For Seniors: Create a November Calendar — Perfect Motif Ideas
Autumn leaves in Japan are popular not only among Japanese people but also among visitors from overseas.
Their rich shades of red, orange, and yellow soothe the hearts of those who see them.
November is the season when these autumn colors are at their best.
In a craft recreation activity at a senior care facility, why not make a handmade calendar featuring motifs of autumn leaves and seasonal delicacies? Even those who find it difficult to go out can enjoy the arrival of autumn indoors.
We’ll introduce ideas for decorating with origami creations and torn-paper collage, as well as art using pastels and brush pens.
Enjoy a fun crafting time with these creatively designed ideas.
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[For Seniors] Making a November Calendar: Introducing Perfect Motifs (1–10)
Matsutake mushroom origami
November is the perfect season for maitake mushrooms.
They’re said to be in season from September through November.
This time, I’ll show you how to make a maitake with origami.
Prepare one sheet of origami paper, fold it in half into a triangle twice, and keep folding so that creases form along the diagonals.
Finally, shape the cap portion of the maitake to finish.
The key is to make firm creases and fold so the shape stays even.
It would also be lovely to draw mountains and autumn delicacies on a calendar and paste on the origami maitake you made.
You might also enjoy changing the color of the origami to create your own original maitake for a November calendar.
Persimmon: pen drawing and colored pencils
Persimmons are sold in supermarkets and are a seasonal fruit that taste great in November.
Here’s a simple, fun persimmon illustration that fits perfectly on a November calendar.
Let’s draw a persimmon with a ballpoint pen.
Create the shape to your liking—round or slightly square.
After drawing the shape, add the calyx and start coloring.
By layering colors like orange and yellow, you can create a three-dimensional, glossy persimmon.
There are several varieties of persimmons, so talking about which type you’re drawing as you go can make the conversation even more engaging.
Brush pen drawing: Autumn leaves
Here’s a maple-leaf illustration perfect for autumn foliage, drawn with a brush pen.
It’s best to prepare several colors of brush pens rather than just one.
When drawing the leaves, keep an eye on the shape so the size is balanced left and right.
Adding motion in the direction of the leaves’ strokes gives the picture depth, which can make it even more enjoyable if you turn it into a calendar to display.
It’s also a great idea to draw autumn fruits alongside the leaves.
Try making your very own original calendar!
[For Seniors] Making a November calendar: Introducing perfect motifs (11–20)
November calendar collage
How about making a fall-themed collage with the calendar you have now? All you need are washi tapes with autumn patterns and your favorite stickers.
Prepare designs that are perfect for fall, such as autumn leaves, ginkgo, dango, and squirrels.
Use washi tape to frame the standout areas, then place stickers in the empty spaces while keeping the overall balance in mind.
You can also combine several stickers to create an autumnal scene.
Transform your calendar into the image of autumn that you have in mind.
Acorn origami
Speaking of November, you can find lots of acorns on the ground when you go to parks and other places.
Many of us probably picked them up as children and played by making balancing toys or spinning tops.
Let’s incorporate those acorns as a motif for a November calendar.
Here we’re featuring acorns made with origami.
Because they’re flat, all you need to do is stick them onto the calendar’s design area.
Make them with origami in various colors and try expressing a vibrant autumn scene.
Ginkgo origami
November is a beautiful season when ginkgo leaves turn golden.
As the landscape’s colors calm down toward winter, the ginkgo’s golden hue catches the eye and makes you stop to admire it.
Ginkgo leaves are perfect as a calendar motif, too! You could depict an avenue of ginkgo trees like a tunnel, or cover the entire design area with ginkgo leaves.
Since ginkgo leaves can be made with origami, if you’re not confident in drawing, why not give that a try?
Persimmon Origami
November is when persimmons are most widely in season.
When persimmons start lining the shelves at supermarkets, many people feel the transition from autumn to winter.
So how about using persimmons as the motif for a November calendar? Painting them with paints or expressing them with torn-paper collage would be lovely.
If you want a bit of three-dimensionality, you could make them with origami.
Here’s an idea that uses two sheets of origami paper to create the fruit and the calyx, then glue them together.
The steps are simple, so feel free to use this as a reference.