creative jewish mom

Chanukah Menorah Craft Using 3D Paper Stars

And at the very last minute just before lighting the 8th candle, I came up with this paper chanukah menorah craft using my favorite little 3D paper stars that I have been obsessively folding this chanukah.....because one you start, seeing them fill a jar or wine glass is so very satisfying! And then you can use them anytime you need a bit of color, which I've done at the base of a centerpiece this Chanukah, and at the base of a decorative chanukiah......and then of course you can get out the glue and also make a fun piece of wall decor, or get out the needle and thread and string them all together (I may try this next year.) What ever your fancy, folding tiny paper stars is a great winter activity for the whole family, 10 years and up (or so) and great to take on trips as well. And I just realized that with Tu B'Shevat coming up, well we can use these tiny stars to craft for that as well! Okay, lets get started!

Origami Star Of David For Chanukah, In Three Minutes!

Dusting this one off from just two years ago, and now if the perfect time to get folding!

If you are folding some origami dreidels then you might just want an origami star of David or 20, to make a Chanukah garland or mobile. I looked into all the ways that one can make an origami star of david, and even stopped part way through the 15 minute folding adventure, as I need origami elements that can be made fairly quickly. So presenting the three minute origami star of David, that can really be made in 3 minutes, once you get the folding sequence down pat. Now, I do have to say, that while I am generally not interested in promoting creative activities that require perfection, origami unfortunately does require perfection, the more the better, otherwise your stars will not be lovely, (as some of mine are not if you look closely) just saying. So, put on your perfectionist hat, just for this and this only, and get folding! I made these stars from 12cm x 12cm paper, which results in a star that is 6cm wide, cute for a small garland, or a gift topper or place card, but I'd recommend going larger if you want decorations that will make a statement. Okay, lets get started!

Chanukah Paper Craft: A Quilled Dreidel

I am reposting this Hanukkah quilling craft as now is a great time to delve into something new! Our Jewish holidays are coming to end while secular holiday season is just getting started, so keep the mood festive with some great looking crafts!  Quilling is truly wonderful, and there are so many ways to go with it. I even did a huge quilled version of a logo we use for my husband one year! i have dusted this off from the archives, and here is what I wrote back then, enjoy and happy chanukah!

As you can see, I really had a great time creating a series of quilled Hanukkah crafts this year......and our house is looking more festive than ever! I'm expecting a huge crowd at our table this Shabbos, so I'm really happy to say that my house looks ready to party! Of course, I have many more decorations than you see here, but these guys did set the stage for everything else, and I can't wait to make more. Ahh yes, I did actually make more, in fact I made a large piece of quilled art for my husband's birthday, the first night of Chanukah, and it is already hanging in his office and getting rave reviews.....no one believes it is just paper! One guy even took it off the wall and took it home to show his wife (next door)....so I guess this quilling venture is going to be around for a while!

Jewish Paper Quilling: A Chanukah Menorah

I dusted this off from the archives and am enjoying some of my quilled paper crafts from years ago this Chanukah, so yes, you can make some now and keep them for years. The only thing that didn't keep well in some cases is the paper piece around the edge with did get wavy, but that can always be replaced, the bulk of the work looks as good as when it was created.

Hanukkah is eight glorious days long, which means one can still find some time to get crafting, right? I just love the results of quilling, especially when one uses colored paper, so bright and fun. Quilling doesn't have to be super time consuming if you choose to do something simple without filling in the background, and in any case, the results are truly worth the effort.

Quilling, the art of rolling little strips of paper has been around for hundreds of years, and may even date back to Egypt! There is something about taking little strips of paper and rolling them that is pure enjoyment, so give it a try yourself!

Simple Crochet Projects For Hanukkah!

Crochet projects for Hanukkah? Of course, because as you all know, I love to crochet, and so crocheting has often been a big part of my hanukkah crafting! (Now, I do not have time to crochet with my art explorations, but I have so many things on hand, that we only see once a year, so it is still fresh. Hmmmm, but maybe I need to crochet just a bit tonight for tomorrow's guests?) While tonight is the third night of chanukah that does not mean we can't have fun making things on chanukah to enjoy for the remainder of the holiday, to give as gifts or even save until next year! Here are some of my favorite simple crochet projects from the archives that are perfect for chanukah, try something new, or go get all those old t-shirts and use them to make the basket above, wouldn't it be a miracle of chanukah to clean out that draw a bit? Okay, enjoy!

