creative jewish mom

Recycled Bottle Cap and Plastic Lid Frogs!

Been saving those plastic lids and colored bottle caps for crafting? Good thing, since I've finally come up with a cute little project for those that happen to be green—bottle cap frogs of course! You can use these to decorate your Passover table or take them out during the seder when the plague of the frogs is mentioned.

Either way, the kids will love them, and you can make them as a surprise or get the kids to make them as a surprise for other family members. If you'd like to make some frogs that you could actually throw around, for some added excitement, try my pom pom frogs from last year here.

You'll Need:

• green plastic jar lids and bottle caps
• green felt
• green wooden beads
• paint pens in black and red
• hot glue gun or craft glue

How To:
Cut out front and rear legs from felt, attach with glue. Use beads for eyes on lids, and add details with a paint pen. So simple and so cute, and stay tuned for some more 10 plague inspired crafting!

Make Gorgeous Fabric Flower Napkin Rings For Your Spring Table!

Fabric flowers are all the rage with the glue gun set, and understandably so! I've been wanting to make these quite simple layered organza roses for quite some time, and I have to be honest, I started this project for Chanukah! But since I'm feeling the pinch to come up with some Passover appropriate crafts, I realized that this one is perfect, and I'm so happy that I didn't make these back in December, as they really are perfect for spring. While I haven't figured out how to incorporate fabric flowers into my wardrobe, I do think my table will look just lovely wearing these oversized blooms—as napkin rings that is! 

You'll Need:

• polyester organza fabric, shiny on one side matte on the other, and medium weight (10 shekels a yard in Israel)
• a candle
• a glue gun
• some pretty beads, sequins or pearls
• some nice ribbon, i used wired silver mesh ribbon which looks lovely peaking out from behind the napkin

How To:

These flowers are made by cutting concentric circles, about eight or nine in a stack works nicely, and then melting the edges carefully with an open flame, such that the edges curl to make a cup shape. The concentric circles are then stacked and extra pieces can be added for fullness. (Not every piece had to be centered within the stack, some might look better with a layer or two off to the side a bit.) When you are happy with the arrangement, use a glue gun to adhere one layer to the next, adding a pearl or bead at the top to hide the glue spot! Turn flower over and attach a length of ribbon to be used for tying the flower around the napkin. Voila!

You can whip up a bunch of these quite quickly, especially if you cut multiple circles at one time. If you're unsure of how to cut concentric circles, you can make a pattern for yourself on the computer, print it out and then pin the paper circle to the fabric and cut around the circle. A circle template with multiple sized circles would also work well for this. One tutorial that I saw suggested using flower shapes rather than circles (you can see one such shape in the flower on the left hand side) but I found that to be much more difficult than working with circles. Okay, gotta run we've got a family simcha in Jerusalem today, and Pesach is coming! All the sooner to use these flowers on my seder table!

Kid's Craft For Passover: Bejeweled Wine Glasses and A Cup For Eliyahu!

Here's a simple Passover/Pesach craft that the kids can make themselves! Decorate your Passover table with beautiful jeweled wine glasses in which to drink the four cups of wine/grape juice during the seder, and use a large wine glass to make the cos shel eliyahu. And if you're not a kid, you can make an even nicer version of these using epoxy or any heavy duty, high tack glue.

You'll Need:

• wine glasses, regular sized ones and one extra large goblet size (plastic glasses for very small children)
• glass mosaic beads, mine are from the dollar store
• double stick foam tape, or mounting tape of some kind (or possibly clear silicone/caulk, read below)
• scissors

How To:

Place a bunch of the glass pieces on a strip of tape, cut into sections and then cut around the perimeter of each bead such that there is just a circle of tape on the the back. Peel off paper and adhere to glass. So simple and could even be done on plastic glasses for those too young to be working with a glass.Yes, it's true, you do see the white tape in my case, but it's not the end of the world, the glasses still look great. But if mounting tape is sold in a clear version, certainly go for that.

It also occurred to me that silicone (caulk) is much less toxic than epoxy glue, so that might also be a good option for attaching the beads to the glasses for slightly older children. Though honestly I'm not sure if the  silicone dries quickly enough, or is high-tack enough to apply the beads to the cup portion of the glass. One might have to lie the glass down, apply just a few beads and wait for those to dry before turning the glass and applying more. If you decided to try the silicone/caulk version, buy a tube, not a gun style applicator which would be to unwieldy for this project.

The point of these glasses is for one time use, (you can use them a second time for the second seder as long as you wash them without letting water touch the beads) though the beads are quite firmly stuck to the glasses with the mounting tape. If you want to remove the beads afterwards, soak them in water and they'll all come off easily. Enjoy making lovely things with your kids for the Passover table, more projects to come!

 

 

Make Some Fun Doodle Frames—A Passover Craft For The Whole Family!

It's now official— one really can put off spring cleaning by crafting these cute little doodle frames, since they may just come in handy during and after the cleaning! How's that for some crafty justification for that which is really procrastination? And of course some readers have started to ask for Passover crafts, so this meets their needs as well, since I really can't bear to let down my gracious readers!

