creative jewish mom

A Bowl Of Origami Pears For Tu B'Shevat!

Tonight is the festive holiday of Tu B'Shevat, the New Year for Fruit Bearing Trees, and there is still a tiny bit of time to make a fun centerpiece, especially something quick ilke this bowl of origami pears! While this year I've gone crazy making origami fruit of all kinds in great numbers and with my groups of crafting students, but there is just something so wonderful about filling a bowl or plate with just pears, as they sit so nicely with one another! And friends, even if you don't have a footed bowl, cake plate or the like, you can make one in 2 seconds by simply placing a plate on top of an upside down bowl, got it! So time is of the essence, lets make this fun paper pears centerpiece, and wishing you a joyful Tu B'Shevat!

Simple Origami Pears Craft For Tu B'Shevat

The festive Jewish holiday of Tu B'Shevat, The Jewish New Year for Fruit Bearing Trees, is coming up on Wednesday night, so now is THE time to get crafting! And while you might like to fill up your table with a vast array of wonderful fruits and nuts to honor the holiday, why not make some paper fruit that will add a festive touch, are quite quick to make and won't go bad in the fridge! Plus this one is something that kids as young as 7 or 8 years old can do, and when done in an array of colors, well you can have a whole array of paper fruit as well. The difference between this pear origami craft and the origami apples I've been making even in huge sizes is simply a fold on an angle versus a straight fold, so if you know how to make an origami balloon, this pear is just a slight tweak, so let's get to it!

Origami Cherries And Strawberries For Tu B'Shevat!

This craft is just so adorable and so very simple! I've been making these cherries with my crafting students and even children as young as 7 or 8 can easily fold the origami balloon that is needed. And while we've used the idea to make cherries here, you can make just about any fruit using this idea, just change the color of the paper! And if you want to make something that is a bit more pear shaped, to use in one direction as a pear, and another direction as an apple, check out my tutorial coming soon. In the meantime, make square origami fruit and fill up a basket!

Crocheted T-Shirt Yarn Pears Are So Much Fun!

Dusting this one off from the archives, enjoy!

I have been living with these fun crocheted pears for a year and a half or so, and I can surely report they are just so very charming! And wouldn't a crocheted pear from t-shirt yarn be a great baby gift, it would look soooo cute in a baby's room, or just about anywhere. So with the Jewish holiday of Tu B'Shevat, the new year for fruit baring trees, coming up in just a week, now is a great time to crochet fruit, and while you are at it, why not go with giant fruit!  Here is my original post:

I have been wanting to crochet a pear for ages, partly to go with my daughter's pirum parum poster, and partly because who can resist a crocheted pear? And who can resist a crocheted pear that is big enough to be a pillow or couch prop, certainly not me, and I am truly in love with the results of taking a regular crocheted pear pattern and using t-shirt yarn to make it something different altogether, yippee! So, as you can see, once you start crocheting pears from t-shirt yarn you really have to crochet at least three, as they look just so amazing together, right? I was crocheting that black pear on a car trip with my husband and he had no idea what I was up to, and only saw the results when I gave it to him as a chanukah present......of course he didn't appreciate my efforts, but that is okay, I didn't really crochet it for him, but rather as some fun decor for our bedroom or any little spot in the house in need of some giant fruit! Okay friends, lets get crocheting......

Recycled Boxes Become Fun Fruity Art For Tu B'Shevat!

I am reposting this one since it is just too cute, and something that all levels of painting/drawing can truly do! Plus of course it is perfect for the upcoming Jewish holiday of Tu B'Shevat, so get to it!

Here is what I wrote a few years ago: Sometimes it is the DIY projects with just the simplest materials, and of course recyclables to boot, that are truly the most special! And these fun stackable doodle pear boxes are truly the proof in the pudding, right? It all started out because I'm doing an instagram challenge called #colormegrow at my @sara.rivka.dahan account, and this week we were working on a project using just red, black and white. The challenge will last for at least 3 months, and I'm planning to do boxes every week, so that at the end I'll have a nice tower! Each week, depending on which color or colors the challenge dictates, I'll be painting stripes on little recycled food boxes (like tea boxes and one sleeve cookie boxes, toothpaste boxes, etc.) and then turning that into something. Last week I made landscapes from my blue boxes, and this week, well, the challenge subject was pears and today is Tu B'Shevat, so a fun pattern with doodle pears was an obvious choice! Of course, if you like my pears, you can use this idea on canvas or paper, it would be fun art in any form.  Okay, lets do it, shall we?

