This hand-painted eggshell ornament is made from real eggs: pieces of eggshell were glued onto an eggshell. The shell is blown out, cleaned and dried before painting. Then the outside is covered by pieces of eggshell and coats of varnish applied. This ornament comes in its own study cardboard box with label and ornament cap for hanging. Many of my eggs come from local farms, so the sizes vary, but are generally around three inches long. While eggshells are quite strong, and the ornaments are coated with several coats of varnish, they should be treated like glass ornaments. Please avoid dropping or crushing the ornaments.handmade