THE ALTERED FLEA: dreidel

Showing posts with label dreidel. Show all posts

Friday, November 13, 2015

Hanukkah in a Jar

Any which way you spell it, the Festival of Lights will be here before you know it. This year, Chanukah begins Sunday night, December 6. It's just three weeks away, but you have plenty of time to create unique Chanukah decor and gifts.

One of the most popular projects on my blog is "Chanukah-in-a-Jar." So, I thought I would share it again.

I used a clear plastic pail 6" tall with a 4" diameter. It has a lid and handle, which lends itself nicely for attaching colorful ribbons and tags. However, you can also use a mason jar or repurposed spaghetti sauce or jam jar. You just want to be sure it's tall enough to hold the Menorah candles.

Start by gathering craft supplies to embellish the container. Go through your stash or stroll down the craft aisles looking for printed and solid scrapbook or gift wrapping paper, ribbon, punches, stamps, ink, tags, charms, metal labels, etc.

Cut a strip of cardstock 2" x 18". If using 12" x 12" paper, cut two pieces and tape them together. Then cut a coordinating piece of printed or gift wrap paper to 1-1/2" x 18." Using tape adhesive, tape these two pieces together, one on top of the other. Adhere ribbon to center of strip.

Using 2-1/2" circle punch, cut a circle with glitter paper. Punch out two smaller circles (I used a scalloped punch, too) from the solid cardstock. Stamp image on smaller circle.

Adhere long strips to pail. Then adhere the circles to the pail, covering up the seams. (This then becomes the front of the pail.)

Using varied textures and widths, tie 6" strands of coordinating ribbon to handle. Cover the center of the lid with paper using decoupage sealer. When dry, adhere label printed on cardstock and metal label holder to lid. Tie charm to metal holder.

Stamp "Happy Hanukkah" and "To/From" images on tags.

You can find wooden dreidels at most party stores or in the Hanukkah section of your local large store this time of year. Punch or cut a 1-1/4" square from coordinating paper. Punch a small hole in center of the paper square, which will fit over the dreidel stem. Decoupage to dreidel top.

Then choose the "ingredients" for your jar. Include:

[Box of] 44 menorah candles

(enough candles for each night),

the large dreidel,

small box of matches

[embellished to match]

chocolate gelt, and

candle blessings.

For the Chanukah blessings, I printed the Hebrew, transliteration and translation on both sides of a 4" x 6" cardstock, rolled it up and tied it with blue & white twine.

Arrange the candles and other "ingredients" inside the pail.

That's it!

Here is the completed Chanukah-in-a-Jar:

If you would like a copy of the blessings document, leave a comment with your email, and I will send it to you.

These Chanukah-in-a-Jar make great gifts for children, grandchildren, teachers as well as hostess gifts.

While you're in the festive handmade spirit,

you may also like these holiday projects:

Display your Menorah Candles in Style

Add Color to your Blue & White Decor

Sharing at these linky parties:

Romantic Home

Diana Rambles Pin Me Linky Party

Life as We Know It

Friday, December 16, 2011

Chanukah Project #4: Not Your Blue & White Tray

Growing up in San Francisco, our winters didn't consist of "dashing through the snow" or making snow angels -- we tried, but there's not a lot one can make out of dense fog. Unless, of course, you can blow smoke rings out of the chilly air.

One of our favorite things to do, however, was count the Christmas trees we passed while riding here and there. The holiday trees were so colorful, especially the ones that sat on a turntable, rotating beautiful colors around the window panes.

We celebrated the eight nights of Chanukah. Instead of colorful lights, we decorated our home with just two colors: blue & white. Blue & white hanging dreidels, blue & white tablecloths, blue and white lights around the living room bookcase...you name it, our decor was simple.

Even gift wrap could only be found in shades of blue and white. Or maybe, silver, if you looked hard enough.

Chanukah decor has changed over the last few decades. Now Chanukah comes in every color imaginable. Gift wrap, menorahs, decorations, tableware, and spinning dreidels come in bright pinks, greens, yellows and more.

So I decided to alter a mundane wooden serving tray in the new "Chanukah colors." I found bright fuchsia gift wrap in my Chanukah box. It was perfect.

I painted the tray with two coats of a dark pink/fuchsia color. I cut a piece of gift wrap to fit snugly inside the tray and adhered it with "the Podge." When dry to the touch, I covered it with another coat of MP. This got me thinking...so I made a tile coaster to match. (When I have time, I will make another one to match.)

My tray is ready for company.

