creative jewish mom

Clothespin Hanukkah Menorah Craft Perfect For Last Minute

Hanukkah starts tomorrow night, so now is the time to get cracking with the last minute preparations, and as you can well imagine there are many on my end. I have seen Hanukkah clothespin menorahs around the web for a few years, but never quite had the chance to try it myself. Fortuntately, I picked up some wooden clothes pins to hang my felt Hanukkah wall hanging, and so this year seemed like the time to give cute this idea a try. Funny enough, some of those who have made this craft before me didn't even take advantage of the cutest detail of all, that little ones can "light" the menorah each night by simply opening the clothespin and inserting a flame, so wonderful!

You can make your clothespin Menorah very minimal if that is your preference, or have kids decorate the base, if that suits you, or go ahead and just make one like mine that has a bit more substance with the inclusion of the arch and old stones, which refer to the Holy Temple (in ruins) where the Hanukkah miracle took place. Okay, ready to do this? We're off.......

Washi Tape Treat Boxes Recycling Craft

If you are like me, you likely find yourself saving little plastic food containers of all kinds that you know you can upcycle sometime. Purim, when we give gifts of food to friends and neighbors is a perfect time to put that pack rat collection to good use, and with just some simple supplies you can create something festive and cute! Time is of the essence, as I've still got lots and lots to do before the holiday starts Saturday night, so lets get started!

Quick Soda Bottle Clown For Purim Or Your Circus Themed Party!

I'm quite sure how that happened, but Purim is in another week plus a few days, and so it is surely time to get crafting for Purim, right? Okay, truthfully I have been crafting, just not stuff that I can share with you at the moment, or have yet to photograph, which is usually the case, phew! I tried to photograph something quickly before the sun went down, but since the project wasn't quite finished I think I'll share it with you in its entirety tomorrow. In the mean time I realized there may have been some projects that I did last year and hadn't shared, and yes, sure enough, I now present to you my quick soda bottle clown craft!

Yes it is true, we have made soda bottle clowns in the past, or rather my daughter made soda bottle clown gift boxes, that were recycled. This one contains the drink that comes in the bottle, and since we don't buy or drink that stuff, I had to quickly craft with it to get it out of the house, clever me!

I made this to give on Shushan Purim (the day celebrated in cities that were once ancient walled cities, like Jerusalem and Akko) since in our town we give a few mishloach manot on that day as well. As you may remember, last year I was crafting away with the packing peanuts and made packing peanut stars as well as giant origami clowns with packing peanut collars, so now to add to the list is a little packing peanut trimmed clown hat!

Keep on reading to see the full photo (that my son didn't want me to share, so at least its not front and center) and a list of supplies. Happy Purim crafting!

Five Minute Simple And Cute Cake Topper

This adorable five minute cake topper really will only take you five minutes, especially if you have all the simple supplies on hand, and you most likely do! Okay, it is true, you may wish to invest more time in a cake for a loved one's birthday, understandable, but on the other hand, sometimes you need some quick tricks, and sometimes simple is truly the best! Invest time in decorations that won't be eaten if you have the time, and keep the cake fairly simple, that is my advice! 

I've even had people arrive at my house as guests and then declare that it is their birthday, in which case something like this is perfect......actually to have something like this already made is perfect, so why not whip up a few and put them aside, you won't regret it. And the good news is that this little cake topper can also be used on a fruit platter, or stuck into just about anything in case there isn't a cake on hand. (Stay tuned until tomorrow to see what kind of cake I used this on! ) So what do you say? Lets make one of these together, okay?

Washi Tape Decorations

Washi tape is the number one simplest way to add an adorable crafty touch to any occasion. Need some quick party decorations? Make washi tape flags and washi tape garlands. Need a cake topper? Again, washi tape to the rescue. And need to fill a wall with something fun, washi tape can do the trick, though I have yet to try that one, even though I really must! Oh, and almost forgot, need to transform a plain box or paper into something special for gift wrapping, you already know the answer, washi tape! Oh, and washi tape can transform a plain box of matches into  special washi tape matches!

Mini Torah Scroll Cake Or Cupcake Flags!

Due to a very packed schedule that involved tons of cooking and of course trying to keep my house from spinning out of control, I didn't have a chance to actually show you how I used the little mini sefer torahs that I made for the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. So now I present to you, mini sefer torah cake or cupcake flags — so simple to make and truly adorable. And of course, while the holiday of Simchat Torah is over, once can still use these to decorate a cake this shabbat, when we start reading the Torah all over again, or for the holiday of Shavuos.

I made the skewers that hold the sefer torahs shorter and spaced those around the cake alternately with taller skewers with just two washi tape flags each. The effect is really cute, and could be even better if one decorates the cake with just solid color (like blue or orange) sprinkles as opposed to the multi colored ones we had on hand.

