creative jewish mom

Quick Mount Sinai Kid's Craft For Shavuos

I am busy working on my art, specifically a #make100oilpastels journey with 43 more to go, so the crafting for Shavuos may or may not happen.....in any case I still have all the wonderful cereal box cardboard vases filled with flowers from Passover. Of course I will likely at the last minute cut up a bunch of painted leaves to hang from the chandelier or decorate the table, but that won't happen until just before the holiday. With no little kids underfoot the need to build excitement for the holiday isn't exactly necessary so, that said, I've dusted this sweet project off to share once again, get to it!

Shavuos starts in less than two weeks and you may be looking for the the kind of project that  isn't too messy and that the kids can do on their own so that the adults can concentrate on all the tasks that need to be accomplished just because life is busy? Ah yes, and a craft that is fun for all ages is certainly in order as well, so I now present to you my tissue paper stand-up Har Sinai, which is a perfect decoration for Shavuot and quick to make. Little ones can certainly crumple up paper and dip it in glue, while older kids can make patterns with their little tissue paper balls, which could be great. Hmmmm, maybe next time?

Okay, lets get started!

Passover Pyramid Craft From A Cereal Box!

 
With Passover arriving this coming Saturday night, now is the time to fit in some last minute crafting in anticipation of this wonderful holiday, and possibly keep the kids busy with a crafting station so you can finish, or continue all the holiday preparations! The essence of the holiday is to tell the story of the Jews deliverance from Egypt to the children, so getting kids involved with decorations and hand made items to celebrate and absorb this game changing history of the Jewish people is really really important!

I have been wanting to make cardboard pyramids for a few years, and while I didn't quite realize my dreams this year, I did at least make one artful cereal box pyramid, which by the way depicts the plague of hail, which was both fire and ice, so hail can certainly be pink! I love the results (though it was questionable at first) and I wish I had time to make more. Next year I'll have to make them in January! Nothing says Egypt and slavery like the pyramids, so be sure to include them in your holiday decor. A line of pyramids running down the table would be stunning! Okay, time is of the essence, lets learn how to make some of these, pronto!

DIY Cardboard Graffiti Vase For Spring!

Now that I have a few fun DIY cereal box vases which I think will be fun for Passover, maybe I can get started with the cleaning. Well, not just yet, I need to make some more! The idea of whipping up an artful vase using cereal box cardboard (or heavy weight paper) is just so delighful that you'll want to give this a try. This is a great idea for budget centerpieces, or for making a huge decorative vase for a desert table or buffet, and the possibilities are endless. Choose to do a cardboard vase with drips and splatters or go for a something simple and colorful, or even a few bold black brush strokes looks amazing. There is a product on the market which is really great printed paper vases, and I was reminded of this from a wonderful version that I featured on Craft Schooling Sunday in January, keep reading to see that version!

Doodle Fish Gift Tags

Okay dear readers, it is time to face the facts, the Jewish holiday of Purim is coming up in exactly two weeks, so now is the time to get started with the preparations! This year I think I'll start with the thing that I generally run out of time for at the end, gift tags! Yes indeed, start with the seemingly simplest thing, and believe me you will not regret it. In the flurry of preparing the mishloach manot (gifts of food), whether you do it on Purim or a few days ahead of time, (more likely this year as Purim is on Friday!) having adorable gift tags on hand that you made yourself will be fantastic. And of course there are always last minute things to put together when someone arrives at your door with a gift for you and you need to quickly make one for them, right?

So check out my previous post how to make fish gift tags,  and whether you choose to actually make fish or maybe hamentaschen, or clown's hats, or little bottles of wine, or ..........just do it, and enjoy! And if none of the aforementioned ideas suit you, how about little house shapes, and you can write " from our home to yours." Again, just do it!

Stand-Up Cardboard Cake For Every Occasion

Need a fun birthday or special occasion decoration that is artful and a pleasure to make? How about a cardboard stand up birthday cake that will put a smile one everyone's face? We've been enjoying this cereal box birthday cake that I made for some family birthdays in December for quite a few weeks now, and I still enjoy looking at it, as there is just something about layered cakes that is so carefree and sort of storybook sweet! This cake is on a wall mounted Ikea sideboard in our dining room, as part of a larger whimsical display, but if would look great on a shelf, or surprise someone by putting it somewhere fun on the morning of their birthday! Okay, lets make a great looking recycled cardboard cake to add some joy to 2021! Shall we?

