Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Take a Break: It’s All About the Shamrock

In case you are wondering why the shamrock is so integral to St. Patrick’s Day, legend has it that St. Patrick used the three-leaf plant to teach the Irish about the holy trinity (father, son and holy spirit). Don’t know what he did when he found one with four leaves.

If you’ve ever looked closely at a shamrock, you’ll notice it’s three (or sometimes four) heart shape leaves. I’ve spent time this week experimenting with several different heart shape punches. You can just as easily use a cookie cutter or make your own shapes. You can put three or four hearts together, connecting at the tips, with a stem and have a very good looking shamrock. I’ve made different size hearts and layered them to get a very interesting effect. Experiment, as there is still time to make some fun things for the “wearnin’ of the green,” as my mother use to say. Try some of these ideas:

Iris folded four leaf clover

• Make a shamrock pin by making three (or four) tiny hearts out of clay (polymer, Model Magic or whatever else you have). Squeeze the tips together. You can put a tiny bead in the center to cover the connection. Let dry, bake or whatever the directions call for, and glue on a pin back.

Shamrock’s from toilet paper rolls

Shamrock Hair Bows

Color a Shamrock Mandala

• Paint your nails with Shamrocks: Paint your finger nails a lovely shade of green (check out your local Dollar Store) and once dried, add tiny “peel and stick” shamrocks (also popular at Dollar Store). Examples of nail art.

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, watch and listen to the Chieftains, Ireland’s most famous band playing traditional music.
• Watch some beautiful Irish countryside while listening to the Chieftain’s O’Sullivan’s March

100 Top Tracks of the Chieftain’s

Past “Take A Breaks” for St. Patrick’s Day
Celtic Knots
St. Brigid’s Cross
Irish Soda Bread

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