Tonight is Mid-autumn Festival in Hong Kong!

If you haven't made a lantern for tonights Mid autumn festival yet, here are a couple of really cool upcycling ideas!!! I took those pictures this morning at Lantau International School where a lantern competition is held each year. Only recycled material is allowed for use. Thanks L.I.S. for this great event and thanks to all the children and parents for sharing your creativity!

Botanical drawings: Kadena de amor

There are so many names for this beautiful flower (bot. Antigonon): Chinese love vine, Heart on a chain, Chain of hearts and many more. We stick to its Spanish name Kadena de amor because this creeper is a native to Mexico. 

In the next couple of lessons we will explore botanical drawings. Today we start out with the heart-shaped leaves of our Kadena de amor. The frottage technique is perfect: placing the leaf underneath a thin sheet of paper and rubbing over it with a soft pencil or crayon. An easy way to do a perfect copy! Next step is to cut out the leaves with a pair of scissors. Then we draw the vine and glue the leaves onto the stem. 

So far so good. Next lesson will be all about pink flowers and butterflies:-)

Kadena de amor: flowers and butterflies

It is important to me to let children draw from real nature. Today I brought out a selection of insects for them to copy. No photo can capture those transparent delicate wings and shimmering bodies appropriately. In nature children have to find their own way of observing, their own angle of looking. They themselves have to make this selection. And they themselves will reap the fruit.