Hanukiah made using discarded discs and boxes

A quick Hanukkah post today. For the second time in a row, our Hanukkah Menorah (or Hanukiah) made of recycled materials won first prize in the school contest. That was a big challenge to our craft skills. How many new craft ideas can you come up with, really? This year we made our Hanukiah of round cheese containers and old compact discs we had been collecting for almost two years. The cardboard containers were assembled together to build the body of the Hanukiah, which was then painted dark brown to make a good uniform backdrop for the brightly colored decoration.

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Giant Hanukiah made of corrugated cardboard

Like every year, my children are participating in the school contest of Hanukkah Menorahs made using recycled materials. Last year we made a Hanukiah of discarded plastic egg-shaped containers, this year it was decided to create a large one of cardboard.

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Hanukkah Menorah made from recycled paper

To continue the subject of Hanukkah-themed recycling crafts I started in the previous post, I'm sharing another Hanukkah Menorah idea. This one is made of recycled paper using the paper quilling technique from 1/4"- and 3/8"-wide strips (0.5cm and 1cm). First I planned to paint it silver, but then decided to leave it as is. This Menorah is approximately 5 inches (12.5cm) in height, I think it may be called "Mega-quilling" compared to the miniature quilled Hanukkah Menoras I made last year.

Happy Hanukkah! חג אורים שמח

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Hanukkah Menorah made from recycled materials

Very soon, at the beginning of December, Jewish people around the world will be celebrating the holiday of Hanukkah. Candles, Hanukiyot (Hanukkah Menorahs / Hanukkah lamps), doughnuts and dreidels (spinning tops) are being sold everywhere in Israel.

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Make a space rocket toy from toilet paper rolls

Some time ago I stopped throwing away toilet paper rolls, because they can be used in a variety of craft projects. This toy rocket is another example of such easy and eco-friendly kids crafts.

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Make a Hanukkah-themed lantern from a milk carton

Hanukkah is coming, and I'd like to suggest this simple craft idea. A Hanukkah-themed lantern can be made with kids, it doesn't require special skills or materials and lets you recycle things you would otherwise throw away.

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Homemade kaleidoscope toy

The kaleidoscope is one of those toys that make me nostalgic for my childhood. Today, just before children go back to school, I'd like to show how to make a homemade kaleidoscope toy. On the photo above you can see samples of what's seen through the kaleidoscope I've built with my kids. Each pattern is enclosed in a black circle because of the way I photographed them. In reality though, you should see continuous patterns throughout the field of view.

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Make a cardboard castle using discarded boxes and toilet paper rolls

There are many ways to build a castle with children. Once I already made a small cardboard toy castle with my kids, but this time we wanted something more impressive. For our castle we collected cardboard boxes of different size, and toilet paper tubes. Using those building blocks, paint and some colored paper, we created this castle with floors, round towers, windows and a cone-shaped roof.

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DIY: Make a storage organizer from old boxes and wrapping paper

For a long time I used to keep all my quilling tools and paper in chocolate boxes, as you probably noticed :) I had to do something about it, so I built this storage organizer. It's made from cartons and pieces of cardboard and covered with gift wrapping paper. The knobs are from plastic bottle caps and copper wire. Great! Now I have everything I need: two large drawers for paper sheets and strips, two smaller ones for tools, and three "cups" for pens, scissors, glue, etc. It's so convenient and lightweight that I can move it around easily.

I'm very happy with my new organizer and would recommend everybody who needs one to make it themselves. You can save a few pence in out tough times, get exactly what you need, and also go at least a little greener.

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Captain Hook's hook, recycling kids craft

Do you buy every toy you child wants to play with? Even if you know it won't last long? I don't think so. I'll show you how to make Captain Hook's hook in 5 minutes, if your kids are playing pirates.

1. You will need a disposable cup, preferably a paper one.


2. You will need also a piece of cardboard, for example a used box.


3. Fold the cardboard in two and cut a hook out of it.


4. Glue the two halves of the hook together, leaving approx. 2 cm (3/4 inch) unglued at its bottom end.


5. Fold those unglued ends outward, you will glue them to the cup later on.


6. Wrap the hook in aluminum kitchen foil and attach it to the cup, gluing the flaps you made in the previous step to its bottom.


7. Make holes in the cup for better ventilation. Let's play now!


8. You may also paint the cup according to your (i.e. your child's) taste.

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