creative jewish mom

Giant Origami Apples Are Perfect For Any Party

A few weeks ago, just after the holiday of Tu B'Shevat I needed to make some simple centerpieces for a community women's party, and I decided to try my hand at making a giant version of my origami apples and fruit. Fortunately the results were fantastic, especially with the addition of some gold leaves, and the same centerpieces were re-used a few days later at a shabbos Brit, which is perfect. Now, if your gears are turning, great, just know that there is a size limit to these origami fruit, namely the width of your paper, and once they get large folding the paper isn't difficult, but expanding the shape can be. So make some origami fruit in a bunch of sizes and colors (I did, actually, as you can guess) and enjoy. They won't last forever, and I believe a few of mine succumbed to having drinks spilled on them, but that is fine, after all sometimes it is great when you don't have to save everything! Ah yes, and it is true, these lavender versions may look more like plums, but that is great too, the more fruit the better. Okay, lets start making some giant origami fruit, perfect for Purim, shabbat, a baby shower, a wedding, a teacher appreciation gift, or just because.

Simple Gold Leaf Rosh HaShana Card Craft Makes A Perfect Fall Craft Too

If you enjoyed my simple Rosh HaShana card craft, well now get ready to take that project up a rung with the addition of some gold leaf, love it! It is true, real gold leaf comes in sheets, and can be pricey, but for some fairly small change one can buy little containers of gold leaf flakes that are perfect for crafting and not breaking the bank. The addition of some gold leaf pieces to the leaves or even the apple itself turns nice cards into something spectacular! And I'll let you in on a little secret, I actually did it with black and well and wow! Ready to make some fabulous cards for Rosh HaShana, for Fall gift giving or even for teacher appreciation day, it is so simple and the results are fantastic. Just don't even think if making those leaves green please, that would spoil all the fun. Ready, lets get crafting!

Simple Rosh HaShana Card Craft To Whip Up Tonight!

Yes indeed I am back from a lovely six week hiatus, and with Rosh Hashana coming up Sunday night now is the time to get crafting! This year I decided to be just a bit traditional and make Rosh HaShana cards for all the neighbors, which I'll give together with a tiny jar of honey, or as is, the only problem is I'm so in love with the results I'm going to have a hard time giving them away! So make a bunch of sweet Rosh HaShana cards so that you too can save a few, and believe me this card craft is truly so simple you'll have no trouble making a whole pile. I'm running off to finish up all those card blanks I've had hanging around for years, but first, a simple tutorial, ready?

How To Make A Houseplant From A Pineapple Top

Isn't my pineapple top plant looking just great? It truly is exciting to see something that you make from kitchen scraps grow into a really nice looking plant.......a plant that would never have graced this planet if we'd tossed those precious pineapple tops! And the fun part is, they really do grow, and sometimes quite quickly, or with dramatic growth spurts. So bring some of that trendy pineapple themed home decor into your home with a home grown pineapple plant. It is so simple you'll have a grove in no time......well if you have the space that is! Oh, and of course don't forget to buy the pineapples with tops that are in perfect or near perfect condition so that your plant will look its very best. Take a look at this photo to see the pineapple before his top became a plant.

DIY: Rope Wrapped Spoon For Your Rustic Fall Table Or Boho Wall Hanging

As I'm sure you can relate, once one comes upon a simple DIY with great results, such as my rope wrapped apples, the tendency is to see how else to use the new technique, right? So my friends, I now present to you the rope wrapped wooden spoon, a fun DIY craft that just might add a special touch, or even a humorous touch to your Fall tablescape, or your beachy kitchen decor, or maybe as a great gift topper for the cooks in your life? You could also use your rope wrapped spoon as a rod to hang a kitchen sign or sorts, use them in multiples for a boho macrame inspired wall hanging, maybe with tassels, or even better, come up with your own great use for this interesting object!

