creative jewish mom

Recycled Liquor Bottle Candlestick Craft

It is true, I made these recycled liquor bottle candesticks for a Chanukah party that was held last night, but truthfully they are so universal they can be used for any festive occasion and any time that you want the look of candles without the safety concerns! And of course you could go for paper candles that are metallic silver or gold and maybe make the flame a bit less crafty looking and then even use them for a fancyish party outdoors where real candles wouldn't work, or for a feast in the forest where flames would be dangerous? And friends, whether or not you partake in liquor of any kind, there are certainly many ways to get your hands on some amazing bottles to recycle! These happen to be bottles from my son's wedding two weeks ago, and the 12 year old brother of the bride collected all the bottles for me having seen a previous craft project.....so sweet of him and glad I didn't listen to the husband who said we didn't have room in the trunk!

Now these candlestick bottles will make great decorations as well as centerpieces for our long shabbat table next week, I'm actually really excited to put "candles" on the table that I can then move when we clean up, on shabbat we don't light fire or touch it, so while I could make a long centerpiece with real lit candles it would be quite impractical and dangerous as the guests pass all those Moroccan salads around!

Okay, sold? Lets make some great looking recycled glass bottle candlesticks.......

5 DIY Floral Arrangements For The Fall Holiday Season

With the "high holiday" Jewish holiday season now at hand, together with the fall season, now is a wonderful time to create beautiful DIY fall floral arrangements. Some of the ideas I've presented here couldn't be simpler, and some take a bit more effort, but either way, you can make your holiday table something truly wonderful. While there is nothing like real flowers, artificial flowers sometimes are the only way to go especially if you'd like a floral arrangement in your Succah or many arrangements around the house for a festive feel. Or maybe that hanging floral arrangement over the table? (I'm dreaming of that!) Faux flowers can also be used as flower diffusers to give a nice scent to a bathroom. laundry room or bedroom, so do consider that as well. Okay, lets take a look at 5 wonderful ideas for DIY floral arrangements!

DIY Cardboard Cactus With Blooms!

With the Jewish holiday of Shavuot coming this Saturday night, now is the time to decorate the house with flowers and greenery, so why not make some cardboard or paper versions that you can then use again, or that keep looking great? My cardboard cactus with blooms is quite quick to make, and of course while I made just a few branches of zygocactus, you can opt to make a much larger plant. If you have a small plant of any kind, namely a real one, sticking your cardboard plant into that pot can look quite good, as the real plant fills out the background. Okay, time is of the essence, lets get started!

Ocean Themed Party Centerpiece

Can you imagine a crossing the Red Sea centerpiece running down the length of your table? My stand up waves, that you can place in one line, or two, with little figures in between the 2 rows, are super simple to whip up, and even better, you can certainly save them for at least a few years! The first time I made these stand up waves they were quite simply silver, and I only realized that I could add some sea creatures to them last year, which I just love, especially since it makes it more festive and fun for the kids! Of course if you'd rather not have waves running down your table for Passover, this is certainly a great idea for an ocean themed birthday party, or any party for that matter. You could add just about anything to the waves, like numbers or letters or surfers, or water skiers, or ? So have fun with this one, and if you don't quite have time for it this Passover, keep it in mind for next year! Then again, send someone to the art supply store to get you some corragated silver craft cardboard, or even just heavy weight silver cardstock in large sheets, and truly you can cut out the waves in 15 minutes, and then next year you can add the sea creatures! Okay, lets do this!

Simple DIY Succulent Centerpiece For Any Occasion

Need a lovely centerpiece for your fall table, or a special occasion? Something that will last for months and more and can be incorporated into your garden or container garden in the future? Something that is breathing and alive? Something that is low and won't get in the way? How about a simple DIY succulent centerpiece? There are so many kinds of succulents that one can indeed create something either rustic or delicate or even modern and sleek. The centerpiece shown here is delicate and pretty, something I had not previously thought possible with succulents, but here it is!  This succulent centerpiece is so very simple and even the most inexperienced gardener can have great success, as succulents are very very forgiving! Okay, lets do this!

Giant Origami Apples Holiday or Shabbat Decor!

I am reposting this giant origami apples tutorial because it is just to wonderful not to share again. Make apples to enjoy for Rosh HaShana and use as succah decorations as well! 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!

