To make a March lion, you will need terra-cotta pots, a thin piece of string, beads, wiggle eyes, jute for mane and tail, fine-tipped black marker, brown chenille stem and yellow and brown acrylic paint and brush. (Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal/MCT)

Most people think the expression “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb” is about the weather. And in colder states, when cold blustery conditions generally usher in the month, who could blame them?

But the origin of the old saying isn’t really about weather.

To find the source of the adage, you would have to look to the stars. The expression has to do with the positions of the constellations Leo (the lion) rising in the east on March 1 and Aries (the ram or lamb) sitting low on the horizon in the western sky on March 31.

To make a March lion, use directions from a project sheet for adults from Michaels Arts and Craft store, modified for children to use.

Supplies you will need: 1 2-inch terra-cotta pot; 4 1-inch terra-cotta pots; 1 1/2-inch plastic foam ball; thin piece of string; 3 15 mm beads; 2 5 mm wiggle eyes; jute for mane and tail; 2 1-inch-long, wooden teardrop shapes; fine-tipped black marker; 1 brown chenille stem; wire; yellow and brown acrylic paint and brush; glue.

Mix the paint together to get a dark yellow color. Paint all the pots, the foam ball and the teardrop shapes and set aside.

When dry, slip a bead onto the center of a 6-inch piece of yarn. Take both ends of the yarn and slide them up through the hole in the bottom of the large pot so the center bead is against the hole, holding the yarn in place. Work both ends through the small holes in the bottom of the small pots. String on a bead on each end and tie off so the pots hang as arms for the lion.

Take 3-inch sections of wire and loop small 2-inch pieces of jute around them by making slipknots. Make as many sections as necessary, poking the ends of the wire around the center of the ball until you create a mane.

Poke the teardrop ears into the ball in front of the mane and glue to hold in place.

Draw a nose, mouth and whiskers on the face of the lion. Glue on wiggle eyes above.

Glue the bottoms of the last two small pots to the bottom outside edge of the larger one for legs.

Glue the chenille stem to the back for a tail. Glue pieces of jute to the end of the stem to make a bushy tail at the end of the stem.