Making Flowers That Are Made To Last

We all know April showers bring May flowers... but do they really? April is Earth Month with Earth Day taking place on April 22

Earth Day is a name used for two observances, both held worldwide annually. While some people celebrate Earth Day around the time of the vernal equinox, others observe the occasion on April 22 each year.

Both Earth Days aim to inspire awareness of and appreciation for earth's environment. It is currently observed in more than 140 countries around the world, according to Time and Date.com.

For me, Earth Day is a time to step back and smell the flowers and think about what we can do to preserve our planet so our children and grandchildren can step back and smell the flowers, too. This month's craft projects to do with your kids will include the making of flowers. By Easter, you should have a huge big vase full of them! Start with the fillers and add the rest. Oh, yes, and in the making of flowers, we will use recycled household items.

I am a firm believer in using what you have and not buying anything you do not need. Although chenille stems are great for this application, just plain old newsprint or catalogs can be used.

Picture 1 - Start Rolling

Start by rolling the edge of a piece of newspaper or, as I used, an outdated clothing catalog. Place a pencil diagonally at the edge and roll. Place a dot of glue at the end and let the pencil slide out.

Picture 2 - Supplies

Now, cut the tips off cotton swabs and glue them on your stem or rolled up newspaper. There you go: Pussy willows!

Picture 3 - Finished Product

Picture 4 - Daffodil

Measure a line 3 inches long on a piece of scrap paper. Free-hand a petal shape. Using a soda bottle cap as a pattern, make a circle about a ½ inch in from the bottom. Cut out at least five petals per flower.

Picture 5 - Petals

Stack the circles and glue them together.

Picture 6 - Center

Now cut a 1-inch wide strip and fold it back and forth, accordion-shaped. Make it into a small circle and glue into the center of your flower. Cut a ½-inch strip and fold just like the other in accordion style. Glue it outside the larger circle.

Picture 7 - Center

Now glue the center to the petal base. When the glue is dry, glue the whole flower to the paper stem made the same way as you did the pussy willow one.

Picture 8 - Flower

Now you have the beginning of a springtime paper bouquet!

Picture 9 - Bouquet

When I think of spring, I think of fresh, lemons, clean, shiny and yellow. This pie is so easy children can make it by themselves. We love it for Easter and for Fourth of July but really, I make a few of them and just stack them in the freezer for summertime desserts. My girlfriend gave me the recipe but I have seen different versions of it. I think this one is the best

Lemonade Pie

1 6-ounce can frozen concentrate Lemonade (I prefer pink lemonade)

1 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

1 8-ounce container of whipped topping

1 graham cracker pie shell

In a bowl, add the 14-ounce can of sweetened evaporated milk and the 6-ounce can of Lemonade frozen concentrate. Stir together and add in the whipped topping. Pour into the pie shell and freeze. That is it! Take it out of the freezer about 10 minutes before serving. I usually double the recipe so I have one for the party and one for a summer desert.

Picture 11 - Recycling fun!

Remember the pie pan is recyclable. At our house, we make stepping-stones out of them by adding mortar mix concert.

I put plastic gloves on my kids' hands and let them add their own designs. We use just their hands, plastic gems, buttons, glass crystals, broken pottery, rocks and even leaves and sticks make great fossils in the stepping-stones.

The tin can can be used as a sleeve for tomatoes to keep tomatoes worms off the plant, an older child can nail small nails into it as a design for a votive or tea light at night outside.

Dad can put two holes in the uncut side and slide a rope through it to use as small walking stilts for a young child. Just put your feet on the cans and hold on to the rope and walk. When you are done having fun, make sure the tin can and pie plate makes it into the recyclable container and get recycled.

Did you make any flowers? Can we see photos, please?