If the earth hatched from a giant egg, as the ancient Persians believed, it might have resembled one of these in our dreamy dozen. We used a simple dyeing technique to create the intricate swirls of color: earthy brown twisting over baby blue, soft beige afloat on buttery yellow. Every Easter egg made this way is one of a kind -- all are enchanting.

Materials
Egg blower12 eggsSeveral mixing bowls, shallow and deepMeasuring spoonsLiquid measuring cupWhite vinegarFood coloringSpoon and forkOlive oilPaper towels

How to Marbleize
With an egg blower, which is available at crafts stores, pierce the top and bottom of each egg, puncturing the yolk; carefully expel the contents. Rinse, and let dry.

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine 3 cups warm water, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and 10 to 20 drops of food coloring. Place egg in dye, and leave it submerged until it turns the desired shade.

2. In a wide, shallow bowl, prepare a second batch of dye -- which will provide the swirls -- in a darker shade or a different color. Liquid should be no deeper than one half-inch. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Run a fork through this mixture, creating curlicues of oil on the surface.

3. As oil swirls, place dyed egg in mixture, and roll it once around the bowl to pick up oil streaks (below left; remove the egg.

4. Gently pat egg with a paper towel.

5. Let it dry. You can experiment with color combinations: Vary the base tints and the swirls to achieve striking contrasts, subtle shadings, or multihued richness.