creative jewish mom

A Quick and Cute Drinking Glass Vase!

Want to enjoy the last blooms of summer? Need some quick and very inexpensive centerpieces for a party or event? This vase made quite simply from a drinking glass and ribbon may just be the answer you've been looking for!

You'll Need:

• A drinking glass with straight sides. (Glass can be narrower at the bottom, but not fluted)
• Ribbon, about 3/4" wide
• Double-stick tape (or regular tape, if you're in a pinch)

How To:

1. Starting at the lip of the glass, attach end of ribbon, at about a 30 degree angle, to the glass with a generous yet discrete piece of double stick tape. See photo for correct positioning of ribbon.
2. Slowly wrap ribbon around glass in a spiral fashion, such that ribbon lies flat on glass at every point, with no buckles.
3. At the bottom of glass secure ribbon with a generous piece of double stick tape.
4. Trim ribbon at top and bottom of glass such that it is flush with the lip and the bottom of the glass.
5. Add small, colorful flowers, and enjoy!

The Perfect Destination: A Dude Ranch In The Galilee!

On the road that winds through the forest between Safed and Amouka, in Northern Israel, is a place called Bat Yaar. I know the name well as I have passed their sign countless times over the years, but I never dreamed that I would discover there a perfect place to spend a summer afternoon with my young children.

What makes this location so perfect? Well first of all, lots of shade, lots and lots of shade, and lots of tables under the shade to enjoy a picnic lunch. And did I mention the shade? What a relief on a hot summer day!

Just the shade, the tables and the blown up trampoline and slide would have been enough for us, but we were overjoyed to find so much more! Here is what we saw:

 Modern-day covered wagons and an awesome view of Mt. Hermon, the tallest mountain in Israel! (faint in the distance) Wow, what a juxtaposition, kind of like the American settlers before they crossed the Rockies!

And who would have guessed that each covered wagon housed a table and fold down chairs for diners at the ranch's (not kosher, or at least not mehadrin) restaurant? Too brilliant for words, and with air conditioning too!

There was a large cage of gorgeous parakeets that made this Mom think that maybe she needs something like that, and a pen of rabbits and guinea pigs for petting, that made this Mom's kids think that they need something like that as well! Who could blame them?

We just LOVED talking to the animals.........

And Mom was tinkled pink to be able to take some rustic barn yard shots like this......

.....and like this. There is something so beautiful about that leather saddle sitting on that striped saddle pad a top that white horse, that I just can't explain! I guess it's the cowgirl in me.......?

And just when we were bursting with joy from all the visual pleasures, the little ones mounted horses for a few rounds around the paddock to complete their dude ranch experience!

We can't wait to go back again soon!

Modeling Clay: A Classic Craft Actitivity For All Ages!

Modeling clay is one of those classic craft activities that seems to have been somewhat forgotten in light of all the amazing crafts and craft supplies now available to children. But in fact, modeling clay can be a really great spur of the moment activity, which may even keep some children busy for hours!

When my seven year old daughter came home with this oh-so-cute creation on a plastic plate, I just had to say WOW! I asked her how she knew how to make such a perfect bunny, and she just shrugged her shoulders....so it's a mystery to me!

And by the way, when you are nurturing your children's artistic abilities, don't forget to work in 3-dimensions! Sculpture is an integral part of any art training, and one of the easiest and most accessible ways to make sure that they get some modeling in their lives is with modeling clay!

Oh, and before I forget, the bunny actually came home with the most adorable sheep sucking a pacifier! The multicolored sheep is an example of true creative expression, and I know my daughter is good, but I still have a big question as to whether she's really that good! I may never know, but from now on I'm going to be sure to always have a fresh pack of modeling clay on hand for my little sculptress to use when she needs an easy craft activity.

Children who have not had much sculpting experience will need to be guided, so give them some help with forming basic shapes such a balls, squares, pyramids etc. Provide a base to create on, such as a plastic plate, and encourage them to create a complete scene. Older children could create scenes for a story, which could then be photographed and made into their very own illustrated book! How wonderful would that be?

Note: You might want to consider purchasing a book with step by step instructions for modeling all kinds of figures. A book of this sort is a good investment that can be used for years to come, by all ages, and is especially helpful for encouraging children who lack sculpting confidence, and for parents who could also use just a little help!

 

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Make Beads From Sand! A Great Summer's End Project.

Above Left: String your beads on lanyard cord and you can make keychains, zipper pulls and backpack charms, as well as necklaces and bracelets. Above Right: With elastic cord and a single bead, that's flat on one side, you can make either a ring or a ponytail holder. With elastic cord and an assortment of  beads you can make a bracelet, a napkin ring, or even a decorative ponytail holder.


