creative jewish mom

Oatmeal Can Airport Craft To Hold Paper Airplanes!

Introducing oatmeal can airports! I thought we'd wrap oatmeal cans with the airport art created last week, and make Q-tip airplanes to put inside, only the Q-tip airplanes I tried to make were a flop and didn't even fly, yikes, so much for that! But the boys didn't complain and made airplanes that don't fly, and we folded some origami ones as well, so it all worked out just fine in the end.

And so, this sweet oatmeal can craft with an airport theme, made by a group of 9 year old boys became much more sculptural than my original idea as the boys decided that the can needed embellishment with Q-tip airplanes, flags and airport signs! And truly, worrying about perfect results is not the point, and so any cans that were a bit roughly made, well that is just fine, the emphasis is on the making of the project and enjoying the creative process!

DIY Cardboard Castle Centerpiece

A fun DIY castle centerpiece made from recyclables is truly up my alley, and so this project from the past is still one of my very favorites. Come to think of it, this castle centerpiece is really a quick project, so what am I waiting for.....with Purim in just a week now would be the time to whip up a new one! If you know me, well then I certainly have a shoebox and various cardboard tubes hanging out just waiting to be used, so no excuses really except that life is very busy at the moment. 

Now as far as you dear reader are concerned, a colorful castle crafted by mom or the kids or both, could be a fantastic centerpiece for the Purim sueda (meal). There's so many ways to go with this one as far as materials and size. And if you don't need a centerpiece so how about a castle mishloach manos? Just build your castle on the lid of  the shoe box and voila! I think I may just have to use that idea myself, for the kid's teachers that is, who deserve something really special, and are expecting something creative! I guess that's the price one pays when you don't hide your crafty ways! (Note: I have yet to actually try this, so if you do, please send photos!)

Okay, shall we make a fun castle to grace our party table, Purim, birthday party or castle themed event? Lets get started.......

Oatmeal Can Tzedaka Box Craft

A tzedaka box (charity box) made from an oatmeal can is just as cute as can be, and quite useful right now! As you may know, due to the Corona virus all the synagogues are currently closed, though prayer groups of up to 20 with proper distancing is permitted. While many neighbors have formed prayer groups from their balconies, we have formed one with the neighbors, which consists of my husband and my 2 teen boys from within our house (via a huge window that opens fully) and the neighbors gathered in a courtyard and on the stairs just outside this window. There is a custom to give charity before praying, and when I spotted my handmade ceramic tzedaka box sitting on a table out in the prayer area I of course freaked out and ran to rescue it. I quickly made a replacement, inspired by my walk to photograph the red poppies in bloom, and voila. True, not nearly as lovely as the ceramic hand-built version, but it was made with love, so there you have it!

Oatmeal can tzedaka boxes are likely made by kids in kindergarten every year, but that doesn't mean that one can't make versions that are something you would use! There are so many ways to decorate an oatmeal can, so have fun with this one! Just one word of advice, take into consideration the color of the plastic top and make that part of the overall color scheme. Okay, let's get crafting!

DIY Tin Can Pots Ten Ways: A Round up

Tonight is the beginning of the very festive (around our neck of the woods) holiday called Lag B'Omer, though for the moment (a quiet moment before all the guests, action, etc.) I am dreaming about making a festive tin can garden for the next big Jewish holiday, Shavuot! Tin cans of all sizes can be up-cycled to make the most adorable or fashionable tin can garden or centerpiece. Check out the ideas I've assembled for you here thanks to a bunch of talented folks, and don't dream, collect those tin cans and enjoy!

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!

Tu B'Shevat Centerpiece From Recycled Cans And Sticks

Tu B'Shevat, the Jewish New Year for the trees is coming this Sunday night, so lets fill our homes with fruity decorations and crafts to honor this special day. For starters, how about this simple recycled can vase filled with bare branches? You can decorate it in so many ways, namely with little pink or white blossoms or some other reference to fruit like these apple slice ornaments that you can make with my printable fruit slice crafting pages.

