Hand-decorated ostrich and goose eggs
Romanian egg art in raised wax, handcrafted by Anamaria.
A legacy is not always kept in a chest.
Sometimes, it lives on through our hands.
In a gesture watched as a child. In the patience of a mother at work. In a technique repeated until it no longer needs to be explained.
This is how a craft can pass from one generation to the next — not as a copy, but as something living, changing with the person who receives it.
ZESTREA is what has been carried this far. And what begins here, from this moment on.
Selected Works
Select a photograph to see the full piece.
This collection brings together my work on natural ostrich and goose eggshells. I decorate each shell by hand with coloured wax, building fine lines and dots that remain as a raised surface. The craft I learned in my family in Bucovina is my starting point, while the colours and motifs leave room for other influences. Some pieces are geometric, others floral or more flowing. Each finished design is individual: decorative egg art to live with, give as a gift or keep as part of a collection. Open a photograph to see the wax and ornament in greater detail.
Hand-Decorated Goose Eggs
Hand-Decorated Ostrich Eggs
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Anamaria
I grew up watching my mother decorate eggs, long before I understood the craft itself. I remember her gestures, her patience, the quiet concentration and the smell of beeswax. This tradition was already part of our family in my grandmother’s generation, and those early memories have stayed with me.
Today, I continue working on natural goose and ostrich eggshells with coloured wax and traditional wax-writing tools. The technique connects me to what I learned through my family, while leaving room for new ideas.
I find inspiration in the colours and patterns of many cultures. I enjoy experimenting with those influences and seeing where they take the work.
My roots in Bucovina, Romania, remain part of how I understand this craft, even when I draw inspiration from elsewhere.
AtelierZestrea is where I bring these influences together and continue the craft I learned in my family. The work keeps developing as I learn and experiment.
THE CRAFT
How each piece
is made
Natural eggshell
I begin with a natural goose or ostrich eggshell, carefully cleaned and stabilised before decoration.
Traditional tools
I draw each ornament in coloured wax with a traditional wax-writing tool known in Romanian as a chișiță. The wax stays on the shell, forming raised lines and dots.
Pysanky (singular: pysanka) are traditional Ukrainian decorated eggs. In the wax-resist method, wax protects areas of the shell during dyeing and is removed afterwards.
Natural beeswax
I use pure natural beeswax combined with wax-based colours.
Finishing
I finish each piece with a protective varnish intended to improve its durability over time.
CUSTOM COMMISSIONS
A personalised gift, made by hand
Looking for a gift for a birthday, a wedding or someone close to you? I can decorate an ostrich or goose eggshell with raised wax, using a memory, a symbol or the recipient’s favourite colours as a starting point.
Send me an image or describe your idea. If you are unsure where to start, tell me who the gift is for and the occasion. We can find a direction together.
Before I begin, we discuss the design, price, timing and delivery conditions together.
Are the eggs real?
Yes. I work on natural eggshells, carefully cleaned and stabilised before decoration.
Are they fragile?
These are natural eggshells. Handle each finished piece with care.
Can they be shipped safely?
I carefully pack each finished piece in protective layers for shipping.
Are the designs reproduced?
No. Finished works are not recreated identically.
What technique is used?
I build fine lines and dots on the eggshell with coloured wax. This raised wax stays on the shell as part of the finished work.
What happens if a piece arrives damaged?
The current policy in my online shop provides either a replacement or a full refund.