Display Your Menorah Candles in Style

You might think Chanukah is early this year.  However, it's right on time, like it is every year!  According to the Jewish Calendar, Chanukah is always the 25th day of Kislev, which this year coincides with this coming Saturday, December 8th. 

 

It seems to change every year because the Jewish Calendar takes into account both the cycles of the moon and the sun.  To make up the difference between the solar year, which is 365 days, and the lunar year, which is 354 days, the Jewish Calendar adds one extra "leap month" about 7 times every 19 years.  I agree--that's a lot of math to calculate.  Since it's been awhile since my algebra class, let's just move on to the craft project!

 

It's always wonderful to polish the beautiful silver menorah and dust off the colorful ceramic Chanukiot.  However, have you ever thought how drab the store-bought box of candles looks sitting next to the beautiful menorahs?  

 

Here is a crafty way to display your menorah candles in style. 

 

In addition to a box of Chanukah candles, you will need the following supplies:

 

- Libbey 4" x 4" square glass votive holder
- Scrapbook Paper or Gift Wrap
- Ribbon
- Flowers
- Buttons
- Dreidel or Menorah Charm
- Tag punch or ready-made tags
- Chanukah stamps
- Ink Pad
- Mod Podge & brush
- Strong double-sided adhesive tape

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 and cut out along your traced markings. To save paper, you can 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 candle holder using ribbon, flowers, charms, die cuts and stamped images on punched out tags.

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

 

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

And for those of you who like to plan ahead of time, next year we will be eating latkes for Thanksgiving, as the 25th of Kislev falls the day before Turkey Day.  Oy!

For those of you celebrating Chanukah, wishing you and your family a very Happy Chanukah full of beautiful light and miracles!


Sharing this holiday project at these parties:

French Country Cottage
Ginger Snap Crafts
Practically Functional 

Keeping it Simple Crafts
A Bowl Full of Lemons
Sewing Barefoot
I Should be Mopping the Floor
Or So She Says

Twigg Studios
Two Yellow Birds
From my Porch to Yours
SNAP!
Jann Olson
Yesterday on Tuesday
Katherine's Corner
House of Hepworth's
Night Owl Crafting
Mine for the Making
Beyond the Picket Fence
Bloom Designs
One Artsy Mama
Answer is Chocolate
My Repurposed Life
Life as We Know It by Paula
504 Main
The Thriftiness Miss
Craftionary
Serenity Now
I Gotta Create
Crafty Scrappy Happy
Alderberry Hill
Doodles & Stitches
Shaken Together
clean and scentsible
This Gal Cooks
The Chicken Chick
Cupcakes & Crinoline
Three Mango Seeds
It's so Very Cheri
Setting for Four
barns and noodles

 

Charger turned Menorah Platter

I know I promised you Eight Projects for Chanukah, but can I help it if I took a long-deserved break and went to Las Vegas with my BFF?!!  It was so very needed. 

We had a great time just hanging out together with all the eye candy there is to see.  At one point, while on the phone with my daughter (a Las Vegas expert after three visits), we saw flames and smoke coming out of a....well we didn't know what it was until my daughter plainly said to me, "Mom, it's a volcano [duh]!"  Well, of course it was -- an hourly attraction at the Mirage.

Anyway, that's my excuse for only being on Project #3.  However, with only 11 days until Chanukah (eeek!!), I'll just work a little faster...

This project is a Menorah Platter made from a plain charger. 

It's great to place your menorah on,

and the platter will catch all that candle wax

while saving your nice maple furniture. 

You'll see this one matches Project #2, the Menorah Candle holder. 

Start with a silver charger. This one has a beaded border.

 (bought a set of six at Bed, Bath & Beyond for less than $10)

You only need a few materials: decorative paper,

iridescent alphabet stickers, flourish stickers and silver or blue rhinestones. 

Cut a circle 8-1/4" in diameter. 

Using Mod Podge, adhere the paper to the center of the charger.  Let dry.

This paper is very light blue

with the words to the song "I have a little dreidel" written on it.

Next, decide what words or phrase you want on your platter.

In the earlier photo, I used "Happy Chanukah".

This one reads,

"Harmony, Love, FAMILY."

Add the other stickers and rhinestones. 

Then apply Mod Podge over the entire charger.

Don't worry -- it will dry clear!

Here is the completed Menorah Platter, using my first example.

You'll have to trust me on the Harmony--Love--Family platter. 

It dried beautifully. 

Just didn't get a photo of it before my camera battery went kaput. 

Linking to these fabulous parties:

One Artsy Mama

todays creative blog

Home-for-holidays

Project Queen

Making the World Cuter

Ruby Jean Sew Crafty Tuesday

Passionately Artistic

A Glimpse Inside

Happy Hour Projects

Serenity Now

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

Is Chanukah Early This Year?

If you think Chanukah is early this year, you are absolutely right.  And if you think Chanukah is the same time as always, you are also right!

How can both these statements be true?  It's because Jewish holidays are celebrated by the lunar calendar.  Chanukah is always the 25th of Kislev.  Because the lunar calendar has an extra leap MONTH every four years, compared to the secular calendar's extra DAY, the Jewish holidays fall at different times on the secular calendar.  

This year, we begin celebrating Chanukah on the evening of December 1st.  Is your menorah ready?  And equally important, is your furniture protected from the hot wax which will no doubt drip from the burning candles onto the tabletop?  In the "olden days," we placed pieces of foil under our beautiful menorahs.  Although now you can buy acrylic trays and vinyl placemats, they aren't very festive.  So, why not make one that is both festive and uniquely yours? 

Plain, inexpensive charger

Start with an inexpensive, plain silver charger.  (For some reason, it looks gold in this photo.)  I chose a pretty Amy Butler blue and taupe scrapbook paper, and cut a circle the same size as the charger center.  I decoupaged the inside center of the platter and the back of the paper, and adhered the paper to the charger.  

I then scoured my sticker file and picked out some shimmery black letters to spell "Happy Chanukah".  To personalize it, I spelled our family name and year established (our wedding year).   You can spell the names of your children, pets, or write anything you want.  This would also make a wonderful gift for Saba & Safta or your Bubbe and Zayte.  This is also a great project for your children to create for their own menorah.

Using azure and black Staz-on ink, I stamped flourishes and menorah designs on the outer edge of the charger.  I accented the flourishes with tiny silver bead rhinestones.  I also added a coordinating oval shape that I punched from the same paper.  It is hard to see it in the photo, but I added a sticker that reads "festival of lights", which I adhered on top of the oval.  Seal the entire charger with several coats of Mod Podge.  

Where are the candles?

 Here is the completed menorah plate, ready for the kindling of the candles.  

Now where did I put those candles?

Happy Chanukah!

I'm linked up to:

Project Queen Holiday Craft Tutorial Party