The vase itself is made by covering cans with my printable fruit slice coloring pages, and the results are something that everyone will be proud of, as it is simply festive and cute! (And of course these coloring pages can be used in so many ways, this is just the first of several ideas I'm going to be sharing with you today and tomorrow.

Recycled Cans Make Delightful Cannisters To Hold Edible Gifts!

Wondering how to package those holiday treats you'd like to give as gifts?  Why not recycle cans (and even  boxes or bottles) and transform them into containers that will be enjoyed long after the treats are gone? Your gift will be that much more appreciated, and everyone can surely use an extra container or two around holiday time. 

All you need is some recycled cans from the kitchen, preferably with non-ribbed sides, and some shiny contact paper in a few colors. The cans I've used here are from instant oatmeal, and I've included the plastic top (seen at the base of each can) so that the containers can be used in a number of ways.

You'll Need:

• a can, a box or any strong container, even a clean milk carton or plastic bottle (with the top portion removed) could work nicely
• shiny contact paper in a few colors
• cellophane or tissue paper
• ribbon

How To:

1. Choose a base color, and cut a piece that will cover the container, both in height and width.
2. Apply designs and stripes of other colors on top of this base color
3. Wrap your treat in cellophane, insert into container and tie with a ribbon!

When you start to look at all the food packaging that goes into the garbage or hopefully the recycling bin, you'll realize that many of them can be re-purposed as great gift boxes and containers. Most boxes can be carefully opened and then re-glued inside out, leaving you with a blank brown box that can be decorated or even left as is. So get creative with the gift wrapping this year and have fun!

 

Recycle A Large Can And Make A Shatterproof Vase! (For your Succah?)

For the next few days I'm taking a little break from presenting hanging decorations to show you a few really nice decorative projects. The first one is so simple, with great results that you'll never throw out (if you live in Israel where there's no can recycling to speak of) another tin can, especially not large juice cans and tall Materna (baby formula) cans!

Not all Succahs are on even ground, so as much as we try to bring only the most elegant things into our Succah, practically speaking a regular vase might pose too many problems! This is the solution, quite simply a can covered in fabric and trimmed with interesting ribbon. And of course these are great for outdoor entertaining as well.  These cans can certainly hold real flowers or an interesting arrangement of something elegant and festive, like the example here, and best of all, now you can finally use those bits of your favorite fabric without having to sew!

You'll Need:

• A tall clean tin can (Materna 700gr., B&D Syrup etc.)
• Cotton drapery-weight fabric
• Ribbon or rick rack for trim
• White PVA glue (woodworkers glue) or any other high tack craft glue

How To:

1. Measure height and circumference of can
2. Cut piece of fabric to height plus 1/2" (1cm) roughly, and to circumference plus 1/2" (1cm)
3. Press 1/4" seams at top and bottom and one end of fabric
4. Using a brush, coat entire surface of can with a generous coat of glue.
5. Starting with the unpressed end of fabric, carefully wrap fabric around can, pulling tightly as you go around and making sure that the fabric lines up with the top and bottom edges of the can. The end with the seam should neatly cover the unfinished edge.
6. Smooth entire surface with fingers to check for bubbles or creases that can be fixed.
7. Set aside to dry, and apply ribbon trim to can where desired. (Materna cans have ridges at the top and it may be difficult to adhere fabric neatly in that spot— so just cover that area with a nice thick ribbon!)

Cans like this could be made as inexpensive centerpieces for any celebration, or used at Purim time for a small sampling of treats. And they can make your toiletries look organized, help store small sewing supplies, or even be helpful near the baby's changing table as a catch all for ointments or tiny pairs of socks!

Square cans sit together well, and a set lined up nicely on an open shelf would look great! Finally all the little stuff can not only have a place, but maybe next time you'll know exactly where those nail cutters are when you need them!