Hello Prague: The Gothic Powder Tower

One of the truly interesting and dramatic aspects of Prague is the prevalence of Gothic architecture, which dates back to the 1400's! One such example of Gothic architecture is the The Powder Tower or Powder Gate (Czech: Prašná brána), which is one of the original city gates, separating the Old Town from the New Town. I happen to love architecture in general, so visiting a city like Prague that is filled with historic architecture is truly exciting. The Powder Tower isn't something that you have to make a special trip to see, as it is very close to the Old Town Square, and likely on the way to somewhere else!

The Powder Tower is one of the original 13 city gates in Old Town, Prague, and construction began in 1475. The tower was intended to be an attractive entrance into the city, not a defensive tower. The foundation stone was placed by Vladislav II, and the city council gave Vladislav II the tower as a coronation gift.  The design of the tower was inspired by the work of Peter Parler on the Charles Bridge, and therefore it looks quite similar to the Bridge Tower. The gate was used to store gunpowder in the 17th century, hence the name Powder Tower or Powder Gate.

Today the Powder Tower is open to visitors and one can climb the tower to view the amazing view from the top. This is something I will try to do next time, and if you are short of time, I'd recommend going to the city hall tower, just a few blocks away, where you can see a much more expansive view. Okay, lets take a look at the Powder Tower as seen from the City Hall Tower!

DIY Rope Or Twine Wrapped Plant Pot

Since I've been talking about gardening this week I thought I'd share a super simple way to turn a basic plant pot, even a plastic one straight from the nursery, into a show stopper! If you are like me and you love houseplants, keeping them all in nice pots can be costly not to mention downright inconvenient, especially when you start getting interested in propogating, which results in even more plants! So regardless of your budget, this simple DIY twine wrapped pot is a great little trick to pull out of your sleeve when you want to make rustic centerpieces, give a plant gift, (to someone who may plant it outdoors) or spread the joy with all the baby plants you've created from cuttings! There are so many ways to go when it comes to making your plant collection look great, and sometimes that means adding a pot or two that are quite different from the rest. So, lets learn how to transform a simple pot into an ethnic/rustic/boho inspired one!

Super Simple Fall Centerpiece With Painted Faux Apples

If you happen to have a bunch of blank apples made for crafting, just waiting for their turn in the spotlight, as I did, paint them in your favorite colors, add some white details with a paint pen, place them in a footed glass bowl, and voila, a fun Fall, Rosh HaShana, Succot, or even Tu B'Shevat centerpiece is born! Ah yes, and this would make a fun teacher appreciation gift as well! Truthfully apples painted in your favorite colors can be used any time to bring joy into your home, so while I did make this for our series of Jewish holidays in the Fall, it would look great any time. And in case you may have noticed, the more the better! Want to make something like this for your table? Lets take a close look.......

Happiness Is A Jar Full Of Tiny Origami Paper Stars

I truly wish it were that simple, don't you? Truthfully, it really can be, and for starters it is all about putting things in perspective, being happy with your lot, and recognizing the need to be grateful for all the good you do have, not to mention for every moment and every morning that you wake up, as nothing is certain! On the other hand making tiny paper stars might come easily to some of us, while to others making a jar full of these would be torture. And that my friends is sort of like happiness: easy to come by for some and really difficult to achieve for others, sadly enough. And in case you are wondering, I do mean a deep sense of fulfillment as well as joyful moments, and hopefully some exhilarating ones as well, as true happiness is a combination of all of the above, and then some.

So, while it may sound a bit cliche, happiness can truly be a jar of origami stars, that put a smile on your face every time you look at them, that add that just perfect cute factor to your day, that brought together your family in an activity, or that became a sweet baby mobile for a new mommy. Right now that jar of stars that has been sitting on our dining room table for a few weeks now is just exactly what it is, a jar of paper stars that I made one at a time, and I love it! The combination of colors, the joyfulness of it, and the fact that it is not trying to be anything other than what it is.

Ah yes, so maybe that is another key to happiness, being true to who we are? In my case I am being true to who I am by writing this post in the first place, and by actually displaying this jar of stars front and center in my home. Do I need others to understand anything about this jar? No, loud and clear, no, on the other hand if you are reading this you likely do understand, and our mutual understanding across the seas creates global happiness, which is quite a significant thing to think about. I am rambling, so please don't think about it too much, just get yourself some quilling paper and make yourself a little jar of happiness, and then spread it!