Beat the boredom blues with Crafting Jewish Style

Here are some fun crafting ideas to do with the kids over vacation and/ or snow day .(We're expecting lots of snow here very soon...) It's a great way to spend some time together and is answer to the "Mom, I'm bored..." refrain that we all hear when the kids are off from school for an extended period of time.

These crafts are great because they basically are made from supplies that are usually available in most homes! I love that you can reuse and recycle everyday containers into beautiful desk accessories, and it gives the kids a chance to (re)decorate their rooms.






Desk Set

If your desk is stuck, like mine, in a perpetual state of messiness then this desk set is just the project for you. Finally you’ll have a neat way to store the pens, pencils, papers, and other junk that seems to multiply and take over your desk space. With such gorgeous looking organizing accessories that you’ve crafted yourself, out of basic household items that you have on hand, you’ll be tempted to keep everything in its place- I’m certainly hoping that will happen to me!

What you will need:

Assorted clean metal, cardboard or plastic containers
Scrapbooking or wrapping paper
Ruler and pencil
Scissors
Mod Podge
Foam brush
X-acto knife
Trim
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Label stickers
Marker

How to do it:

1.Measure the height and width of each container and mark the measurements, plus a 1/2”, with a pencil onto the back of the paper. Cut out the measured paper.
2.Use the foam brush to apply a thin coat of Mod Podge to the outside of the container. Stick the paper onto the surface of the container, overlapping where necessary. Smooth out any air bubbles with your fingers.
3.Brush another thin coat of Mod Podge on top of the paper. Let dry.
4.Use an X- acto knife to trim any excess paper form the top and/or bottom of the container.
5.Cut a piece of decorative trim to fit around the top circumference of the container and attach with a hot glue gun.
6.Label the container by writing the name of the item(s) on a label sticker and affixing it to the front of the container.

Estimated time: ½ hour




Bulletin Board and Pushpins

Keep all your important papers, pictures and fun stuff, tacked up for easy access and on display on a funky bulletin board made out of an embellished picture frame! It’s a great addition to your desk set.
Maximize your time by crafting the push pins while the bulletin board dries. The marble push pins are adorable for a change, you can easily make them into magnets by attaching very strong circular magnets instead of push pins.

What you will need:

Embellished picture frame
8½”x 11 sheet foam core board
Roll of corkboard material
Craft knife- x-acto knife
Ruler and pencil
Craft glue
Acrylic paint in the colors of your choice
2” wide foam
Scissor or circle puncher
Flat pushpins
Silicone glue- E6000

How to do it:

1.Take the back off of the picture frame and place out of crafting area.Measure the picture opening of your picture frame. Mark the measurements onto the foam core and cut out the foam core rectangle with sharp scissors or an x-acto knife.
2.Unroll the cork board material on a flat surface. Place the foam core on top and use a ruler and pencil to trace the foam core rectangle onto the cork. Cut out the traced cork rectangle.
3.Spread craft glue onto the foam core and glue the cork on top. Smooth the cork down with your fingers so that there are no air bubbles. If the cork curls upward then place some heavy books on top while drying. Let dry 1-2 hours.
4.Use a foam brush to paint the cork the color of your choice. Let dry.
5.Place the cork covered foam core into the picture frame opening.
Reassemble the picture frame.
For the pushpins:
1.Place the flat marble on to the back of the patterned paper.
2.Trace the around the marble with a pencil. Cut out the paper with a scissor or a
round punch.
3. Squeeze some glue on to a scrap of paper. Use a toothpick to place a
small amount of the glue onto the paper circle and place the marble down on top of the paper. Push out the air bubbles with your fingers and let the glue dry.
4. Glue the pushpin to the flat part of the marble and let dry.

Estimated time: 1 hour Drying time: 2-4 hours






Candy Pillow

Dress up your bed with pillows that look good enough to eat!

What you will need:
Fabric remnant
Pinking sheers
Needle and thread or use sewing machine
2 rubber bands or narrow pony holders
Poyester fiberfill or bolster pillow
3 yards 1/4” -3/8” wide polyester grosgrain ribbon in assorted colors
Wooden dowels and clothespins or metal alligator clips
Cookie sheet or large baking pan
Aluminum foil

How to do it:

1.If using fiberfill, use pinking sheers to cut the fabric in a rectangle approximately 21"x24". If using a bolster pillow, cut the fabric 6-8 inches longer and 2 inches wider than the pillow.
2.Fold the fabric in half, widthwise, so that the right side (printed side) is facing inwards.
3.Use a needle and thread or a sewing machine to sew the two sides together along the entire width of the fabric. It should look like a long tube when you are done.
4.Turn the tube right side in. Grasp one end of the tube in one hand and use your other hand to wrap a rubber band tightly around that end, approximately 6” into the tube.
5.Stuff the fiberfill into the open end of the tube making sure to pack it in well and that it is not lumpy. Leave 6” at the end of the tube not stuffed. (If you are using a bolster pillow stuff it into the fabric tube and continue with step 6.
6.To close the open end, wrap a rubber band tightly where the fiberfill ends and fluff the fabric out.
7.Preheat your oven to 250*. Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
8.Cut 1 yard lengths of grosgrain ribbon. For each ribbon curl: Clip one end of the ribbon to the dowel with a clothespin. Wind the ribbon tightly around the dowel making sure not to overlap the ribbon and clip the end of the ribbon to the dowel to secure. Repeat for other colors.
9.Place the ribbon wrapped dowels on the cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn off oven and let cool before removing dowels.
10.Unwrap ribbon from dowels (if the curl is not tight then rewrap return to oven and bake for another 10 minutes) and cut each ribbon curl in half. Tie the curls around the rubber bands making sure to completely cover the rubber bands.

Estimated time:1 hour Bake time: 20 minutes