poppies

Remembrance Day Butterfly Art

November 6, 2024 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Remembrance Day is celebrated each year on November 11 in many countries. It is a day to remember the end of World War I and the many soldiers who died in battle. In Canada, it is also a day to recognize and appreciate the people who serve in the army today.

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The Red Poppy and Remembrance Day

Wearing a red poppy has become a tradition on Remembrance Day, and the days leading up to it. After noticing the abundance of red poppies that sprouted up among the graves of fallen soldiers when World War I ended, a Canadian doctor wrote the now-famous poem “In Flanders Field”. Not long afterward, a United States teacher named Moina Michael wrote a poem called “We Shall Keep the Faith” in response and decided to wear a red poppy to remember the soldiers who served in the war. Noting that returning disabled soldiers had trouble caring for themselves, she started selling red poppies to raise money for their needs. The poppy flower soon became a symbol of the service of past and present soldiers.

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Since butterflies are seen as a symbol for inspiring good deeds, they go together well with poppies in a Remembrance Day butterfly art project.

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Remembrance Day Butterfly Art Supplies

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Gather the following supplies for this meaningful art activity:

8 ½ x 11-inch cardstock paper
dot markers
pencil and scissors
pipe cleaners
pony beads
pom poms
artificial red poppies
white glue or glue gun

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Remembrance Day Butterfly Art Project

This creative project is a simpler version of squish-painted poppy-enhanced Remembrance Day butterflies featured a few years ago.

For the remembrance art project, start by tracing and cutting out large butterflies from 8 ½ x 11-inch white or cream-colored cardstock paper. Manila tag cardstock works well for this activity and is economical to buy.

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Set the paper butterflies on a table with red, orange, and black dot markers and invite participants to decorate their winged creatures. Using a black dot marker for finishing touches is recommended so that the red and orange colors remain dominant in the designs.

Tip: Dot marker designs dry quickly, which is one thing I love about them. If the decorated butterflies curl a little after drying, allow time to flatten them under a stack of books or a heavy object.

Afterward, invite everyone to string black pony beads onto same-colored pipe cleaners. When the pipe cleaners are folded in half, there should be enough strung beads to cover the abdomen and head of the dot-marked butterflies.

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After participants finish beading their pipe cleaner, have them fold it in half and twist the unbeaded ends together to create two antennae.

Glue a pom pom to each pipe cleaner antenna with white glue or a glue gun, and then affix the beaded pieces to the middles of the butterflies.

Finally, glue an artificial red poppy with the pin removed onto each dotted insect.

Note: Older participants can independently glue on the beaded pipe cleaners, pom poms, and poppies.

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This Remembrance Day butterfly art project is simple but striking and is bound to be appreciated. Having the opportunity to include beads is a highlight of the activity.

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Gadget Printmaking Poppy Art

November 10, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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It started with a large dot print made with a pie pan, tempera paint, and a paintbrush. The intent was to make a simple red poppy print with a black round center. But afterward, I decided to add paint markings with gadgets to add more color and definition. The result is super striking gadget printmaking poppy art that’s easy and fun to do.

This poppy art is perfect for a Remembrance Day project. Red poppies are a symbol of lives lost to war since World War I. They especially serve as reminders of this each year on November 11, the Remembrance Day holiday in our country.

How to make stunning gadget printmaking poppy art.

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Poppy Art Supplies

Gadgets used as painting tools make interesting prints, and you can find them all over your home. Here are the gadgets I use for this large-scale art activity:

9-inch round cake or pie pan
Jumbo circular bubble wand and tray
ground meat chopper
spools
bottle sponge brush
round sponge brush

A few simple supplies complete the list of items needed to make poppy art:

tempera paint colors in bright red, yellow, green, pink, and orange
12-inch x 16-inch sturdy white paper
green construction paper
green marker
ruler
scissors
glue stick
flat plate or tray

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Gadget Printmaking Poppy Art Steps

Simple steps to create beautiful poppy art with a gadget printmaking technique. The art project introduces participants to a new and unusual way to paint.

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First, lay out a large sheet of sturdy paper on a table.