Ever heard of making beads from sand? I hadn't either until I was researching another craft project for this blog and came across this wonderful idea. Who would have thought that sand and glue could result in such a simply satisfying project. And what better way to make memories of summer than creating something that will remind you of the beach, or even the local sandbox!

In just a few simple steps the entire family can enjoy creating useful memories of summer, so be sure to have plenty of white glue on hand!

  

Above: String un-colored beads on an elastic cord for beachy napkin rings, or on a plastic lanyard for a simple necklace. Make magnets from dome-shaped beads that were made with no hole, by simply gluing a small magnet on to the back of each bead.

You'll Need:

• Clean sand
• White Glue
• A plastic spoon and bowl
• Toothpicks, skewers, nails
• Markers or paint
• String, elastic cord or plastic lanyard cord

 

Here's How: You won't believe how simple it actually is!

Step 1: Mix together 1 cup sand with 1/4 cup white glue. Mix well to make a stiff dough. If the dough seems too dry, or seems to fall apart easily, add a bit more glue.

Step 2: Shape beads, poke a hole in the center of each with a toothpick, skewer or nail, and set aside to dry for at least 24 hours. 

Step 3: After beads are totally dry and hard, you can color them with markers. Just don't use your best markers, as the roughness of the beads is hard on markers. Permanent markers actually work the best, though certainly are not suitable for young children!

Step 4: Now you can string your beads! You can use elastic cord, plastic lanyard cord or even string. If you like you can combine the beads you've made with other smaller wooden or glass beads for a very finished look.

Tips:

•Make sure the holes you make are big enough for the cord or string you plan to use! Once the beads have dried they are quite hard, and enlarging holes afterwards may not only be very difficult, but may cause beads to crack or chip.

•Beads can be made in many shapes and sizes, take the time to experiment. And just think, you can even make buttons or small decorative tiles to use in your next craft project!

Enjoy these last days of summer by creating together, and you'll not only have something to show for your time well spent, but also warm memories to last you all winter long!

Re-Use A Beautiful Frame and Make A Useful Tray For The Holidays!

Rosh Hashana (the Jewish New Year) is really just around the corner, and I think most of us enjoy ushering in the New Year with a few decorative additions to our holiday table or home decor. This year you can re-use something you may already have on hand, and in a few simple steps add an elegant touch to your buffet or side table.

You'll Need:

• A frame with glass or preferably plexi-glass for safety
• A beautiful scarf or piece of fabric
• A piece of plywood or mdf cut to the exact size of frame (optional)
• Two handles and four small knobs (optional)

How To: Decorative Tray That Will Sit in One Place:

1. Most frames already have a backing piece of cardboard which you can use. If not, cut a piece of cardboard slightly smaller than the opening.
2. Wrap your fabric or scarf around the cardboard neatly, and secure to back of cardboard with tape. 
3. Insert into frame.
4. A thin silk scarf can be used for this purpose without cutting it, just the underside of the tray may be a bit thick. Give it a try.
5. Depending on the depth of your frame and thickness of your fabric you may or may not be able to cover the back opening with an additional piece of cardboard that fits into the opening. If a piece of cardboard can not fit into the opening, cut a piece that will cover the entire back of the frame, and secure with thumb tacks, a staple gun or glue.
6. If you will be using the tray on a table with food I would recommend stapling with a staple gun, or taping a piece of plastic, such as oil cloth or a plastic place-mat to the bottom for protection.

How To: Tray That You'd Actually Like To Use As A Serving Tray:

1. Make sure that the frame you'd like to use is actually big enough, and would be comfortable to handle. For example, a very thick frame might be too heavy to actually use.
2. Follow the directions above. In this case the assembly is permanent, so use a scrap of fabric.
3. Have someone cut you a piece of mdf or plywood the exact dimensions of the back of the frame.
4. Attach to frame with wood glue or small screws.
5. You may need to paint the sides of the mdf or plywood to match your frame.
6. Depending on the style of frame and how handy you are, consider adding two handles to complete the look! And if you've gone this far, add four small knobs to the back for feet, for a professional finish.

This idea could be used in so many ways with photographs as well! It would make a great gift for a Kallah (bride) to use as a cosmetics tray, as a gift to grandparents with photos of the grandchildren (sepia toned ones could be nice) and so on! As always my projects are just a starting point for you to follow in the creation of  something uniquely yours! Let me know how it goes!

Make A Unique Paper Mache Frame! (For your Succah?)

