“The next day [John] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'”
— John 1:29
Talk with children about the spotless Lamb of God — who soaked up and carried the sins of the whole world to the cross — as you share this lovely flower craft.
Materials:
- Red food coloring (Other colors may be used if you wish.)
- Fresh white carnations (The fresher the better.)
- Clear glass container, such as a vase, jar, or drinking glass.
- Scissors
- Water
Step 1: Fill the glass container with water and food coloring using an approximate ratio of 1 cup of water to 30 drops of food coloring. (Be generous with the food coloring. The more food coloring you use, the more pigment the flower will absorb. The food coloring will not harm the flower.)
Step 2: Under running water, trim your flowers at an angle to about 1 to 2 inches from the bottom. (Trimming the stem will allow the flower to absorb more water.)
Step 3: Place the flower in the container and observer it over the course or a day or two. (Check the flower regularly to make sure it has enough clean water. If the flower starts absorbing less water, trim the stem again. If you notice the water getting slimy, take the flower out of the container, dump the water and clean the container. Then create new batch of colored water and re-trim the flower’s stem.)
Note: If you keep one carnation in a container of clear water for comparison, it will be easier for children to observe changes to the carnations in colored water.
