Easter is a fun time for children. At home in Madrid, we combine Spanish and Australian/British traditions in our Easter celebrations. School holidays are scheduled during Semana Santa, the week preceding Easter Sunday. Although this year the Easter processions have been cancelled, in previous years we have stood along crowed, cobblestone streets watching the hooded procession of the Nazarenos, floats carried by costaleros, and women adorned with elaborate mantilla, as they make their pilgrimage through the city streets.
Although we celebrate Easter with many Australian/British traditions: chocolate eggs; Easter egg hunts; and decorating eggs, my daughters also love eating traditional Spanish Easter food such as torrijas (fried bread, dipped in milk and egg- topped with sugar and honey) and bueñelos (doughnut holes).
This Easter I took “inspiration” from Ilse’s new book to design an ikebana lesson for children using painted eggshell as mini vases. After painting the eggshells in purple, the traditional colour of Lent, my daughter arranged them on a small mirror. While arranging the eggshells, she kept in mind the idea of asymmetry and negative space.
She added a few flowers to some of the eggshells and decided to keep just one eggshell empty.
As she was arranging her flowers, by accident, some of the petals fell on the mirror. She liked the way the petals were reflected, so she decided to add a few more.