Holy Species Cardboard Leaf Cut-Outs For A Succah Wall Hanging!

This year we decided to create a succah with a very elegant/relaxed feeling by using a combination of cremes and whites, so my first succah craft entailed cutting out a huge number of cardboard leaves which I then painted white. Of course the leaves (and fronds) are not just any leaves, but rather fig leaves, olive leaves, pomegranate leaves, grape leaves and date palm fronds, which have great meaning as these are 5 of the 7 holy species, missing only wheat and barley. And while I did not get around to trying to figure out how to make giant wheat and barley stocks, I have just the place to do it next year, yippee! Cutting out all these leaves took me several days, but in the end it was well worth it as the end result is really wonderful, and I will share that with you soon!

Of course we aren't making any decorations once the holiday starts, but keep this in mind for next year! And keep on reading for some tips......

DIY Paper Pomegranite On A Branch Craft

I have to admit, this is one of the cutest crafts I've done lately, and I just can't wait to make more! Perfect for Rosh HaShana, and then bring your pomegranite branches into the succah! Use them to fill vases, or make garlands for the table or to hang overhead, on LED lighting or on rings hung horizontally.......or how about as part of a placecard/napkin ring? However you choose to use this idea, make a bunch as they are truly adorable. The traditional green and red is fun, but how about neutral colors or something unexpected? Okay, lets get started........

Cute And Simple DIY Fruit Themed Party Garland

Todah is Tu B'Shevat, the Jewish New Year for fruit bearing trees, so what better time than to whip up an adorable and simple fruity garland that you can use year round? The key is to keep the fruit quite tiny, so that no matter what the age, as long as the shape is recognizable, the rest really doesn't matter. I used markers and watercolor paper and then simply taped a piece of cotton yarn to the back, and voila, cute as can be! And truly, fruit is a great theme for so many occasions as it is fun, colorful and so much better for you than anything else sweet! While you are at it, make some fruity cupcake and cake toppers, gift tags, place cards, you name it!

Giant Origami Apples For Your Fruit Themed Party!

I am reposting this giant origami apples tutorial because today is Tu B'Shevat, the Jewish New Year for fruit bearing trees, it is just to wonderful not to share again. Make apples to enjoy anytime, really! So simple and while you are at it, make a whole giant bushel full!

Origami apples are so simple to make and are the perfect craft to whip up right now! Fill a basket with them to use as a centerpiece, use them as place cards, hang them mobile style or make a bunch and scatter them around the house. (Or save this idea and gift a whole basket full to your teacher!) The best part is they look great everywhere and any where, and would make cute little Rosh HaShana gifts as well. Attach a tag that is a card and you'll surely warm the hearts of all your recipients! I used these very apples as apple centerpieces for a Rosh Chodesh party, and then a neighbor borrowed them as centerpieces for a Brit, and depending on the colors you choose they can look elegant or playful, or both. So take my advice and get crafting dear friends, the Jewish New year is in less than 3 weeks, with Succos to follow so a barrel of origami apples will serve you well, promise! And yes, you can of course make these in a smaller size and in a variety of colors to represent a wide range of fruit, as I've done here with my origami fruit, cute as can be!

Turn Plastic Bag Pompoms Into Fruit For Tu B'Shevat Craft

Dusting this off from last year, as I have not had the time for Tu B'Shevat crafting this year, and with no one home and no party in sight, I think i'll just phase from Chanukah decor to Purim decor, and so it goes. You on the other hand might just need to make some great Tu B'Shevat decorations, and this one is a keeper, enjoy!

I've been wanting to make fruit from plastic bag pom poms for a few good years now, and it finally happened, and I just love them. Now if only I had plastic bags in orange and yellow, well things would be even more festive. Plastic bag pom pom fruit can be great hung as a mobile in a child's room, used as party decor for a fruit themed party, or of course made to celebreate Tu B'Shevat, the Jewish new year for fruit bearing trees, which is why I made these! Right now I have plastic bag pom poms hanging over my dining room table, and while I had planned to add these to the mix it was looking a little bit too much like a child's room, so I've been displaying them elsewhere. That said they truly are adorable, and certainly something one can keep on hand to pull out in a pinch, I think they'd make great cake toppers as well. And come to think of it, how about making an adorable DIY baby mobile and gift it together with any number of popular baby items. Okay, lets make some plastic bag pom pom fruit, because truly the posibilties are endless!