workshopping :: spring lanterns

This week in workshop,  we made spring lanterns – the kind meant for garden parties, outside dinners,  and damp, cool nights.  Thankfully, the rain has come to our valley in Massachusetts, and our ground is now muddy and squishy — as it should be in early May. With the rain, comes days where the gray settles into the sky in the morning and stays until bedtime. A little bit of candlelight shining through colorful lanterns will make these early spring evenings nice, I think.

The children were encouraged to plan ahead and think of how the light will interact with their color choices.   I also gave them yarn to experiment with.  They used Mod Podge to adhere the tissue paper and yarn to the jars.

I made one too.  I loved snipping and gluing with my students as they chit chatted.  One sweet girl paused and said, “This is the best class because we get to do art and  talk with our friends.”  And, I thought, why do we stop doing this as we age?

Mine is a slender pendant lantern, and its cheerful, warm glow was making me happy last night.  The wriggly worms on wet pavement are making me happy too. 

xo e