And if you start wrapping the whole house in rope, well, I'd love the see the results! In the mean time, here's how I wrapped my wooden spoon with rope:

DIY: Miniature Candy Apples Are Perfectly Adorable

I now present you dear readers with just about the simplest and most adorable way to decorate a cake, cupcakes, a dessert plate: mini candy apples made from toffee candies with clove stems! And of course you can use this same idea to make mini candy lemons, oranges and grapes. It is true I am the kind of mom who shudders at the thought of buying candy, but of course the candy thing is way beyond my control and the dreaded stuff does make its way into our house, and especially those little colorful gummy toffee candies as those are very often thrown from the balcony of the synagogue (at the groom, called the chatan) on the shabbat before a wedding. And yes, you'd better believe it, my kids are there front and center to scoop up as much as they can. The good news as that I can now tell the kids I need those toffees to make some adorable little candy apples, ah yes and one could even make a bunch and freeze them!

Oh, and just by the way, this was not my idea, though the clove stem was actually, it was directly inspired by the amazing candy filled cornucopia that I've featured on Craft Schooling Sunday, here, for two years in a row, because I just couldn't resist.

Ready to learn how to make these? I'm sure you'll be nabbing toffees from your loved ones too, as you should if you really love them, right?

DIY: Rope Wrapped Apples Look Great Year Round

If you are looking for a quick craft to add some cozy rustic charm to your home, this dear readers might just do the trick. These DIY rope covered apples are so simple to make that you can surely whip up a whole bowl full in an hour or so. Of course if you start calling all your friends to tell them about this great craft you found, well that may just increase your crafting time, so I'd say craft and then tell! Or in this case, Pin, if you would be so kind?

Rope, in this case the thinnest one I could find at my local hardware store, is great for making things that have that rustic feeling I'm craving this fall, and really can be used for so many things. I have made a crocheted rope heart, as well as a knit rope pot holder with this same cotton two ply chord/rope, and it really is exactly the right thickness for wrapping small to medium sized items.

Ready to get wrapping? Here we go.......................

The DIY Five Minute Paper Plate Clock

Who wouldn't want to make this fun DIY paper plate clock, especially since it takes just five minutes? True you'll need to have the clock mechanism and a favorite paper plate on hand, but the rest is quite simply one of my very favorite projects. Add a touch of Fall color to your home, or a little something unexpected for a very small investment, and you can always change the plate when your heart desires! And now you have a great excuse to buy some cute paper plates, or a way to use up a few plates that are hanging around with no purpose in site, ready?

Printing With Leaves Is A Perfect Fall Craft

Once upon a time, I posted about printing with leaves as a perfect Spring craft, and I still stand behind that, only now after coming across this photo of some leaf and pod printing I did for a Jewish journal, I'd like to add that printing with leaves is a perfect Fall craft, especially when one omits the bright green and uses deep purples and blues! And if you're really adventurous, after trying your hand at printing on paper, get some fabric paint and make a gorgeous rustic table cloth or even a runner. So, depending on where you ilve, and whether there are leaves year round, now might be just the time to give this craft a try. Make prints to use as holiday cards, make tiny prints to use as place cards for your next formal get together, and if you make a particularly great one, take a photo of it, as I did in this case and use it many times over!

There are several ways to make leaf prints, and as you can guess I have tried them all, with the exception of actually hammering the leaf onto the fabric.......Ready to give this a try?

DIY Giant Paper Flowers Make The Perfect Fall Centerpiece

Looking for a great idea for a DIY centerpiece or a quick way to make a statement in your home this Fall? Look no further! No pumpkins (though admittedly the little white ones would look lovely here), no fall leaves, no burlap, no apples, instead how about some giant paper poppies in neutral Fall colors? These oversized flowers made from large sheets of ultra heavy paper come together quickly, and whether you choose to make just one or a whole bunch, I know you won't regret it.......in fact you may even find yourself dancing with joy. Really!