creative jewish mom

Simple DIY Polka Dot Candles For Chanukah Or Anytime!

Looking for a simple way to brighten up your Chanukah menorah? How about using DIY polka dot candles which are simple to make and so much fun! I'll admit, I'm using these candles for holiday decor to show off this lovely vintage chanukah menorah but you can certainly make candles like these to burn for chanukah, place in candlesticks for decor, or make as centerpieces for a festive party of any kind. Candles with tiny painted flowers and other designs are now popular, so why not make your own? It is truly simple and you'll only need one particular art supply item, can you guess what it is? Keep on reading.......and wishing you a light filled Chanukah and year to come! Happy crafting and don't forget that creativity is a great answer to everything!

Starting a Profitable Candle Making Business From Home - 8 Essential Steps

Ever made DIY candles with such great results that you had the little thought that maybe just maybe you ought to consider doing it as a small business? When we made the candles I've shared here, my husband immediately said "let's go into business!" I'll admit I have way too many projects happening to consider a candle making business right now, but that doesn't mean I'm not interested in learning how I could make it work. So I've gathered some tips that might be helpful, not just when considering starting a candle making business, but any creative side gig that done right may just become a full time endeavor!

If you are looking for ways to make your candle making business profitable, take a look at these eight essential steps I have for you, and take it from there! Start with a good marketing strategy to insure that your candle making can be successful money wise, as a part-time income source, or even something more. And the good news is that it doesn’t cost much to make candles, and it’s widely known that the profit margin is also considered to be better than many other consumer products. A smart and small budget is all you need to initiate your candle-making business for starters. Candles, while a mainstay in Scandinavian countries like Sweden, have become popular worldwide, as decorative accents, and as a simple way to add scent to any room. 

Ready to learn the essential tips to help you kick start your super successful candle making business? Let’s get started, shall we.........?

Summer Camp Crafts: Havdalah Candle Craft From Old Candles

Remember the story about the huge bag of unsightly old candles that accidentally ended up at our house, and how I decided to make upcycled candles? Well dear readers here is confirmation that indeed there are no accidents, as that bag of candles that was destined for the garbage (in any one else's house, and almost ours as well!) became festive striped havdalah candles. (We use the havdalah candle on Saturday night when Shabbat is over to usher in the new week, and it needs to have two or more wicks.) I almost can't believe it myself, and the gorgeous array of candles that we created have been decorating the top of our piano for the last week or so, just waiting for their moment in the spotlight. I'll admit, I did do several versions of this craft, some more complicated than others, and for the time being I'm sharing the most simple version as it is a perfect summer camp craft to do right now, preferably outdoors! So gather the supplies (if you don't have any old candles hanging around, maybe do a candle drive in the neighborhood or among friends and family, I'm sure there are folks out there who have some hiding in the cabinet waiting for their turn in the spotlght!) Okay, lets get crafting!

Simple Moroccan Theme Centerpieces For A Jewish Henna Party

A Jewish Henna party? Yes indeed dear readers, Jews from places like North Africa/Morocco, Yemen, and even Iran do have the tradition of a henna ceremony sometime before the wedding. The main difference between the Jewish henna ceremony and the henna ceremonies I've seen from India is that the Jewish ceremony does not involve drawing designs, rather a large round mark is made on the hand with the henna, and there are even little round badges with ribbons that are used to tie the henna to the palm as it must be held in place for a while in order to leave a mark. The three hebrew letters that spell henna are chet, nun and hay, and those are the first letters in the words that spell the three mitzvot that are exclusive to women. These three mitzvot are Challah, Niddah and Haladkat Neros, meaning taking the challah portion (with a blessing), observing family purity, and lighting shabbat candles.

My neighbor's daughter got engaged last week, so I was recruited to help with decorations for the Henna portion of the evening.......needless to say I had everything on hand and everyone was thrilled with my efforts, which I'll be sharing with you here, well a few photos in any case. Before I realized that I needed a largish centerpiece as the tables at the hall are huge, I came up with the idea for this sweet centerpiece, and truthfully you can take this idea and use it for any theme you like. Let's get started shall we?

Hanukkah Candle Drip Art With The Leftovers!

After eight joyful nights of Hanukkah, shining light into the very darkest corners, you might just have some leftover candles? (We light our main Chanukah menorah using olive oil, but use candles for some smaller chanukiahs.) Don't toss them, spend a few moments of pressure-free creativity, and create something with the drips. This of course is only with adult supervision, or for teens, and maybe even Mom or Dad could use a little creative time after a hectic week-plus of celebrations? (Don't worry about me, I know how to take that time when possible, you should see my kitchen table right about now......) So instead of trying to save those candles for next year, or tossing them, lets bring more light into the world through creativity!

Summer Doodling: Making Patterns On Glass

This past week I discovered while substitute teaching for a candle making workshop that doodling on candle jars can be a wonderful way to turn candlemaking into something truly wonderful and unique. While I was thinking about doodling a cityscape of Jerusalem on the jars, one of my students did this sweet doodle pattern, which was one of the better efforts. The only boy in the group drew the stones of the Western Wall on his glass which was also quite successful while others wrote blessings or their names. I'm quite sure you can think of a long list of ways to decorate your glasses or jars filled with colorful wax, so get inspired and start crafting! Even a solid color candle could be a great backdrop for some creative doodles, right?

Okay then, lets get started.......

DIY Striped Candles Are The Perfect Summer Craft!

Remember making candles at summer camp? I sure do, especially the ones we made at the beach in milk cartons! Candle making can be on the messy side, but is a perfect craft to do especially when you have a few hours on a lazy summer afternoon, and a bunch of kids (or kids at heart) in need of some creative fun! The candles you see here were actually made by some of my students in a candle making workshop for which I was the substitute teacher. Unfortunately I did not have the time to take photos of all the projects as my students stayed for two hours rather than one, and then needed to hurry off to their bus, so be it! Now I'm hoping to find some time to make some striped candles myself. I'm thinking that a remake of my remember Jerusalem sand jars would be perfect with striped candles, just in time for the Three Weeks.

Ah yes, and best of all, making candles has never been simpler, so lets get started!