I signed up for an artist trading card (ATC) swap on Swap-Bot that focused on insects. As a result, I made some extra ladybug cards in the process since the favorite insect around here is the ladybug.
Both Sophia and Olivia were adopted from China, and the ladybug has a special meaning to families who are adopting from China. (The Chinese adoption myth is that ladybugs are a sign of good luck and it is said if you see a ladybug your referral will be coming very soon.)
As I was thinking about what to do, I thought it would be fun to make ladybugs in different colors. The ATCs ended up being two-part. The cover, as shown in the picture, is of two ladybugs.
The top level of the card has a door that opens to reveal what happens if the two ladybugs collide.
The girls LOVED these cards. It was a good review of primary and secondary colors for my daughters. It's visual. And it's something that they can immediately remember when asked, "What color does red and blue make?"
More information about the ladybug series - including how they were made are on my Flickr site at http://www.flickr.com/photos/picturesbyann .
This site - at http://siblings.adoptionblogs.com/weblogs/ladybugs-part-2 - has some more information about the significance of the ladybug to those in the Chinese adoption community as well as information about how the ladybug is considered to be good luck in many other cultures.
There are many cultures that believe if you are to kill a ladybug then it will bring sadness and bad luck. There are those that believe the ladybugs give good luck when you have one land on you or if you catch one.
This site - at http://www.celticbug.com/Legends/Lore.html
- has information about legends about ladybugs around the world as well as how to say the word "ladybug" in different languages.
1 comment:
These are so cute! I have a friend who has a 3 year old adopted from China. I have been wanting to make her a quilt, and I keep getting drawn to ladybug fabric and quilt patterns. Now I know why!
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