This tray would also make a great surface for playing spin the dreidel. Which leads me to a question. When we were kids, we played for a pot of hazelnuts. When my children were younger, they played for pennies or chocolate gelt. What do you play for in your home?

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Eight Projects of Chanukah: #2

Now that Thanksgiving weekend is almost over, it's time to stop talking turkey and get back into creating gifts for Chanukah. With less than a month to go, there is no time to waste.

My second project in the Eight Projects of Chanukah series is this embellished candle holder. This is a pretty alternative to the not-so-decorative box that the menorah candles come in from the store.

Supplies include:

- Libbey 4" x 4" square glass container (I bought these at the Dollar Store)
- Scrapbook Paper
- Ribbon
- Flowers
- Buttons
- Chanukah Charm
- Die-cuts
- Tag punch or ready-made tags
- Chanukah stamps
- Ink Pad

Instructions:

Make a template measuring 1-1/2" wide x 13-1/2" long, creating a slight arch. The paper band must arch to accommodate the width difference between the top and bottom circumference of the glass. Wrap the template around the glass to be sure it fits, overlapping the ends.

Trace the template onto a 12" x 12" scrapbook paper, angling the template to fit the paper. You can also cut two sections and piece them together, adding an extra 1/2" for overlap.

Mod Podge the paper band and let dry. Using good adhesive, adhere band to the glass, gently pulling it taut, and overlap the ends.

Embellish the glass using ribbon, flowers, charms, die cuts or stamped images on punched out tags to decorate the candle holder.

Place the candles inside the glass holder, and you have a beautiful way to display the menorah candles throughout the eight nights.

These glass containers can also be used to hold a votive candle. Insert a small round candle holder and surround with blue and white jelly belly candies, sea glass or beads. Place a votive into the smaller glass holder. [Note to self: After a few days, do not attempt to eat jelly belly candies.]

These make wonderful teacher and hostess gifts. Wrap the entire candle holder with clear cellophane. Tie with ribbon and a matching tag, and these are ready to go!

Partying with:
the country chic cottage quick-and-easy-holiday-crafts
Rook No 17
Home for the Holidays
Today's Creative Blog
Project Queen
Creative Jewish Mom
Positively Splendid
Flamingo Toes Think Pink Sunday
I {heart} Naptime Sundae Scoop
The Gunny Sack
More Merrier Monday

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Eight Projects of Chanukah

It's time to countdown to Chanukah. My intention was to post one project every week until Chanukah begins. However, when I looked at the calendar, I realized there are only five weeks until the Festival of Lights!
I'm just going to have to work a little faster in order to create and post eight projects in just over one month. So let's get altering!

The first of my eight projects is called "Chanukah-in-a-Jar." There are many variations of recipes in a jar for delicious cookies, soups, natural scrubs, and more. In fact, I've even altered empty tennis ball cans for brownies-in-a-tennis-ball-can recipes.

For this project, I use a clear plastic pail that is 6" tall with a 4" diameter. It has a lid as well as a handle, which lends itself nicely for attaching ribbons and tags.

Gather craft supplies for embellishing the container including printed and solid scrapbook, glitter and gift wrapping paper, ribbon, punches, stamps, ink, tags, charms, metal labels, etc.

Cut a strip of cardstock 2" x 18". If using a 12" x 12" piece of paper, you will have to cut two pieces and tape them together. Then cut a coordinating piece of your gift wrap or printed paper 1-1/2" x 18" Using a dry adhesive, tape these two long pieces together. Adhere ribbon to center of strip.

Using a 2-1/2" circle punch, cut a circle with glitter paper. Punch out two smaller circles (I used a scalloped punch, too) from the solid cardstock. Stamp image on smaller circle.

Adhere long strips to pail. Also adhere ribbon in the middle of the paper, finishing at the same seam as the paper. Then adhere the circles to the pail, covering up the seams.

Using varied textures and widths, cut 6" strands of coordinating ribbon to pail handle. Cover the inset of the lid with paper with mod podge. When dry, adhere label printed on cardstock and metal label holder to lid. Tie charm to metal holder.

Stamp "Happy Hanukkah" and "To/From" images to tags.

Decoupage top of the dreidel, using 1-1/4" square punch. Punch a small hole in center of the paper square, which will fit over the dreidel stem.

Then choose the "ingredients" for your jar. I suggest an entire box of 44 menorah candles (enough candles for each night), large dreidel, matchbox, chocolate gelt and candle blessings.

For the blessings, I printed the Hebrew, transliteration and translation on both sides of a 4" x 6" cardstock, rolled it up and tied it with blue & white twine.

The match box is embellished with cardstock and a stamped image that reads "Happy Hanukkah".