Spring Craft and Blog Hop: California Poppies (Naw Ruz)

Spring is approaching, and we are glad to think of something other than cold, rainy days.

On the Bahá’í calendar, the first day of spring (March 21) coincides with our New Year (Naw Rúz), so I decided to do a springtime craft with Monkey to prepare.

This year we are participating in a Naw Rúz card exchange with other children, which I will write more about soon.  In addition to cards, the children also create flowers to send to each other.  This is partly to celebrate the coming of spring and partly to bring to life the beautiful quotation from the Bahá’u’lláh about unity in diversity: “Ye are all fruits of one tree, the leaves of one branch, the flowers of one garden.”

Since we are sending our cards to Ireland and China as well as the US, I thought it would be fun to make our local California poppies for them.  They are so beautiful, and I have fond memories of seeing them along the side of the road as my husband and I drove on the scenic Highway 1 on our first anniversary, shortly after moving to California.

Of course, to Monkey they were just a good excuse to get his hands on some glue!

I cut out the flower pieces ahead of time then let Monkey glue them onto the card stock.  I chose to make the flowers this way since lately he enjoys this more than coloring or drawing.  I think with those he gets frustrated that his hands can’t create what his mind visualizes.  With gluing pieces or using stickers, he can construct a picture exactly as he wants.

We both thought they turned out beautifully!

Monkey also decorated “Happy Naw Ruz” cards with – what else? – car and truck stickers.

I included a photo of the Monkeys with each card, and we were ready to head to the post office!  Our cards are now making their way across the country and to Europe and Asia!

That evening, when we told my husband about our adventures, tender-hearted Monkey exclaimed that he wanted to make more cards: one for Daddy, one for Mommy, one for Baby, one for Grandpa and MaMa Pat, … Perhaps I am not so tender-hearted, because my first thought was, I have to cut out how many more flower pieces??? 🙂

How are you celebrating the coming of spring?

This craft is part of the Spring and Easter Blog Hop from Kid Blogger Network.

Click on the link at the bottom of the page to add your post to the collection.

Participating Blogs:

Rainy Day Mum, hands on : as we grow, Putti’s World, Blog Me Mom, Scribble Doodle and Draw, 3 Dinosaurs, Buggy and Buddy, Royal Baloo, Kitchen Counter Chronicle, Nurture Store, The Usual Mayhem, Making Boys Men, Two Daloo, Reading Confetti, Creative Play House, Fantastic Fun and Learning, Here Come the Girls, Blue Bear Wood, Zing Zing Tree, Mummy Mummy Mum, Red Ted Art, Life at the Zoo, My Little 3 and Me, Imprints from Tricia, Smiling Like Sunshine, Frogs & Snails & Puppy Dog Tails, Creative Connection for Kids, 52 Brand New, Inspiration Laboratories, Kid World Citizen, JDaniel 4s Mom, Inspired by Familia, Kids Creative Chaos, All Done Monkey, ArtChoo, Something 2 Offer, Child Central Station, KC Edventures, Momma’s Fun World, Sun Hats and Wellie Boots, Discovering the world through my son’s eyes, Little Artists