Next, pour red paint on a tray or flat plate. Dip the bottom of a round cake or pie pan in the paint, and press it down on the paper background to make the flower head.

Then dip a bubble wand into orange paint and press it in the middle of the dot. The bubble wand tray holds the paint perfectly for this step.

Afterward, press a sponge bottle brush into the green paint, and make a print in the center.

Then dip a spool into black paint, and press it into the very center of the flower.

Bubble wand, sponge bottle brush, and spool paint prints add color and definition to this gadget printmaking poppy art project.

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Next, draw on a stem with a green marker. If desired, use a ruler to keep the stem line straight.

Finally, cut a simple leaf from green fadeless construction paper, and glue it onto the stem.

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Poppy Art Color Variations

The gadgets and paint colors used for enhancing the red poppies can be varied. In this art project, a bubble wand, bottle brush, and two spools are the gadgets used.

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A ground meat chopper paint print adds detail to the flower center below.

A bubble wand and ground meat chopper paint print add color and definition to this gadget printmaking poppy art project.

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Remembrance Day Poppy Art

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This next project employs the bubble wand tray for the large dot print. The tray is not as big as the cake or pie pan, so can be used with a smaller-sized paper base. And it has a scalloped edge, adding character to the poppy dot. This design is my pick for the official Remembrance Day art project for this year.

For the flower center, dip a round sponge brush or small round sponge into black paint, and press it in the middle of the red dot print. Then press a sponge bottle brush into yellow paint, and make a print on top of the black circle. Finish off with a black spool print in the center of the flower.

Tip: Letting the red and black paint dry for a few hours helps the yellow sponge bottle print stand out and remain bright.

Create this beautiful Remembrance Day poppy art with a gadget printmaking technique. The art project introduces participants to a new and unusual way to paint.

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More Gadget Printmaking Poppy Art Ideas

Instead of using only red for the large flower petal dot, introduce a few more color choices, such as yellow and orange. The colors will blend in nicely to make red-orange hues, adding shading and texture.

And since poppies come in a variety of colors, you could choose an entirely new color scheme for this project.

Bubble wand, sponge, meat chopper, bottle brush, and spool prints add highlights and detail to the poppy flower art. And the gadget painting technique introduces participants to a new and unusual way to do painting and printmaking.

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More Remembrance Day Art Projects

Remembrance Day Butterfly Craft

Remembrance Day Poppy Art

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[Read more…]

Coffee Filter Poppy Art

November 10, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Red poppies are available everywhere at the moment. That is because on November 11 our country (and many others), observe Remembrance Day. Ceremonies are held on this day at 11:00 a.m. in order to remember the soldiers who died in war or while performing military tasks. And the poppy is a symbol of Remembrance Day.

Art activities with poppies also help us remember. In this post, I feature a stunning coffee filter poppy art project in recognition of this day. But first, some poppy facts.

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Remembrance Day Poppy Facts

Since 1921, after World War I, the poppy flower is a reminder of the soldiers who died and those who serve courageously today.
People began wearing poppies inspired by the poem “In Flanders Field,” written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. McCrae wrote the poem after seeing red poppies grow around the grave of a soldier friend.
This poppy is native to the eastern Mediterranean and grows easily in western Europe. The poppy’s seeds germinate in spring and only grow in recently disturbed land, such as places devastated by war.
In recognition of the soldiers, people wore real poppies at first. But eventually, they began to wear crafted ones.
Craft poppies have been sold for many years in order to raise money to support army veterans and their families.
Today, millions of poppies are sold throughout the world.
In Canada, poppies are worn from the last Friday in October up until Remembrance Day.
This year (2021) is the 100^th anniversary of the poppy.

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Coffee Filter Poppy Supplies To Collect

Like most of my craft ideas, supplies to collect for this project are simple. Gather together:

coffee filters
red, green, black, and orange non-permanent felt pens
water spray bottle
green and black fade-resistant cardstock or construction paper
12-inch x 16-inch white art or construction paper
glue stick
plastic tub

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Easy to create, stunning coffee filter poppy art.