Looking for a special project to feature on one of the walls of your Succah? Looking for a unique frame to display a copy of a beautiful old photograph? Paper mache may be your answer! Paper mache has often been used by cultures around the world for creating charming handcrafts. It's sculptural qualities and simple supplies lends it well to craft projects for kids or those wishing to create something special with minimal investment of supplies.

You'll Need:

• thick cardboard from cardboard carton/box
• newspaper strips
• white glue or flour
• paint for base color (spray paint or acrylic craft paint)
• napkins for decoupage (optional)
• metallic fabric paint "tulip"– sold in an applicator tube
• acrylic varnish for final protective coat — matte or shiny (optional)
• sheet of thick clear plastic to protect photo

How To:

1. Using a craft knife, mark and cut a rectangle the size desired. Design a silhouette for the inside, carefully mark and cut out. It must be straight, but any nicked or imperfect edges will be covered.
2. Cut newspaper into roughly 1"(2cm) strips, and cut smaller 1/2-1/4" (1cm) strips to use on corners and rounded areas.
3. Mix your paper mache paste using one of the following recipes:
4. To make  paper mache paste from flour:  mix together 1 part flour to 2 parts water. You will want it to be the consistency of thick glue, but you also want it to be runny and not thick like paste. Add more water or flour as necessary. Mix well to remove any lumps. Note: If you live in an area with high humidity, add a few tablespoons of salt to help prevent mold. You should be able to store this glue in a covered bowl or jar, in the refrigerator, for a few days.
5. To make paper mache paste from glue: Mix 3/4 white glue to 1/4 water (or if using a good, thick glue, like elmers you can do 1/2 and 1/2)
6. To make cooked paper mache paste from flour: Mix 1 part flour to 5 parts water, boil about 3 minutes and let cool. This results in a nice smooth and inexpensive paste.
7. Dip strips of newspaper in paste, and remove excess paste by running strip between your thumb and pointer finger while still holding strip over bowl. Start covering your cardboard frame with strips placed one next to the other.
8. Smooth pieces with your finger for a flat as possible surface.
9. For best results, let piece dry between every layer or two. But if you're dong the project with kids, just let them do a few layers at one time.
10. When you are satisfied with the thickness of the paper mache, you may want to do one final layer with white paper towel or computer paper, such that the letters of the newspaper won't show through your painted base color.
11. When dry, sand any lumps or bumps and paint base color. I used metallic gold spray paint.
12. Use napkins for decoupaged details (see previous post for instructions on napkin decoupage) and apply raised dots of metallic fabric paint where desired.
13. When dry, spray or brush on a protective coat of acrylic varnish.
14. Tape a piece of thick plastic acrylic to back and tape copy of photo to that.
15. Hang with a decorative ribbon or wire loop affixed to the back with strong tape.

 

With this simple technique, you could create a whole collection of brightly colored or elegant shaped frames to cover a whole wall! And the frames hung without pictures in them would probably look great too!

Note: For dimensional decorations, such as balls, raised squares etc, make shapes from masking tape or pieces of cardboard, tape them down and cover with strips of newspaper. Imagine the possibilities!

 

Recycle A Large Can And Make A Shatterproof Vase! (For your Succah?)

For the next few days I'm taking a little break from presenting hanging decorations to show you a few really nice decorative projects. The first one is so simple, with great results that you'll never throw out (if you live in Israel where there's no can recycling to speak of) another tin can, especially not large juice cans and tall Materna (baby formula) cans!

Not all Succahs are on even ground, so as much as we try to bring only the most elegant things into our Succah, practically speaking a regular vase might pose too many problems! This is the solution, quite simply a can covered in fabric and trimmed with interesting ribbon. And of course these are great for outdoor entertaining as well.  These cans can certainly hold real flowers or an interesting arrangement of something elegant and festive, like the example here, and best of all, now you can finally use those bits of your favorite fabric without having to sew!

You'll Need:

• A tall clean tin can (Materna 700gr., B&D Syrup etc.)
• Cotton drapery-weight fabric
• Ribbon or rick rack for trim
• White PVA glue (woodworkers glue) or any other high tack craft glue

How To:

1. Measure height and circumference of can
2. Cut piece of fabric to height plus 1/2" (1cm) roughly, and to circumference plus 1/2" (1cm)
3. Press 1/4" seams at top and bottom and one end of fabric
4. Using a brush, coat entire surface of can with a generous coat of glue.
5. Starting with the unpressed end of fabric, carefully wrap fabric around can, pulling tightly as you go around and making sure that the fabric lines up with the top and bottom edges of the can. The end with the seam should neatly cover the unfinished edge.
6. Smooth entire surface with fingers to check for bubbles or creases that can be fixed.
7. Set aside to dry, and apply ribbon trim to can where desired. (Materna cans have ridges at the top and it may be difficult to adhere fabric neatly in that spot— so just cover that area with a nice thick ribbon!)