A Mixed Media Stand Up Owl Is Perfect For Your Woodland Decorating Theme?

Owl themed crafts are so much fun, and can be done in so many ways, depending on how much time you have to spend and just how many owls you want to make! I am trying to increase my painting skills, so another painted owl, this time a bit more woodsy than my stand up owl with wine cork feet, is what came to be. The only thing I actually planned was that it would be a cut out stand up owl, so I painted it on the back of a piece of cereal box cardboard, and while I am very critical of my own work, I actually really love this gal, she looks to me like a children's book illustration. I do need to paint some big mushrooms to complete the scene, but for now presenting my mixed media cereal box owl! Ah yes, and just by the way, an owl like this could be great for a woodland themed baby shower, birthday party or any fall/winter occasion, plus he is easy to store and enjoy for years to come!

Quick Recycled Cardboard Envelope For Your Handmade Card

After I whipped up my handmade new baby card, using some of the simple botanical sketches I've been practicing in my sketchbook, I realized that I really needed an envelope, especially since I didn't have a gift that was the right size to go along with the card....hmmm. A quick search in my studio, and no envelopes to be found (though while I'm typing this I now remember where I may have put some during Passover cleaning) so I realized that I simply needed to create my own envelope that could also serve as protection for the sweet card during its travels to the recipients. So, introducing my 5 minute cardboard envelope, made as you may be able to tell, from a Fed Ex cardboard envelope! Of course cereal box cardboard is also the perfect weight for making cardboard envelopes, so hopefully you can find something, or just drop by my house and I'll throw a cereal box out the door at you......Okay, lets get started, come on, its so simple and no more worrying about not having an envelope, just make one!

Mini Cardboard T-Shirt Memory Game Is Perfect For Your Family Get Together!

Making mini cardboard t-shirts is so much fun, I realized that if one makes say 24, 36, or 48 or any even number for that matter, you can easily whip up your own custom memory game! And making a memory game for a special occasion, especially if there will be kids (or grown ups who like to play games) on hand is such a fun way to make the get together even more fun and memorable. If you really want to go all out, you could even make custom memory games as party favors! (Or possibly just make one set? I was thinking this would also make a great gift for an eight year old boy who loves memory games.) Cover your mini t-shirts with family birthdays, little drawings, sayings everyone loves or go simple and draw flowers, plants and other patterns, like I have. And to add an activity to your party, you can even have guests create pairs of matching shirts when they arrive, which would also be fun! Are you ready? Lets make our own matching game with symbols and words that have extra special meaning for us!

Mini Cardboard T-Shirts For Birthday Party Decor!

DIY mini cardboard t-shirts are just the cutest for birthdays, anniversaries, reunions, graduation, baby showers, casual weddings, and to welcome guests or just because! Simply make some mini cardboard t-shirts, decorate them with the message or graphics that works for your party, and voila, you can hang them on a string with mini clothespins, attach them to skewers for cake decorations, add a ribbon to make gift tags, or even use them to make fun napkin rings! And that is just for starters, I'm sure you can think of some more great ideas! I just love drawing black line drawings of clothes on cardboard, and you may remember my recycled cardboard clothes on a clothesline stage set, or even my mini Purim costumes on a clothes line kids craft. Once you realize how quick these ilttle t-shirts are to make, and how adorable they are, you'll be hooked, I know I am! Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go make a whole pile of them to have on hand for every occasion! Of course this is a bit self explanatory, but let me give you a few tips to make it even more simple, shall we?

Rebuilding The Beit HaMikdash Recycling Craft For Kids

I have pulled this post from the archives, as it is one of my favorites for The Three Weeks.

Today is the 17th of Tammuz, a solemn fast day on the Jewish calender, and certainly a perfect time to work on my "Rebuilding the Beit HaMikdash" recycling craft with kids of all ages! Of course one could certainly use this idea to also learn about the Kotel (The Wailing Wall) which stands today and was one of the outer walls of the courtyard of the Beit HaMikdash.

Starting today, we enter a period of mourning for the next three weeks— mourning for the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem that was taken from us in 70 CE, (namely 1,943 years ago!) on the 9th of Av, the day which marks the end of this three week period of mourning. Of course our mourning has many facets, one of which is thinking about how each one of us can do his part to rebuild the temple.