Cherry Blossom Crafts for the Kids

Here in the Washington DC Metro Area, spring brings the Cherry Blossoms, and the famous National Cherry Blossom Festival!! It all swings into action with the Smithsonian Kite Festival and the Festival Family Day Opening Ceremony tomorrow. Naturally the de Gallo family will be staying as far away from the festivities as possible.

In honor of the spring, here is my easy Cherry Blossom Sumie Painting tutorial.
The supplies you will need are:
A piece of construction paper, white glue, square pieces of pink or white tissue papers cut to different sizes, a straw (I cut this one in half for Piko), a pencil, and watered down black paint (we used a 1 to 1 water to paint ratio, and the Apple Barrel brand of paint).


Step 1.
Place afew large drops of the watered down paint onto the paper, and blow on them with your straw. Direct the stream of air from your straw in different directions to create the brances of your cherry tree. Drop more paint onto the paper to extend your branches and make it thicker in sections.




Step 2.
Bunch a square of tissue paper around the eraser end of your pencil.



Step 3.
Holding the paper to the pencil with your fingertips, dip the paper and pencil into glue.


Step 4.
Place the tissue paper onto the branch of your cherry tree. Continue step 2-4 until you have filled the tree to your satisfaction.


Viola!! Beautiful spring art.