These cute little doodle frames will hang on the doors of each room in our home and hopefully be filled with messages like "Clean and Ready for Pesach" or "Kosher L'Pesach" or "Sparkling Clean for Pesach" I never realized that a massive spring cleaning could be pre-empted by a crafting project, but I love this one and can't wait to start hanging them. And the best part will be seeing them all sporting nice messages at the end of the hard work which awaits during the next few weeks.

I have a feeling that the little frame on my studio door may just have to say "Better Luck Next Year" Sigh. 

You'll Need:

• water color paper
• water color paints
• a permanent black marker
• a hole punch
• ribbon
• a mug or glass or something round to use as a circle template

How To:
Start by tracing around a glass on your water color paper, leaving a nice sized border around the circle. Start doodling away until you're happy with the results. Fill in the white areas with water colors, cut out the center, and the entire shape, and punch a hole and hang with a ribbon. To add a message, simply tape a round piece of paper to the back of the frame. Or if you'd like to make something that you could use for a few years, make your frame with a second layer on the back that would allow you to slip the little piece of paper into the frame. Enjoy, and happy cleaning.

 

 

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday! The week has flown by, and once again it's time for some inspiration from around the world. I really can't believe that Passover is in just three weeks and I have yet to show you any new ideas, or even come up with them, but not to worry, they're on the way shortly! In the mean time, here's some great ideas from some of my favorite crafters:

First up we have the incomparable Lilla A. with two wonderful ideas. Firstly, a memory game made by decoupaging paper, or wall paper onto blocks. She actually got this idea from another crafter from her part of the world, and both of theirs are amazing. And this little cardboard mail box is just too cute, and a great idea for children, like her daughter, who love to write letters to family members!

Paper mache teacups? Yes indeed, and you can make some yourself with a great tutorial and pattern from ann wood. And I just love the idea that Carolyn's homework came up with, a seed garland presented as a gift wrapped around a bottle. I'd add a few paper flowers to the bottle to complete the look, and you've got yourself a thoughtful little handmade gift for Spring.

Aunt Peaches is at it again with this fantastic light fixture made from mardi gras beads, and I just love these sherpa boot slippers from sew can do, wouldn't they be adorable in a bunch of sizes and colors?

 I just love these fleece flower pillows from come together kids, perfect for Spring, and not hard to make. And this modern fabric flower, it's from between the lines, and a perfect little touch for your home right about now!

And on the kid's crafting front we've got two adorable bird themed projects. Firstly a wonderful stamping project from the chocolate muffin tree, and secondly this super sweet painted rock duck project from red ted art. And now, let the party begin!

 

A Sharpie "Tie-Dye" Crafting Experiment!

Ever heard of creating tie-dye like patterns on fabric with sharpie pens and alcohol? It's a fun crafty experiment to do with the kids, (or with yourself, of course!) and if you do as I say rather than as we did, you may end up with something quite beautiful, and even useful as an applique of some kind. I once saw an entire comforter cover done with this technique, and it was fantastic.

The results of our little experiment are quite honestly not exactly museum worthy, or even blog worthy, but I have seen some gorgeous examples of this using beautiful colors which ran together more nicely than our basic red, blue and black.  I would say avoid black altogether, and you'll probably agree with me by looking at the before and after photo below!

You'll Need:

• permanent markers in nice colors, avoid black
• a piece of cotton fabric, we used a piece of an old undershirt, you could even do this right onto a t-shirt, though I'd experiment on some scraps first
• rubbing alcohol and eyedropper
• a cup or glass
• a rubber band

How To: Stretch your piece of fabric over the mouth of the glass and secure with a rubber band, such that the fabric is taught. Draw a nice pattern with your permanent markers, try bulls-eye patterns or other concentric designs. Using an eyedropper carefully apply drops of alcohol to the exact center of your pattern. As the alcohol spreads outwards it will take with it the ink, hopefully creating a beautiful pattern. And even if the results aren't exactly as you'd hoped, it's still a fun activity, and after all sometimes it's about the doing not the results!

The Granduer Of Jerusalem On Another Sad Day In History.....

I was in Jerusalem for two days this week and had hoped to show you beautiful photos or our historic and holy city. Instead I will show you photos and tell you a little bit about the very sad event that occurred while I was there.

The Jewish people together with many visitors of all faiths from around the world pray at this very spot every day. Prayers for everything, but especially for peace with our enemies, who are so very very close, and in some cases practically next door. Prayers for freedom from fear in everyday life, a basic right of all humans everywhere.

The residents of Jerusalem have been inconvenienced for years as the new train system was built, and yet that is minor in comparison to the events of yesterday. A bomb filled suitcase or backpack was detonated at a very busy bus stop, a bus stop that I myself have used many times waiting for buses to return to my home up north. One woman lost her life, 50 others were injured physically, countless others experienced deep trauma. We were driving not so far from the scene when all of a sudden the air was filled with sirens, and police cars came out of the woodwork rushing to the scene. Moments later we heard the tragic news on the radio, and stopped in a corner store to see for just a moment photos of the scene on their television. Tears came to my eyes— tears of sadness, of disbelief, of frustration.

