creative jewish mom

Recycled Cereal Box Gift Bag

It has been quite a while since I made gift bags from cereal boxes, but somehow after all the crafting I did this year for Tu B'Shevat and then Purim, it just seemed natural to go with the flow! So this year, rather than giving neighbors a nice selection of Morocan salads for our Mishloach Manot on Purim, I actually gave much less in the food department and more in the creativity department, including a large origami horse, which was the star of the show. I will share smaller versions of this horse shortly, but keeping him out of the public eye for the time being, because who knows, maybe just maybe that book of mine will happen and I'll need some projects that were never seen.......or maybe next year I'll be less into the crafts and will need something to share for Purim? Who knows the main thing is to fill life with creativity and bring joy to others! Okay, back to the idea of using a cereal box to make, in this case, two gift bags which are just great looking and all around wonderful in my book. Lets make some!

DIY Butterfly Boxes Spring Craft

As you may know, I just adore creating art on recycled, mostly little, boxes of any kind, as well as milk cartons, so after I painted some simple 2 stroke butterflies in my journal, well that just had to start covering some boxes! And of course it will not surprise you that I had a few blank green boxes sitting around from last year, so this one came together quite quickly, and I just love these. What do I love even more? The white box I also covered in butterflies which you can see if you keep on reading. So friends, time is pressed right now with just 2 weeks until Passover, so I recommend on deciding on a butterfly theme for this year's holiday, and having some fun painting a bunch of them, they are after all a nice symbol of freedom! Okay, lets do it!

Adorable Doodle Pears Boxes To Stack As Art!

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?

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!

Simple Painted Treat Boxes From The Recycling Bin!

We are about to apparently welcome some snow so I'll make this quick as I need to go cover my succulents and bring others indoors! I have quite a collection of little food and medicine boxes that I hope to use someday for a big installation of some kind, not to mention match boxes, but in the mean time, there is nothing quite as sweet as little painted treat boxes. (Or just make some artufl painted matchboxes for shabbat, a fun gift!) Purim is a great time to get creative with fun and artful packaging, so why not gather as many boxes as you can find, get out the paint and have fun creating something unique! Even if you don't use them for gift giving, they also make great decor, any time! You can hot glue a bunch together, or tie them together with a beautiful ribbon, or use your creative packaging as part of a larger gift basket. The main thing is, get those creative gears turning, don't worry about what someone might think of your painted toothpaste box! The box I've shared with you here is soooo simple, you won't believe it, keep on reading!

Tiny Painted Hearts Recycled Gift Box!

My love for recycling crafts has now officially married my newish love for painting, and this tiny painted hearts gift box is the proof!  It is true, I have been painting recycled gift boxes for a good few months now, you can see the abstract vases box here, and loose abstract flowers here, a large floral painting on a box here, and winter mittens here, and the fun painted apples here. Honestly I have been using them as holiday and kitchen art gallery decor rather than actual gift giving, as there is just something so lovely about stacked boxes adorned with artful paintings and patterns! Plus they fit nicely on my picture ledge art gallery of sorts, and provide a creative outlet that could be used, though I'd have to make multiples in order to part with them at this point. So what can I tell you, painting on boxes is just oh so satisfying! A box painted with layers of hearts like this one is so cheerful and looks great as part of a vignette, or placed just about anywhere. If your box is strong enough you can place a rectangular piece of glass on top and use it as a dessert platter on a dessert bar, or how about putting a vase in the box and using the box as a vase, now that just might work! Okay, convinced? Lets make a tiny hearts painted gift box!

An Abstract Floral Painting On A Recycled Box

Since I shared with you some artful painted gift boxes made from upcycled boxes of all kinds, that have been adding cheer to our home this Chanukah, I just had to include this painted floral gift box that I actually made quite a few months ago. It is not part of the holiday decor, but may just see the light come Spring. That does not mean however that you should not paint flowers in bright colors on gift boxes NOW, as it is a great way to practice painting, a great way to paint without too much pressure, and a great way to force yourself to paint quickly and loosely. After all who would invest hours on a painted gift box? (Well, me maybe, but please don't!) Okay, lets take a closer look at this floral painted gift box!

Artful Painted Giftboxes From Recycled Food Boxes

I have to say, there is something so very very satisfying about making a painting on a recycled cardboard food box! And this year whimsical painted boxes, on the small side, are a big part of my Chanukah/winter decorating! The themes are not specifically Chanukah, which means I can keep on using them until Purim, phew, because I'm really enjoying the fun play of color and artful pattern, and there is no pressure for them to be "art" as after all they are boxes! The top box with the flowers in bottles is based on a bottlescapes lesson from Amanda Evanston in her Insider's Group, the middle box is quite simply splattered paint, which is the first step in my graffiti mittens giftbox, and the bottom box was previously shared here. So friends, make a mix of fun painted boxes and then stack them and display them, (mine are on gallery shelves in the kitchen) and I promise, you'll just want to keep them. That said make a bunch more to actually use for gift giving and spreading joy! Lets, take a closer look!

Graffiti Mittens Recycled Gift Box Craft

Ready to practice your painting and drawing skills and make the funnest winter themed gift box ever? What can I tell you, this one is a winner, not just the color combo, but the fun artful style, and the fact that it looks much more complicated than it really is! This winter clothes theme came about because I painted an ugly sweater for Chanukah, and then a graffiti ski cap, so mittens were a natural fit for my theme, and mittens with pom poms, is there anything cuter? So whether you follow my technique or not, do think about packaging your gifts this year in recycled containers that you've repurposed, or painted or made yourself, it makes gift giving that much more meaningful! Okay, lets get started!

Abstract Floral Gift Boxes From Recycled Packaging Are A Gift In Themselves

This year's crafts for chanukah are all about bright colors and abstract shapes that look oh so artful and festive! Practicing some painting techniques on gift bags, cereal boxes or even smaller recycled cardboard food boxes is a great way to make some art that isn't precious and has a use, and if it doesn't turn out so well......recycle it, which is where is was going in the first place (hopefully.) I actually made this painted gift box from an etrog box left over from Succot, which is a great way to take the energy from one Jewish holiday into the next. Not of course that Chanukah is about gifts, as tradtionally it is certainly not, but in our house I use it as an opportunity to give some fun, practical, and warm presents as an added touch. After all, Chanukah is 8 nights, as to keep it festive one has to do something a bit out of the ordinary. For many that may be whipping up lots of treats, including doughnuts, for me I'd rather spend the time getting creative with little gifts and wrapping them just so. And I will let you in on a little secret, I definately re-use the hand painted gift boxes this year throughout the holiday, as well as the home made wrapping paper, so make sure to let the recipients know not to destroy the art! Want to spend a little bit of time making some of your own gift boxes that in themselves are works of art, let's do it!