Hobby inspires show and sale for decorated eggs

One might call it an egg-cellent idea, egg-citing even.

Summerlin resident Sharon Grant is planning the Eggsquisite Las Vegas International Egg Show and Sale for Saturday and Sunday at Harrah's Las Vegas, 3475 Las Vegas Blvd. South. She hopes to make it an annual event.

The intricate egg designs often are done in the Fabergé style. The House of Fabergé is famous for creating jeweled eggs.

"But Fabergé worked on metal," Grant said. "We work on real eggs."

The Eggsquisite show will include classes, with instructors from around the world, and speakers Thursday through Monday for those involved with the craft. An exhibition portion is planned for the weekend. For more information, visit eggsquisiteeggshowlv.com.

The show will be open to the public Saturday and Sunday, starting at 10 a.m. Admission is $5 and $3 for children 10 or younger.

There will be prize raffle drawings, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Shrine Clowns, who also will be making an appearance.

Grant became interested in egg decorating about 15 years ago after her mother bought her one. A native of England, Grant began taking lessons there and soon was referring to herself as an "egger."

"I was hooked," she said. "It's one of those things, you either love it or you're not that interested."

Grant went on to attain master status in the International Egg Art Guild. Five years ago, while living in California, she was the featured artist in the guild's quarterly magazine.

Her Las Vegas show is not sanctioned by the guild, but some of the judges are guild masters.

Noreen Stewart, who lives near Oxnard, Calif., plans to attend the show. She has been an "egger" since 1994. Stewart said the only other egg show in Las Vegas was about 30 years ago and didn't go over well as it wasn't well publicized and suffered from a poor position in the venue hall.

"People were passing by it, they didn't know it was there," she said. "So we're crossing our fingers and toes and everything else that this one (is a success)."

When Grant first began egg artistry she would practice on chicken eggs, with the yolk sucked out of a pinhole to leave the eggshell intact.

She recalled how her late husband, Stanley, never complained about her craft.

"He was so supportive," she said. "He ate scrambled eggs for two years."

Grant uses small eggs such as finch and quail and all sizes between up to large eggs, such as ostrich and emu, for her designs, many of which will be on display at the show. The eggs are decorated with opals, pearls and flat-sided beads. These days, she spends about 10 hours a week in her craft room, where a strong light and a magnifying glass help with the detailed work.

Grant can spend $1,000 on a single egg. She keeps her finished designs for the most part, although she has given some to family members or a close friend.

"She puts so much love into these eggs," said Katie Grant, her daughter-in-law. "The egg is the source of life. To give it as a gift -- it has a lot of meaning."

Contact Summerlin/Summerlin South View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 387-2949.