Here within these ancient walls of the Old City of Jerusalem, the Jewish people were under siege and suffered great tragedies at the hands of the Romans many thousands of years ago. Today the enemies are not the same, and yet they want the very same thing.

Here is the Tower of David, David HaMelech, the very same David that wrote the book of Tehillim (psalms)—a book used for prayer and supplication, a book read to find a place of peace within.

And yet there is no peace in our tiny land across whose borders missiles have begun to fly again this week. And so we will continue to pray for peace and we will certainly not lose hope that indeed the world can be a much better place.

A Paper Accordion-Folded Rosette Bouquet Of Sorts!

Why buy a bouquet of flowers when you can make something that's unique and long-lasting like this accordion folded medallion bouquet! The truth is that that in my case the flower store isn't so close and sometimes making something on the kitchen table while simultaneously running the house and watching some pots on the stove is just more practical. So in preparation for the arrival of a newly engaged couple to our home this past week, I whipped up this bouquet which I placed on the bedside table in the young woman's room. While the colors I used are certainly appropriate for a bride, I think that a bouquet like this would be great anytime, don't you?

You'll Need:

• colored paper
• a scalloped craft punch
• thick wooden skewers (from the grocery store, these are actually bamboo)
• a hot glue gun
• a stapler

How To:

1. Make accordian folded medallions according to the instructions here.
2. Punch some scalloped circles and adhere those to one side of the medallions with hot glue.
3. Print a message on your printer and cut that out as a scalloped medallion as well.
4. Adhere skewers to backside of medallions, and attach another scalloped circle on top of the skewer.
5. Place in a vase or pot, using pieces of styrofoam to keep the sticks in place.

 

Recycled Magazine Page Nesting Bowls!

I love recycling crafts, and finally had a chance to try making some bowls from recycled magazine pages. It's really quite simple and even youngish kids can help fold the pages while those old enough to handle a glue gun can make these themselves. And there are really no steadfast rules, so you can use this technique to make many kinds of shapes.

And though I hesitate to mentions Passover cleaning, since it's still Purim in Jerusalem today, I thought I'd introduce this craft before some of you toss all the old magazines into the recycling bin!

You'll Need

• magazine or catalog pages
• hot glue gun
• bone folder or small ruler for scoring along edges
• modge podge or white glue/water

How To:

Fold magazine pages according to the following instructions:

1. Fold page in half vertically, unfold and fold the two edges towards the center and score the edges.
2. Fold those edges again towards the center, and score. (You can fold this strip in half resulting in a wide strip that can be used for the sides of the bowl if so desired.)
3. Fold edges towards the center one more time and fold in half, and score

To assemble bowl proceed as follows:

1. Take a strip, and with spine facing up, make a coil, securing with hot glue where necessary.
2. Add a second strip by inserting the second strip into the fold of the previous strip, and continue to build coil by securing with hot glue where necessary.
3. When the coil reaches the desired size for the bottom of your bowl start building sides. Strips placed close to one another vertically will result in sides that slope outwards, while strips placed further apart will result in sides that are straighter.
4. When bowl reaches desired height, finish off top edges with atleast another layer directly on top of the previous one to form a lip. For the bowls pictured here, I used the wider strips for the sides and the skinnier strips for the lip.
5. Coat bowls with several coats of modge podge, or according to your needs.
6. Enjoy and let me know how it goes!

 

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, and wishing you a very happy Purim! As I post this we have already heard the first public reading of Megillat Esther, and those of us who will be hosting parties tomorrow are quite likely hard at work cooking and preparing, which is what I'll be doing as soon as I share with you last week's really great features. Thanks so much for everyone who has taken the time to post their projects here, and it has been so nice to see so many new contributors recently. And now, are you ready for some more great ideas to get the creative gears turning? Here they are:

These first two projects win the grand prize for inventiveness, pure brilliance! Did you know that with just a bit of water you can craft with cornstarch packing peanuts available at the office supply store? Such a great idea, thanks so much to chalk in my pocket. And now, see this gold mirror, you'll never guess how can't stop making things made it......with caulk! Yes, my friends, I do believe that there is some caulk crafting in my future too, it's just too brilliant!

Isn't this moss letter gorgeous? Find out the complete details from felt so cute, and she also posted about a home made Passover seder kit, worth thinking about now too! Ever thought to make a pendant from a vintage glass knob? Well I'm not surprised that the inventive Mich in LA did, and I just love it!

Isn't this fabric tape measure great? The crafty cpa has been up to some wonderful things lately! And this beer can pop top alligator from Aunt Peaches was actually made by her grandmother! This proves that creativity is genetic, I mean really, just look at those pearly teeth!

Stamping with dice is just too cute, thanks to housing a forest. And I just love the colors in these yarn spider webs from handmade in Israel, and look how amazing they look with these gorgeous wild flowers that Lisa gathered near her home.

Lilla A. hosted a kid's portrait exhibition, and Se7en entered with this wonderful work of art, along with 6 others, definitely worth checking out! And speaking of Lilla A., here she is with this wonderful toilet paper tube silhouette looking glass project, very artful and unique! And now my crafty friends, what have you been up to?