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Beverly Gaus began decorating eggs in 1987 and knew immediately she had found her niche. She started an egg business, The Eggery Place , in 1988. Beverly owned and operated The Eggery Place until 2005 when she retired. She started her business in a back bedroom of her home and within 5 years it had grown to be one of the largest in the world. She has won many awards and honors over the years with her creations using the real eggshells from various birds from the smallest finch to the largest ostrich.
Beverly received a commission for an egg in 2000. This egg was for the President and First Lady of the United States. The egg started as a product of a Texas born and raised chicken and it was transformed into a kaleidoscope worthy of a President by a Texas born and raised artist. It was presented to President and Mrs. Bush at the White House Easter Egg Roll in 2001.
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OLD GLORY
National flag of |
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The EGGceptional Kaleidoscope was created inside a jumbo Texas chicken egg.
Beverly used genuine Swarovski crystals to create The United States flag and the
Texas flag as well as the accent banding around the eyepiece and the image
chamber. She hand beaded the kaleidoscope with Czechoslovakian three-cut
crystal aurora borealis beads. The image chamber of the kaleidoscope
is filled with symbols of Texas: a gold star for the Lone Star State, a crystal
heart for "Deep in the Heart of Texas", a blue millefiori for a Texas
bluebonnet, a tiny gold rose for the "Yellow Rose of Texas", a seashell from the
Texas coast, a bit of Texas cactus, a gold Longhorn head, and crystals in red,
white, and blue.
The base for the kaleidoscope is Texas limestone in the shape of the State of
Texas. The stone was removed from the San Jacinto monument during the
renovations. These renovations were made during the time President Bush
was Governor of the State of Texas.
| Washington, D.C. will truly know who the new President is
and where he's from when it sees the egg that will be presented during
the annual White House Easter Egg Roll. Beverly Gaus, a Lewisville artist, was selected among artists from around the United States to design the egg, which will be presented to President and First Lady Laura Bush. The egg is intricately laced with Swarvoski crystals and proudly bears the Texas flag on one side and the American flag on the other. Gaus, along with 10 other Texas artists, was recommended by the International Egg Artist Guild, an organization with more than 1,300 members. Carol Ganzi, President of the guild, said the organization was contacted by the American Egg Board to find an artist to design this year's egg. "The board knew they wanted an artist from Texas, so I recommended 10 different artists with completely different styles to give the board a wide variety of artists to choose from," Ganzi said. Gaus said she got an e-mail from the board on a Friday, submitted her idea that weekend, and on Monday received a call from the American Egg Board congratulating her on being selected to design the egg. "I was quite surprised and I was very honored," Gaus said. With just three weeks before the egg had to be ready for Washington, Gaus spent the first week devising a plan of attack. Gaus specializes in crafting eggs into kaleidoscopes and said she knew this egg would be especially challenging, since the guideline for the egg stated it had to be the size of a chicken egg. While turning the kaleidoscope egg, one can see symbols of Texas. "I placed a Texas longhorn, a star representing our Lone Star State, a blue flower for our state flower, the Bluebonnet, a gold rose symbolizing the Yellow Rose of Texas and white beads for our State ranchers inside the egg to symbolize the spirit of Texas," Gaus said. The egg rests in a stone base that is in the shape of Texas. "I had already ordered the stone base, which is from the San Jacinto monument, quite some time ago, and I just knew that it would be just perfect for the egg." Gaus said. A native Texan and resident of Lewisville for more than 20 years, Gaus has been in the egg business for 14 years. Gaus said her hobby of egging and the business of egging started at the same time. "I have done many other crafts before I started egging, such as oil painting, china painting and stained glass, but when I discovered egging, it was just my love," she said. Gaus has turned that love into a family-operated business selling supplies, beads, and crystals, internationally over the internet. Gaus' entire family is involved in the family business and eight-year-old granddaughter, Summer, has been "egging" for four years and has already won awards. Lin Jackowski, state promotion coordinator for the American Egg Board, said she will be proud to present the egg to the President and First Lady Laura Bush on Easter. "We knew we wanted it to come from Texas, and Beverly's egg captures the heart of the State," Jackowski said. "It is just beautiful." |
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