For Shavuos, we have a two part project that imitates the
delicate wispy spring mood of a bouquet of brilliant flowers
and the hands-on tactile gratification of working the hands
in clay. Traditionally, flowers and branches lace our
synagogues and homes in remembrance of the foliage that
covered Har Sinai at the time of the giving of the Torah.
School children can be seen parading home with every type of
hand-made flower that tissue paper rolls and tissue paper can
construct. Straws, muffin tins, crepe paper, colored paper,
fabric scraps add their presence to the festive procession.
Our flowers use felt and are set in a clay vase.
MATERIALS
Flowers
* Wooden shishkabob sticks that you cut in half to make our
stems. Find them in craft shops and grocery stores.
* Scissors
* Green floral tape, available at craft shops to cover the
sticks.
* Colored pieces of felt make the petals and leaves of the
flowers. Choose from green, purple, red and pink.
* Permanent marker to draw on felt.
* Sharp object, such as the pointed end of the shishkabob
stick, to make holes in the center of the felt.
* Small colorful pom-pom balls or small Styrofoam balls for
the center of the flowers.
* Glitter glue is a lovely option that adds sparkle to the
leaves and petals.
Flower Container
* Natural Earth Clay sold in rolls of 9cm x 10cm x 30cm at
craft shops. Cost is about 13 shekels a roll in Israel.
* Dental floss about 50 cm in length to cut off chunks of
clay.
* Tops of children's colored markers are used as stamps to
make imprints in the clay. Prepare a covered work area.
Wear an apron when working with the clay.
Felt Flower Directions
* Make one to twenty of these delicate yet sturdy brilliant
flowers.
* Cut felt in to 7cm x 7cm or 8cm x 8cm squares, one per
flower. Use purples, reds and pink. * Mix colors or keep to
one color. * Draw with permanent marker shape of a circle
composed of five or six scallops joined together. This forms
the petals. Draw this large, filling the whole square. * Cut
light and or dark green felt into 5cm x 7cm pieces for
leaves. * Draw three or four leaves in oval shapes and cut
out. * Punch hole in center of each felt petal circle. Set
aside. * Wrap floral tape tightly around each stick, pulling
and gently stretching to activate the adhesive as you cover
the stick from top to the bottom. * Insert felt petal circle
on stick down about 3 cm from top. * Gather bottom of felt
and fold into place to attach petal circle to stick. While
holding firmly with your right hand, begin to tightly wrap
floral tape at bottom edge of felt so that it covers one
third of the petal circle. * Once petals are secure, continue
down the stick and attach one leaf at a time, catching one
third of it at the bottom and wrapping the tape around
securely. Continue adding on leaves. Two to four leaves are
nice. Secure end of tape well. If tape comes undone, secure
with cellophane tape, hot glue or other method. * Pierce a
pom-pom or Styrofoam ball and secure with glue onto the stick
in the center of the petals. * Dot on glitter glue. Purple on
purple petals, green on green leaves or as you like. Let dry
standing upward.
Clay Container Directions
* Meanwhile, cut off a 6cm thick slab from a roll of clay by
wrapping the dental floss around the back of an upright roll
of earth clay. Pull the two ends of the floss toward you and
watch a smooth section of clay slice off. * Take the clay in
hand and gently, to the rhythm of one two three, one two
three, hit one side of the clay on the table turning the clay
with each count of one two three until the clay is formed
into a cube of rectangle. *Form the container. You have many
choices of shapes. The cube can remain a cube or be formed
into a ball. It may be elongated and made tall (five, ten or
twenty centimeters high) and thin (but not less than 5 x 5
centimeters at the base.) Or roll into a cylinder. To prevent
it from cracking or breaking (since we are not firing it in a
ceramic oven), make the container at least two centimeters
thick. * Press your thumb in the center of the top to make a
place for the flowers. The hole need not be deep. Stick
flowers in hole and continue pushing beyond the hole. This
secures the flowers and prevents them from coming loose. Or
simply stick the flowers on the top of the container deep
enough to secure them permanently. * Use the top cap from a
fine-tipped children's marker for a stamp and make a pattern
or decoration around the clay. * Set aside clay and flowers
to dry until clay turns a light dry color. * Paint container
with acrylic paint or cover with white plastic glue and let
dry. * While you have the clay out, think of other things to
make that begin with the shape of a cube.