Cans like this could be made as inexpensive centerpieces for any celebration, or used at Purim time for a small sampling of treats. And they can make your toiletries look organized, help store small sewing supplies, or even be helpful near the baby's changing table as a catch all for ointments or tiny pairs of socks!

Square cans sit together well, and a set lined up nicely on an open shelf would look great! Finally all the little stuff can not only have a place, but maybe next time you'll know exactly where those nail cutters are when you need them!

 

Make Beautiful Decorations from Foam Forms (Make Succah Decorations in August: Part 4)

The Succah that hosted these decorations is still fresh in my memory, though it was five years ago! These were made a few days before the holiday, by myself and my two older sons, and when we put them up, the whole Succah seemed to be dancing!  I remember those last few hours before the holiday started, and the enormous feeling of satisfaction and excitement.  The sun was shining into our decorated Succah, and the decorations were twirling in the breeze. And I'm quite sure I must have felt relieved upon completion of my favorite decorating challenge of the year!

The technique involved in these decorations is simple enough for even a three year old, yet with possibilities so vast that all the artists in the family won't be able to resist contributing.

These photos show only a small selection of what we actually made that year, as due to a camera malfunction I was left with only a few examples. Everything happens for a reason, so I can only imagine that you were meant to use your own creativity to come up with something original and just right for your own Succah!

You'll Need:

• Foam shapes and balls 
• Acrylic craft paint
• Decorative napkins (optional)
• Sequins and plastic sequin pins
• Metallic puff paint or "tulip" in a squeeze bottle (optional)
• Small plastic mosaic squares, gold or silver (optional)
• White glue, or decoupage medium such as modgepodge (optional)
• Beads (optional)
• Fishing line for hanging

How To: Painted Foam Forms and Sequins

1. Paint your foam forms and set aside to dry. Paint a second coat if necessary for solid coverage.
2. Tip: stick a wooden skewer into the foam forms before painting, such that you can paint the whole piece at once. Set aside to dry by sticking the skewer into a vase or piece of dense packing foam.
3. Make holes for hanging: through the center of the top portion of flat forms and for spheres, running through the entire ball (I use a very long needle for sewing buttons on mattresses, you can also carefully use a metal skewer or possibly a straight portion of a coat hanger.)
4. Attach sequins using colored plastic sequin pins.
5. Adults or older children can carefully apply additional details with metallic puff paint.
6. To hang, thread some beads onto the fishing line, then thread the line through the sphere.
7. Decorate the string above the sphere with beads that seem to float, by anchoring them in place with a slip knot.

How To: Foam Forms Decoupaged with Napkins and Decorated With Sequins

1. There is no need to paint the form if you will be covering it entirely with napkins.
2. If you would like to make something like the chamsa on the right, above, paint entire shape and apply small napkin design elements according to directions below.
3. Separate the printed layer of the napkin from the other two white layers.
4. Stick a skewer into the base of the sphere or foam shape.
5. Working in one small area at a time, apply a not too runny glue solution of roughly 1 part glue/1 part water (or decoupage medium) with a paint brush.
6. Gently press small pieces of napkin into the glue and carefully smooth out any creases or wrinkles as much as possible. Once you start working you will be able to determine what works for you as far as what size napkin pieces you can apply. If pieces are too large,the end result is usually messy.
7. When shape in entirely covered in napkin set aside to dry.
8. Brush entire form with a coat of glue solution or decoupage medium, and set aside to dry.
9. Apply sequins. Make small flower shapes with a sequin in the center, and five around the center.
10. Hang according to directions above.

If you are able to make these ahead of time, once the ornaments are completely dry, wrap them in paper and pack away until Succos! And after Succos, wrap them up again and store in a cold/dry place for years to come! And don't forget, these decorations are just a sugggestion, you can decorate foam shapes with a myriad of things: buttons, stickers, jewelry findings, bits of ribbon, wool felt shapes etc.

For the greatest impact in your Succah, I would recommend making as many of these as you possibly can, as they look much better hung in groups! Start creating now and by Succos you'll have an amazing array of treasures that will make the whole family proud!

Make Stunning Polyhedrons To Hang Everywhere! (Make Succah Decorations in August: Part 3)

You may or may not have enjoyed learning geometry, but now is the time to cast aside your emotions, and delve into this stunning project! Don't panic when you see the diagrams, it's really quite simple, and once you get the hang of it, you'll be making these in all sizes and colors with minimal effort. Really!