Plastic Canvas Hanukkah Crafts To Make During Hanukkah!

With Chanukah quickly approaching now might not be the time to actually make plastic canvas hanukkah decorations, but now might be a great time to buy the supplies in order to enjoy making some during hanukkah! These decorations, well, last literaly forever, so they make great family keepsakes and are just as cute as can be. So no stressing with intricate crafts like this right now, save these projects for chanukah, what could be better? I fortunately do not know where my plastic canvas supplies are at the moment, or I might be tempted? Okay, here is my post from two years ago:

This week I shared with you a lovely eco-friendly way to make glitter snowflakes from recycled plastic berry baskets, and now while it isn't in keeping with my usual recycling crafts, I'm sharing some really festive plastic canvas crafts for Hanukkah. And just to clarify, plastic canvas is certainly not eco friendly, but it can be enjoyed for years and years to come, so while buying it does encourage the manufacturing of it, sigh, at least one doesn't have to be wasteful with it, right? The pleasure of embroidering on plastic canvas is an experience unto itself, and maybe that is in fact how my crafts ended up looking so very happy!

I truly believe that one should indulge in the joy of crafting, and now is a great time to do that, with winter holidays and family time quickly approaching! Spread some love this season with handmade crafts, and if you do that I think buying a bit of plastic canvas is also giving back to the world. Okay, enough said, take a look at these projects and come up with some of your own!

"Ugly" Holiday Sweater Craft Is Cute As Can Be!

After turning a color swatching exercise into striped dreidels, here, I just had to keep on going with some cozy striped sweaters! Are they "ugly" holiday sweaters, not in my book, because friends, when you mix your own paint colors using any red, yellow and blue, no matter what, the resulting colors will go together, like magic! Truly a wonderful realization, and a great way to minimize thinking too much about what colors to use, whether painting a painting or painting stripes on a mini holiday sweater! Yes, it is true these sweaters might look great with a star of David, or a dreidel, or a jelly doughnut on the front, but I think I'm going to leave them plain so I can enjoy them all winter and it won't look like I've yet to pack up my Chanukah decor! (Same goes for all the white pom poms I'm planning on hanging!) So friends, these "ugly" holiday sweaters are just beyond cute, and so simple to make, so let's get started!

Painted Cereal Box Dreidels For Chanukah Crafting

These striped dreidels painted on cereal boxes are looking so cute I just had to do a better job of photographing them to convince you that this is the thing to delve into this year! Make little ones, make big ones, just make a ton, and transform your home into a festive place for celebrating our wonderful 8 night holiday! I can see these hung vertically with some little pom poms in between to make a wall hanging, so simple, just tape a piece of thread or yarn to the backs and hang from a stick, a skewer, a long paint brush, a hanger, get creative! Or paint both sides and make some cake toppers, stick them in a vase or make a mobile. Get those creative gears turning and make memories for loved one, you won't regret it! And friends, no special supplies needed, right? Keep on reading for the link the original tutorial, and supplies!

Cute Striped Dreidel Craft With Color Theory!

Just when I thought I would not be crafting this year for Chanukah, I realized that just wouldn't do, and that I could combine my art endeavors with my crafting and do something festive, decorative and educational (for those doing the creating.) Introducing color theory dreidels, this years contribution to my ever expanding collection of artful recycling crafts for chanukah! Why color theory you might ask? Well friends, color theory in this case is about how colors look when placed side by side, but even more exciting, how to mix your own colors! All the colors you see here were mixed from just 3 colors, so that makes this budget friendly as well, not to mention that the base is cereal box cardboard! Okay, lets do this Chanukah is coming!

A Last Minute Chanukah Crafting Lifesaver, Right About Now!

If you start to see photos of my classic nesting dreidel mobile here on CJM that must mean that Hanukkah is coming! So yes indeed, with Hanukkah coming in 1 weeks, yikes, I suggest getting busy with decorating your home, your classroom or workplace with an extra dose of color. My nesting dreidel digital craft kit is the perfect place to start, and you can use the pages in so many fun ways beyond mobiles! Make garlands, place mats, gift wrap, gift tags, or even use the dreidels to decoupage on the bottom of some glass plates or trays! Yes, you are right, I need to try that myself, will do!