Spring is in bloom: celebrate by making your very own cherry blossom mural!

What You'll Need:

-White poster board or canvas paper
- 2x2 squares of pink, white, purple, and red tissue paper
-Brown construction paper
-Brown and green water color paints
-Elmer's glue
-Scissors  
-Assorted crayons, markers and pencils

What To Do:

1. Lay out the white poster board or canvas paper on a hard, flat surface.

2. With pencil, draw a large outline of a tree, being sure to include sketches of many different, long branches.

3. Using scissors, cut up several vertical strips of brown construction paper, making sure they are of varying widths. Glue the strips of paper onto the trunk of the tree, creating the effect of textured tree bark.

4. While the glue on the trunk is drying, paint the remaining branches with brown water colors. Let dry for 10-15 minutes.

5. While the painted branches are drying, pinch the center of a tissue paper square, scrunching up the sides until it's styled into the shape of a tiny blossom.

6. Lightly glue the pointed center of the blossom onto a branch of your choosing.

7. Repeat steps five and six using alternating tissue colors until the tree is filled with blossoms.

8. (Optional) Add touches of green water color leaves to accent the tissue blossoms.

9. Allow the blossoms to dry for several hours, then display.

Published: April 12, 2011