit the country where they re made or have someone who s visiting there to buy eggs Are available in mos department stores in Germany at easier but prices generally Start at around 5 Marks each about $2.75 and could go As High As 12 15 Marks depending on the design she said in Prague Czechoslovakia the Oggs can be found for about 25 cents each fancier eggs Lor about $1 each. Chinese eggs have been introduced recently into the european Market Hudgins said. It will usually be obvious they re from China by their designs usually pandas and tigers or Birds and Flowers with lots of swirls to the design she said. But easter egg Trees Are not a custom there. They re made for the european another place that few people think of when egg shopping is the Lea markets that can a found in most major cities in Germany. I Lound a whole Basket of wooden eggs Al the Munich Lea Market recalls Hudgins. And i got the whole Batch for a those eggs she uses Lor a special easter tree that she puts out for her Oats who have found the eggs to be great toys. You should be careful with your Iree if you have cats warns Hudgins they think they re great blow out the eggs Sharon Hudgins offers these instructions on blowing eggs which can then be decorated and Hung on an easter tree take a Large egg. Wash it Well then dry it. Take a darning Needle that is slightly longer than the egg poke it through the Large end of the egg Down to the Small end. The holes should a about one eighth Inch round. Swish the Needle around while it s still in the egg to mix the White and Yolk of the egg making it easier to blow it out. Then put your Mouth Over one Hole and blow the insides out the other. You can save the insides to make scrum bed 331. Carefully run cold water in the holes swishing it around to Wash the inside and shake the water out. Let in dry overnight. Then use imagination magic markers and acrylic paints to decorate the egg. It s traditional to hang the eggs Ether on Pussy Willow or forsythia branches. With Pussy Willows put seme Sand in the Bottom of thevaos to help weigh it Down forsythia will need water to keep blossoms in Bloom. Following the German tradition Sharon Hung let Decorah. Paget4 the stars and stripes tuesday a