You'll Need:

• bamboo skewers
• washi tape
• mini sefer torahs (click here for tutorial)
• hot glue

How To:

To decorate our chocolate cake made in a bundt pan, I made 12 cake flags total, six with sefer torahs, and six with two flags. I affixed the mini sefer torahs to the skewer with hot glue, and the flags are simply made by folding a piece of washi tape around the skewer and then cutting out a notch. So simple and so sweet! Enjoy!

Make Fun Chanukah Cards With Washi Tape!

Making Hanukkah crafts with washi tape is really so much fun, and so I now present you with homemade Hanukkah cards decorated with washi tape! Of course they'll look great together with some washi tape gift tags as well, or you could even combine the two to make a festive holiday banner!

My favorite design of the three cards I made this morning is hands down the dreidel, but please try to come up with some ideas yourself, as that is what creativity is all about, right?

And while I wish I could say that this craft would be great for young kids, (and that would be the case with simple stripes), but forming the dreidel and the star of David requires some acquiracy and the use of a craft knife. Not to worry, more crafts on the way that little kids will be able to do with your help!

You'll Need:

• card stock
• washi tape, preferably true washi tape which like masking tape is paper based and can be easily lifted off the paper without damaging the paper
• a craft knife and scissors
• a black marker for adding small dots to represent flames

How To:

While I did these designs by eye, one could lightly mark your design on the paper with a pencil. Take note however that some washi tape is rather transparent, so any dark pencil lines would been seen through tape. Lay pieces of washi tape on your card to define the shapes you wish to make. Trim corners and edges with an exacto knife once you are happy with your design. Hmmm, I really could have made an in progress photo for you, hopefully you get the idea?

Try to steer clear of adding to many details and let the washi tape colors and patterns steal the show. Enjoy!

Make Fun Chanukah Gift Tags With Washi Tape!

Chanukah is coming and I've got a bunch of chanukah craft ideas using Washi tape, starting with these sweet little washi tape gift tags — perfect for adorning your holiday gifts, or even using as napkin rings or hung here and there! So now you have a great excuse to go out and buy some of that washi tape you've been wanting, as I'll help you put it all to good use, promise!

And if you see some washi tape with horizontal stripes (I bought this one at Staples, it is 3M brand), don't pass it up as it is oh so perfect for making little rows of candles! Other patterns can be simply cut into driedel shapes, and thin washi tape can be used to make menorahs. The pink flames were made by adhering a piece of washi tape and then cutting out the flame shape and removing the excess, maybe a bit too time consumiung for a craft this size, but couldn't think of another way to cut out tiny flames using washi tape!

You'll Need: Washi Tape, a black marker, white cardstock, string or ribbon.

Enjoy!

Giant Geometric String Star Craft For The Holidays!

With Chanukah just a month away, as well as a number of other holidays that many of you celebrate, it is truly time to get crafting, and I'd recommend getting started with these clever geometric string stars that you can hang now, and enjoy for months to come! Their unspecific look can go in any direction, and for us, I think they'll look great representing a starry Chanukah night or the twinkling flames of the chanukiah! And come to think of it, they'll look amazing paired with my nesting dreidel mobile download!

A few years ago we made some of these with embroidery thread, and they were really gorgeous, but this year I thought I'd try doing a giant version to get larger decorations with roughly the same effort. This is of course just a first run, as looking at the previous results we were truly able to do some fabulous string stars.

You'll Need:

• yarn (or embroidery floss for smaller versions)
• foam core or cardboard
• sharp scissors or a craft knite
• washi tape (optional)
• string star tutorial

How To:

Use round dinner size plates to trace circles onto your foam core or cardboard. Cut sixteen slits spaced evenly around the perimeter of the circle, according to the string star tutorial. Experiment with wrapping your yarn in a variety of ways to get lots of unique and beautiful string stars! If you use foam core, the edges may look nicer covered with washi tape, which you can apply in small segements to cover the perimeter of the circle. (Honestly I used foam core since that was what we had on hand, stiff cardboard might be nicer and if you cut nearly perfect circles you can just leave the edge as is.)

So break out the yarn stash, and get to work, or better yet, make a bunch of circular templates and let the little ones go to town! Enjoy!

Recycled Plastic Cup Apples!

 Yippee, I have managed to squeeze out one last recycling craft for you before the end of the Jewish year — introducing recycled plastic cup apples! Maybe just in time to whip up to grace your Rosh HaShana table, or as a fun idea for making succah decorations. These little reycled plastic cup apples don't open, for that idea I'd recommend my recycled soda bottle apple gift boxes.

You'll Need:

• reycled plastic cups with six sides (2 cups per apple) these are mini dessert cups that we used for pudding for a birthday party
• decorative tape
• tissue paper
• colored paper or felt for leaves
• sticks
• a glue gun

How To:

The tops of my cups were scalloped, so I carefully cut off the scalloped edges to form straight edges. Fill one cup with crumpled tissue paper, place the second cup on top of the first, and simply tape together with decorative tape. Affix stem ( a real stick) and paper leaf with hot glue, and voila a super cute eco conscience apple is born! Enjoy!

 

 

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