The Frankfurt Easter Market

This afternoon we and the Romneys went into Frankfurt to the Dominican Kloster not far from the Dom for the Easter Market.  These Easter Markets are scheduled in different towns this month–many of the same vendors travel to multiple markets, where they set up their tables to sell their wares.

I had fun taking pics of the craft items. Most had to do with eggs and most were real eggs. And not just chicken eggs. There were duck eggs, goose eggs, pheasant and pigeon eggs, and even ostrich and emu eggs.

Many eggs were dyed, then the paint scratched off to reveal the white, with detailed patterns. We picked out enough to fill a bowl–8 eggs in different colors. I also picked out a few cute little Easter tree ornaments made with felted wool and felt.  I like supporting these artists.

We bought a few beautiful from this vendor.  His wife made them and he and his daughter sell them.  She works on them in the evenings, sitting by the fire, using a “carpet knife” to scratch the dye off, revealing the patterns.

Ella picked out some of these naturally dyed eggs with leaf patterns on them.  The woman explained how she uses onion skins to dye her eggs.  And she proudly told us that she never wastes the egg she blows out of the shells.  She shares the eggs with her family, neighbors and friends.  She dyes them by the 100s.

These are the names of the plants she uses to make the designs:

The eggs below were made with cut straw glued to the eggs, then painted with clear varnish.

These had copper wire designs on them:

Many, like these, were just painted with beautiful designs.

I bought a few of these little Easter tree decorations to hang on our Easter Tree at home.

It was a really fun afternoon.  We managed to find some Brats and pastries to keep us going, and we enjoyed showing the Romneys around downtown Frankfurt.  We are having so much fun here!