If you want to keep an egg (shell) indefinitely or decorate an egg for a special occasion such as Easter, you will need to blow an egg. By blowing an egg, you are removing the contents so that it doesn't go off, leaving the shell intact except for two small holes at either end.

There is an unlimited number of things you can create from your egg once it has been blown, limited only by your imagination! The frog to the right was made from a blown egg by Sally Barnet.

You will need: A large needle, a cocktail stick and a small syringe.

Here's how to blow an egg

• Clean off any dirt or muck on the outside of the shell but ideally choose clean eggs.
• At the pointed end of the egg, make a small hole using the needle.
• Make another hole, slightly bigger on the broad end of the egg. Insert the cocktail stick and wiggle it back and forth to break the yolk up.
• Blow into the first hole at the top of the egg whilst holding the egg over a bowl. The contents will slowly come out. This isn't easy to do and to get the yolk out you have to make sure it's broken with the cocktail stick.
• Once the egg is empty, squirt water into the larger hole on the broad end of the egg and shake the egg to clean the inside.
• Leave the egg to dry.

These lovely dark brown Maran eggs have been blown to preserve them. These were on display by the Marans Club at the National Poultry Show held at Stoneleigh (UK) in December 2008.