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Creating The Coffee Filter Poppy Art

Cut coffee filters into poppy shapes. If helpful, download the pattern further in the post.

Have early learners color a coffee filter with felt pens, starting with a black or green round shape in the middle. The rest can be decorated in red and orange, or only red.

Supplies to make coffee filter poppy art.

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Add water to the spray bottle. Have children take turns squirting water on their paper filters in a plastic tub. Just a few squirts of water will blend colors nicely…easy does it for this project!

Dry the vibrant designs on a flat surface.

Note: The blended colors look quite dark at first, but will lighten as they dry.

Cut black or green stems and leaves from construction paper. Help little ones glue a stem, leaf, and poppy flower to a white art paper background. Add a favorite Remembrance Day saying if desired.

Easy and fun coffee filter Remembrance Day art activity.

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To insert a bud into the craft, little learners can decorate and spray an additional untrimmed coffee filter. After it dries, it can be folded twice, and glued on the picture as a poppy bud.

This showy poppy and bud art activity is easy and fun to create.

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Free, downloadable coffee filter poppy pattern for flower art and crafts.

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Download this free printable for the coffee filter poppy art:

Coffee Filter Poppy PatternDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Variation Of This Remembrance Day Craft

Instead of using coffee filters, have your little charges color a paper plate with felt pens. The plates can be precut in a poppy shape. The downloadable pattern below may be helpful.

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Free, downloadable paper plate poppy pattern for flower art and crafts.

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Paper Plate Poppy PatternDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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When coloring, the poppy centers can be drawn with a felt pen or filled in with a grey, black or green crayon.

Have little learners spray their design with water afterward. Or invite them to paint over the felt pen colors with water. This will create a watercolor effect without needing to use paints!

This paper plate version dries fast. The curved edges of the decorated plates add a 3D element to the project.

For a finishing touch, early learners can glue a large button to the middle. Or they can add a paper circle.

A paint-over-felt pen technique adds a watercolor effect to this paper plate poppy.

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Use this pattern for leaves and flower centers:

Free, downloadable poppy leaf and center pattern for flower art and crafts.

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Poppy Leaf And CenterDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Remembrance Day Butterfly Craft

November 11, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This Remembrance Day butterfly craft combines squish painting and beadwork and is accented with a poppy. It’s easy and satisfying for little learners to do.

Remembrance Day is celebrated in Canada on November 11 each year. On this day, people remember the many soldiers who died to give us freedom. The efforts of present-day soldiers are acknowledged and supported.

Red poppies are a symbol of Remembrance Day: people wear them and/or display poppy-themed arts and crafts on this notable day.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

white cardstock butterfly
red and black tempera paint
red glitter
paint containers
spoons
black beads
black pipe cleaners
hot glue gun
red craft poppies

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Making The Remembrance Day Butterfly Craft

Squish painted butterfly with a poppy and beadwork for Remembrance Day.

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Set out paper butterflies that have been folded in half, and then reopened.

Have your early learners dribble red paint on their butterflies with a spoon, and add blobs of black.

Help them fold one side of their butterfly over the other, and rub over the top side of the paper.

The children will enjoy seeing the symmetrical paint designs when the paper butterflies are unfolded.

Sprinkling red glitter on the wet paint adds sparkle.

Let the squish paintings dry.

Ask your little learners to string black beads on pipe cleaners. (24 beads were used for each butterfly featured in this post.)

Fold the beaded pipe cleaners in half, and glue them onto the butterflies with a hot glue gun.

Hot glue a poppy with the pin removed onto each butterfly, on top of the beaded middles.

Display the poppy accented butterflies to remember the efforts of past and present soldiers.

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"We Remember" butterfly craft for Remembrance Day. Squish painted butterfly accented with beadwork, glitter, and a poppy.

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Poppy artwork is one way for children to acknowledge Remembrance Day. More activities are suggested on CBC Kids: 8 Things You Can Do For Remembrance Day.

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More Remembrance Day Art Projects

Remembrance Day Poppy Prints

Remembrance Day Coffee Filter Poppy Art Project

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