O.K. Martha S., yup, you! Now, I do not want to be you, I have never wanted to be you, but there are times I enjoy taking on one of your little projects (or, you know, one of the projects dreamed up by one of your 1200 staff persons). So this month, when I was flipping through your flippingly cute magazine (thanks Mum for the subscription), I saw these fabulously uncomplicated looking paper eggs. And I said to myself, "self, how cute would these be packaged up in one of those nice priority mailboxes with Dove chocolate eggs within shipped all over the continental U.S." Yes, that is what I thought to myself. So this past unseasonably cold (not really unseasonably, but in my mind of sunshine and warm breezes it most certainly was) weekend, I unearthed my Modge Podge from the depths of boxes and baskets that have yet to be unpacked, and collected all sorts of bits of stray and orphaned craft paper. Purple and gold tissue, scraps of Italian wrapping paper that I carried back after my 37th birthday in Siena. Little packages given to me by precious friends wrapped in papers so pretty I would have left a score behind to carry the scraps back. Anyway, scissors, balloons, New York Times clippings etc., etc., etc. Ready, set, GO! Here are some notes in case any of you decide to have a go at this ridiculous feat. First, buy small balloons, in this case bigger is not better. The big ones take too long to cover with 1000 paper strips (O.K., 1000 is a bit of an exaggeration). Avoid tissue at all costs. It rips and it sticks in all of the wrong places. Buy a VAT of Modge Podge. You will go through ONE bottle to make just three small eggs. Cut your strips, thin and short, thick ones just refuse to find their way around the balloon shape, they buckle and twist and ball up. No, be smart and cut short ones. And be prepared for your arms to ache after the hours it takes to make one egg.

SO to all my friends and family who are hopeful that one of these will arrive on your doorstep, keep the faith. I am going back to conquer the eggs. Maybe they will get there by Christmas.

Enjoy the photos a la moi. Please see Martha's link to the right...in case you would like to try some of these yourself.