creative jewish mom

Recycled Plastic Bottle Vase Craft For Kids

How do you make a vase to hold various paper flowers, pomegranite branches and Rosh HaShana symbols on skewers? Well, I've just come up with a really fun way that has great results and is so very enjoyable to make. The room was almost silent as my group of 9 year old boys got to work, meaning this was perfect for them. And I'll admit, I had fun making a few as well! For kids whose confidence level is low when it comes to crafting, something like this is perfect! I of course am against buying pre-made crafting elements to glue onto things as there is no creativity in that, but arranging pre-cut paper strips in a great range of colors is a few steps above that, and to encourage kids to craft sometimes you've got to encourage them with projects that are relatively easy! These vases got an extra boost of cuteness with a t-shirt yarn rim and a row or two of bobble yarn. Aren't they truly just the sweetest?

Fun DIY Plastic Bag Pom Pom Craft

Once again, I have made plastic bag pom poms, well rather my 9 year old students have made some plastic bag pom poms and the results are just so much fun! And of course with the crafty hoiday of Succot sneaking up on us, now is the time to get crafting, and these pom poms are truly wonderful! While plastic bags are outlawed in many places, they are still in use here is Israel (and honestly when you are fighting for your life, worrying about plastic bag use takes a back burner.....) and so I am doing my part to recycle them myself and raise awareness with local kids about what great crafting material plastic bags can be!

Recycled Icecream Cone Box Birthday Garland!

I hope you will never throw out another food box with photos on it again, as cut-outs make the most adorable garlands, especially when the kids cut out the items and decorate them! This ice cream cone birthday garland for a beloved five year old was made together with him, though admittedly I did most of the work, but he did a great job making some abstract cherries and cutting out the cones! The black and white striped t-shirt yarn adds to the whole look, though of course black and white polka dot ribbon would also be great. So friends, recycle those food boxes with photos on them and make fun crafts. Boxes of cereal with collage of pom poms  and sequins could be great, hmmm, gotta do that! Get creative with this one and enjoy!

Cross Stitch on Cardboard Apple Craft

Pulling this one out of the archives from a mere two years ago, and now it is making me want to embroider, help!

I followed my own advice about making some cross stitch apple crafts (check out my first cross stitch apple craft here) for Rosh Hashana, and last night in the wee hours of the morning I made my son a birthday card featuring a slightly different cross stitch apple, and this time on cereal box cardboard. I'm happy with the results and wish I had time to do some more icons for Rosh HaShana, hmmm, maybe I do have the time? You'll be the first to see the results if I do, but in the mean time, think about how you can take this idea and use it for your upcoming celebration, whether it be a Fall birthday, a teacher appreciation gift, or, Rosh HaShana of course, coming up this Sunday night! Ah yes, and traditionally, the Jewish new year is the time to give cards, so if you need a special one, this could be perfect! Okay, time is of the essence, lets learn how I made this!

DIY Hiking And Camping Theme Birthday Cake

Have a friend or family member that loves hiking and climbing mountains? I have just the DIY hiking and camping theme cake decor idea for you, and truly it is quite a quick one, phew. My daughter just spent two weeks in the Western USA as a counselor for a hiking camp, that included Yosemite, The Grand Canyon, Brice Canyon and more, and so the cake for her birthday yesterday just had to reflect the amazing experience she had! Google line drawings for anything you'd like to include on the cake, and then draw them using the reference, or trace them, even right off your monitor if you need to. The idea of posting a flag at the top of a mountain could work for many occasions, so even if you don't have any birthdays coming up, keep this idea in mind!

Mini Magazine Page Flowers Craft

Mini recycled magazine page chrysanthemums are just the sweetest and great anytime or for a special occasion! I could have sworn that i made larger versions of these a good ten years ago, but the only thing I found on my blog is a felt version of these, also wonderful! I had totally forgotten about my felt flower stint, hmmmm, maybe time to revisit that, but in the mean time, lets make some magazine page flowers, in this case mini versions that I think I'm going to use as napkin decor for my daughter's birthday party this Shabbat (shhhh, its a surprise!) Magazine pages can be a great source of colorful and patterned paper, so before you recycled any lightweight paper items, check them out to see if indeed there are pages that are mostly one color, or a combination of pleasing colors that could be used for crafting! I save these pages in a shoe box or in a nice pile, as there are many many craft projects that call for recycled magazine pages, and the look that is achieved is unmatched with solid colored paper of any kind. Okay, lets get started.....

Modular Origami Starbursts Make Perfect Succah Decorations!

Yes, you are reading correctly, modular origami starburts make great succah decorations, and now is the perfect stress-free time to delve into all kinds of paper crafts that can then be neatly saved and hung in the succah in a few months! I taught a group of 10 to 12 year old boys how to make these yesterday, and while it was difficult for some, others breezed right on through and took home something that looks like mine, though not quite as perfect, but still wonderful! I taught them that after we make something that we love, we feel joy from it and we should say ahhhhh! This was a new concept to them, but the boy who worked diligently at the table next to me did just that when he crossed the finish line! So friends, if you craft with children, don't forget to teach them to feel the tangible satisfaction and joy!

Origami is such a vast world with so many options from beginning to advanced, and I especially love the modular origami projects that start to seem like lego of sorts! Keep on reading for tips for making this modular origami starburst that looks great anytime!

Watercolor Fruit Cut-Outs Birthday Bouquet

Looking for a cute fruit themed birthday centerpiece or artful bouquet for any occasion? How about painting some watercolor mosaic fruit, cutting them out and using them to make a festive bouquet? Really so simple with wonderful results, and you can certainly make quite a few for an event, and make each item two-sided so the watercolor fruit bouquet can sit in the middle of a table.

Are you convinced? Keep on reading for tips on how to make this fun bouquet, and one major benefit is that you can make it weeks ahead, and save most of the elements for future use, even as cake toppers!

Watercolor Mosaic Fruit Cut-Outs Are The Perfect Summer Craft

Yes it is true, watercolor mosaic fruit have stolen my heart, can you blame me? First it was watercolor mosaic strawberries, then watercolor pineapple cutouts, and now watercolor mosaic fruit, like grapes, oranges and lemons! Creating patterns with watercolor is so very relaxing, and when those patterns are random and fill fruit shapes such that they look like mosaic fruit, well I'm sold! And the best part is, you can keep the ones you like, and then simply turn over the paper and paint some more! Cut-outs are wonderful to have on hand for crafting and collaging and art journaling, not to mention to use as gift tags or even cake toppers! So grab an hour or so on a lazy summer afternoon (or burn the midnight oil like me....) and give mosaic watercolor fruit a try!

Watercolor Pineapple Cut-Outs For Summer Party Decor

Looking for a relaxing summer craft that you can use for summer decor, or set aside for some unknown future use? I'd recommend watercolor cut-outs, and in this case pineapples! I've already shared with you watercolor strawberry cutouts and of course, last year I made quite a few watercolor floral cutouts, that are just lovely. So friends, regardless of the quality of watercolor paint you might have on hand, get yourself something that is at the least mixed media paper or inexpensive watercolor paper, and have fun painting and then cutting out the best of the bunch to use in a variety of ways, or to put into an envelope or flat box to be saved and down the road used as gift toppers, collage fodder, you name it!