You'll Need:

• lightweight cardboard, such as cereal boxes or paper plates
• a ruler, and good scissors
• very tacky glue, double sided tape or hot glue (less perfect results)
• paints, stencils, (optional)

How To:

1. Do the first one as an experiment to figure out the directions and to see how large the results will be.
2. Using something perfectly round and at least 3" in diameter, such as a mug, a glass, a small plate etc.
3. Draw around the perimeter of the object to create your circles. Carefully cut your circles out.
4. You will need 20 circles per decoration.
5. The panels of the decoration are actually circles exactly folded resulting in equilateral triangles with flaps for gluing one to the other. 
6. It is important to be a little bit exacting in the cutting and planning of these circles for nice results!
7. You will need figure out how to draw a perfect equilateral triangle within the circle size you've chosen. This can be eyeballed, and then measured, but I recommend doing the calculations if you can.
8. First of all, the circle needs to be divided into 6 equal parts to determine the position of the points of the triangle.
9. Once you have figured out the exact measurements of this triangle, cut one out and use it as a template to draw triangles within all of your circles.
10. Lightly score the lines designating the sides of the triangle with a bone folder (the best!) or another blunt yet not sharp object. Fold triangles on the scores lines and you're ready for assembly! 
11. Follow the directions in the diagrams below and whatever you do, don't panic!

To determine the exact position of the triangle within the circle, you may be able to use one of the drawing programs on your computer. (See diagram below) With the proper program this is so simple! Or, if you are just a bit geometrically inclined you can do the same calculations with a protractor or even a compass.

After you have created your circles, you will need to glue all the flaps together as shown below. Hot glue is the easiest, but may not result in perfect results as the glue tends to have depth, thus flaps wont be glued together neatly. Double stick tape works well, but can come untaped over time. A very tacky craft glue would work the best. For your first experiment you can use a stapler.

I can't stress enough, don't be daunted by these diagrams! You really can do it....! These would make wonderful decorations in the home, hung in a corner, as a grouping, or hung from a tree for beautiful outdoor summer decor. If you will use them in your Succah,they can be saved for at least several years if packed away carefully.

Additionally, the project shown here is just a starting point for your creativity! Last year I stenciled beautiful floral designs on the blank sides of cereal boxes to use as my cardboard, and the results were fabulous (if I get up the courage to climb up to my very hot attic to find them, I'll provide a photo soon!)
One could use cardboard with laminated scrapbook paper, or even stiffen your favorite fabric and use that!

Whatever you choose to create, please take pictures for the upcoming Flickr group. I can't wait to see how you've interpreted this project. And as always you can feel free to contact me or leave comments with any questions. Happy creating!

Make Succah Decorations in August!: Part 2

 

For those of you who did not yet read yesterday's post, I've decided that dedicating some time to our Succah decorations now will ultimately save time later and enable us to really create something wonderful while we aren't  under pre-holiday pressure! Plus with all the kids still home, this is a great activity!

When I discovered this technique of making ornaments from strips of paper, I was so amazed at the possibilities given the simplicity of the supplies required! I think these are simply gorgeous — one could decorate an entire Succah with only ornaments in this style and the results would be stunning. Not only would the results be stunning, but the fact that you were able to make your own paper ornaments adds that personal factor to the decorations.
 

You'll Need:

• medium/heavy weight colored paper
• quick drying tacky glue, or double sided tape
• a craft knife and metal ruler plus cutting surface
• a needle, and thread for hanging

How To:

1. Decide how thick you'd like the strips to be. For the best results, it is important to cut all the strips so they will be the same width.
2. Using a ruler, mark increments of about 1/2" to 5/8" (about 1.5 cm) and cut using (ideally) a craft knife, a metal ruler and a cutting mat. (Craft knives are very sharp and for adults only)
3. First experiment to get the hang of this craft, by joining strips end to end with glue or double stick tape, to form rings. One can make rings in a few sizes and then attach one inside the next and so on as seen in the ornament on the left.
4. Make teardrop shapes by simply pinching one side of the ring. Make a petal shape by pinching the ring in two opposite points. If you are using heavy weight paper, you may need to score the paper at the point where you'd like to fold it for a crisp fold. 
5. Study my photograph until you really get the idea involved here, and then there are an unlimited number of possible designs one can create!
6. For hanging, run a needle and long thread (doubled for strength) through the top of the ornament, and hang. Match the color of thread to the color of your ornaments.
7. Have a great time, and take pictures! I'm going to start a Flickr group for Succah decorations soon, and I'd love for you to contribute your work!