There’s one thing that really bothers me when it comes to most centerpiece and tablescape ideas: they’re just not practical. But I love setting a gorgeous table – the kind where the entire tablescape feels like decor.

For this year’s seder, my goal was simple: create something that feels effortless, allows for conversation AND easy removal when needed, but really fills the table. The result is on-theme, with calm almost-neutral colors that is elegant, understated, but totally not boring.

I’m going to walk you through recreating this modern Passover table setting step by step. I’ll be sharing loads of tips, variations, what I used, and more insights. This is really cool because it’s assembled in minutes – it’s not really DIY but also requires enough assembly to be a bit creative.

And while it does require some budget to assemble, it also doesn’t require hundreds of dollars worth of flowers that’ll wilt the next day. In fact, ALL of the components besides for the candles are reusable for other mix-and-match centerpieces you might want to put together another time. Even the water can be used on your plants…

So let’s explore this gorgeous modern Passover table setting with a pretty reusable centerpiece that’s subtly on-theme, and totally not tacky.

Choosing this modern Passover Table Setting Centerpiece

While this looks like a generic tablescape, this moder Passover table setting – specifically the centerpiece, but also the details – is very intentional.

Symbolism

I chose olive branches as my focal point because of their significance as one of the seven species of Israel, and specifically one that is often used in Jewish practice. Grapevines can work too, but I do love the look of these olive branches from Michaels.

Fishbowl floating candle holders feature river rocks and water to symbolize the Nile river, the splitting sea, and the journey as well. Floating tea light candles give a beautiful festive vibe.

Practicality

One of the things that I really dislike about all of the centerpiece inspo that I usually find is that it’s not practical for two reasons:

1. It’s super complicated to assemble – and dismantle as needed during the meal
2. It’s too high to allow for comfortable cross-table conversation. Even vases with flowers have this effect.

My goal with this seder centerpiece was to allow it to actually stay on until the food comes out, and then allow it to be easily removable when the center of the table is needed to serve food.

This tablescape fills the table but intentionally avoids adding high obstructions. And while we could have added raised details with narrow legs that allow for conversation, I wanted it to be child-friendly too.

In this case, even the flames are in water so that families with kids can actually have candles on their table.

Reusability and Versatility

A final feature that I wanted to “change” from what I normally saw: I want it to be reusable. The various elements, while not super cheap, are not quite like getting expensive florals AND they’re all reusable. Every part of it is neutral enough to be totally revamped and reused in different ways, for other needs.

The bowls with floating candles are a feature in so many table settings, the olive stems can be repurposed in vases for table decorations or home decor, and the rocks make fabulous vase filler.

The rest of the Modern Passover Table Setting

While this modern Passover table setting is definitely centered on the centerpiece, I figured I’d set the rest of the table too and share it with you. Again, each step is intentional.

We’re starting with very standard plates and wine glasses. If I was purchasing glasses special for this, I would have gone with something more textured glass in look than crystal (like hobnail).

White plates are a great foundation for many tablescapes, and in this case, keeps things light and airy. I do have wood-texture chargers that I’ll be adding into the final ‘scape but didn’t have out yet while filming this.

The base: the tablecloth and linens

My tablecloth is a light beige color, continuing with the natural tones. It’s also reminiscent of the color of sand, and is light enough to feel truly festive.

It has a subtle linen texture and serves as a great blank canvas for many tablescapes.

I swapped off between green and pink runners for the centerpiece. I wrapped the branches mainly to hide them, and to provide a pretty base for the whole thing. I did settle on the light blush pink ones in the end, and I’m glad I did.

My napkins are frayed-edge off-white ones with a natural linen texture, again, keeping things light, classy, and full of natural texture.

Little touches: napkin rings, flatware and glasses

There are many ways to softly tie in different elements to the theme in a way that is neutral but fits. For flatware, I chose inherited floral flatware to go with the subtle Pesach-appropriate Spring touches that are naturally included in this tablescape. On Pesach, we’ll just use our Pesach flatware, but if you’re purchasing special for this, it’s a nice touch.

