1. Start by opening a new file 400X400 color white.
2. Select the Linear Gradient tool. Linear Fill

3. Click on the attributes tool bar, and select "two color" from the Fill Method box, transparency 0, merge selection Always. Set the left color box to white, and the right box to black, then paint the file from top to bottom. You should end up with a white to black gradient, starting at the top.

4. Switch to multiple color in the Fill Method box on attributes toolbar. Merge selection should be Difference, Transparency 0.
5. Pick a palette ramp you like, or you may download the one I used, plus a few of my other favorites, as well as a file describing how to use them.  

6. After you have selected your ramp, put the cursor in the bottom left corner and go to upper right, holding the mouse button down all the way, then letting go. Repeat from bottom right to upper left. You should have something similar to this blue/gold combo to the right. If you've chosen a different gradient, of course your results will vary.

7. Select path tool, any color you like, 3d round and elliptical shape. Draw your egg in the center of the background. Some folks like to adjust their egg shape with the transform / perspective tool, but I don't care for the results, unless you drag the border slider way down, you get a sharp spot in the middle of the egg.

8. Create the opening by making an elliptical selection, and fill it with AT034 from the Artist's Texture from the fill area of easy palette. It is the same in PI5 and PI6. I right clicked on L16 from the light section of the filter gallery, and chose settings from top to bottom, like this: 118, 45, 85, 225, 20, 106, 90. When you're happy with the results, click OK.

9. Select Path Outline tool, and from the easy palette, choose material gallery, metallic, gold 3. From the attributes toolbar, select ellipse, 3d path, width 4. Make two ellipses and lay out approximately like shown. Select one and click on the mask mode icon. Choose the paint tool, transparency 0, soft edge 0, color black. Color out the back of the ellipse so it appears to go behind the egg (I've shown it in progress). Exit from mask mode, select other ellipse and repeat masking the behind part of the ellipse.

10. Make another ellipse that is just the size of the egg window edge. You can use the the transform tool to tweak the size. Now make the door with another ellipse that is just a bit narrower than the last one. Position it next to the window ellipse, leaving enough space to place couple of hinges. Make three more ellipses, sized like the examples to the right. These we'll use to make the clasps, and one leg. Use the transform tool to flatten the leg. Arrange the clasps and leg as shown. Select the path tool, rectangle. Make your hinges out of two rectangles. The horizontal rectangle should be above the vertical rectangle. Now select both rectangles, R/C, group and duplicate. Align between the two door ellipses as shown.

11. Select the outline path tool, custom shape, 3d, size 4, and drag the border slider down to one. From the custom shape dialog box, locate feather. Make a feather the size you like, and arrange it with the transform tool the way you like it. When you are happy with it, R/C and duplicate, then duplicate again. take that feather and select edit, rotate and flip horizontal. Now duplicate again.
12. Arrange two feathers on the stand as legs, and two as trim on the egg. Now select path tool, 3d round, circle, and make a small circle as shown. While selected, copy and paste 5 times. Align the circles as shown. Finally, select ellipse, and go to material gallery, glass, blue 1. Make an ellipse slight larger in width as the door frame. From the easy palette, select layer manager and send the glass behind the door frame, but in front of the egg. Extend the right side of the glass past the right side of the door.

13. Select the egg, R/C and select shadow, perspective shadow (2nd from left). I left the default settings, but experiment if you like! Repeat shadow on the feather legs, the door frame and hasp.
14. For the final gingerbread, select easy palette, lighting gallery, spotlight, spotlight 4. Double click on the icon. Now for one last touch. Using the pick tool, select all 10 pieces making up the stand. R/C and duplicate, and R/C and combine as a single object. Select transparency 80 percent, then edit, rotate and flip, flip vertical. Align the mirror stand with the original as shown. Now select the egg, and repeat the duplication and transparency, and Voila! This tutorial is done.