I used my DIY wooden napkin rings that I made, but any driftwood or light wood look goes beautifully. And while I weighed using my pink hobnail glasses, I did in the end choose our inherited glasses with olive trees in the pictures and a gold rim for interest and height.

The Pyramid Placecards

And a final surprisingly neutral touch were these Pyramid placecards. I made them using this SVG and not only do they seat everyone quickly, but they are also gorgeous and tie everything in with the beginning of the journey to the Holy Land.

I had a vision and it really came together. I am so happy with the result of this modern Passover table setting and can’t wait to set it for real – these photos were all staged while I set my Shabbat table so that I can share a practical and pretty Pesach seder centerpiece before the holiday starts.

How to Assemble the Olive Branch Centerpiece for your Modern Passover Table Setting

This will be focusing on assembling your centerpiece.

You’ll need

• Olive branches – I got these from Michaels (they are 34.5″ long – get something similar to really cover a small table, or create a few to cover a very long table). Find similar on Amazon
• A table runner – I used a pink one but also considered this green one
• River Rocks – I got these from Michaels, find similar on Amazon. I used 3 packages.
• Fishbowl vases for floating candles (they can have floater stems like my hand-me-down ones or not)
• Tea Lights
• This is the lighter I used and I do love it but a match will work too!

Watch the video

Watch the full-length video on YouTube if you prefer to learn that way! Or scroll down for written instructions with photos.

Assembly – Step by Step

1. Lay out your branches so that they sit as flat and widespread as possible, pretty sides up. Lay three in each direction with the stems overlapping in the center.

Wrap the center with a table runner. I recommend wrapping it somewhat loosely.

2. Add your river rocks to the bottom of the vase. If yours has a candle holder, they should barely touch the holder. If yours doesn’t, just fill it about halfway, or whatever looks pretty to you.

3. Cover the rocks with water. If you’re floating the candle, you’ll want to make sure you really cover it plus a few mm so that your candle will float.

4. Prelight a tea light (it’ll be easier to light inside the vase if you do this) and place it in the candle holder or float it in the water, being very careful not to get it wet.

5. After you place your vases, go ahead and light your candles.

Your Passover centerpiece is complete and you’re ready to set the rest of your modern Passover table setting!

The post Modern Passover Table Setting Idea with Floral Centerpiece appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

If you’ve followed along with my social media, you’ll know that I love setting a beautiful holiday table. I challenge myself to set things up for a gorgeous Shabbat dinner every week, in fact.

With Pesach around the bend, I wanted to try a technique that I did NOT master in the past again, and share the results, including the tricks you need to make it work. I decided to hand stamp some beautiful DIY Passover napkins using the craft foam technique.

Yes, this uses craft foam to make the stamp!

Choosing Your Materials for DIY Passover Napkins

Let’s explore the basics of what you’ll need to make these gorgeous fabric napkins, because materials really do matter here.

The base napkin

The main thing you need in your base napkin is to know that it’ll actually absorb the ink. In the past, I tried this technique on placemats, and it didn’t work. Some absorbency in the base fabric is important.

You’ll want to test one napkin before stocking up for a whole craft. The ones I used are actually flour sack towels. They make for a very generous sized napkin. Hypothetically speaking, real fabric napkins should work too, but again, you’ll want to try it first.

Will it work with paper napkins?

After I did this, I tested it on paper dinner napkins too. It worked, though it was a bit less forgiving (that is, a bit of shadowing or mistakes showed up much stronger). I do plan to make a set of paper napkins for this year too.

Since it’s a bit lower expenditure, you may want to test a few different paper napkins to see which shows up best for you. I used very soft, towel-y napkins.

The Fabric Paint

To make these DIY Passover napkins, I used Fabric Creations Soft Fabric Ink. My favorite color was wine, but you can definitely try others.

It’s a very soft ink that comes in a paint-style formula. So it absorbs into the material – rather than sitting at the surface like a craft paint would – and really becomes part of the fabric.

You can definitely play around with acrylic paints. As long as they are permanent, they should work. They will sit at the surface of the craft more, but you can also try thinning them a bit. This might dilute the color, but if you have a need, I would definitely play around and give it a try.

The stamp itself

The stamp was made from craft foam, attached with double-sided tape on a gripper/handle/base.

You can print this template (it’s down by the instructions), choose your design, and then transfer it to foam (more on that soon). Cut it out to create the outline of the stamp.

Grooves and internal engravings are made using a pen (one that doesn’t work if you have that), or anything that with a little pressure will make deep marks in the foam. These are less consistent and reliable. The more “engravings” you have, the riskier your craft is and the more work you’ll have as you go along.

If you want to turn this into a “real” stamp, you can definitely purchase actual rubber stamp tools, transfer the design, and carve it using carving tools.

To hold the foam, I used a wooden chunky cutout. I had these around my craft room and they’re easy… You can definitely make a base for your foam using scrap cardboard boxes. Just cut 3 same-size pieces from a box – they should be slightly larger than your foam cutout, and a shape you can grip preferably. Use double sided tape or hot glue to layer them up for a thicker base and then attach your foam stamp.

Tips and Tricks for stamping DIY Passover Napkins

Ready for success? Here are the results of my experimentations, and tips for getting it right on the first try.

Template Transfer Techniques

One big challenge is how to transfer the template/design to the foam. This won’t be an issue if you’re making your own designs – or just visually copying mine – and I’ll share more tips on that below.

Meanwhile, here are two ways I tried, plus more ideas, with tips.

First, I tried just cutting out the main shape, outlining that with pen to cut out later. That part is easy. The challenge was the engravings. I tried just pressing in through the paper to make marks on the foam below. That works, but because the foam is such a soft base, the paper does tear. So it works, but it’s not a neat process.

The second way was to use carbon paper. That’s been pretty foolproof for me in the past on multiple materials – including rubber stamp sheets, and acrylic like with this Tzedakah box craft. However, here, the carbon paper was so finicky. It did not transfer nicely at all. Again, it gave me a functional result – especially if I’m willing to go over it again following the design off to the side as well.

Another way – the most consistent but time consuming – is to start by cutting out and outlining your outer shape. Then, cut out each of the internal parts, place it on your foam, and trace them individually.

Keeping things clean and lines sharp

As I went along with these DIY Passover napkins, there was one very important lesson: if you want clean stamps, you need to be patient and intentional with your process.

Using a paper towel to clean around the edges of the stamp before each application really keeps things from shadowing. Using a toothpick to clean out the paint from the engravings really helps keep them sharp.

As with every craft, the amount of effort you put into it can really show. With this one, you may be able to get away with doing it quicker, but it’ll just look less neat. A bit of variation is nice and provides a handcrafted look, but too much can get messy.

Heat setting your artwork

One step that I don’t recommend that you miss: heat setting your prints at the end. This basically just means pressing it with a hot iron to seal the color. It’ll ensure the colors don’t run and that your print remains sharp.

While not 100% necessary, it’ll really help preserve your work. There are ways around it (for example, dry it on hot) but that might otherwise ruin the napkin. If this is a quick kids’ school craft, you can press it for them, or figure that they’re meant to be disposable. But if you’re investing into making yourself a nice set of napkins that you plan to use for years (or gift), do heat set them.

Making your own artwork

I always love to encourage actual creativity, and these DIY Passover napkins are begging for that. In fact, it’ll be much easier to “transfer” the template if you’re just drawing it right on.

You can use my images as idea starters and then make your own, design your own from scratch, or a mix of the two. In fact, on the matzah template, I didn’t even put the lines – I left that for you.

There are two approaches to making your own designs for this. One is to design it on a separate paper and transfer it, as if it’s a template. The other is to draw right onto the foam. I recommend the second option, but with keeping it simple. As I mentioned, template transfers on foam aren’t so easy, so you’ll be able to skip that. I drew my first wine glass right onto the foam.

And just one final note: you can use this technique to decorate the same flour sack towels as Pesach towels, pouches as Afikoman bags, and more. This technique is so fun, looks great, and opens up so many new possibilities for customized home decor.

How to make DIY Passover Napkins – step by step tutorial

Materials needed

• Base napkins – I used flour sack towels
• Rigid cardboard to put behind the napkin
• Craft foam
• Double sided tape – I recommend this for adhering your foam to your base because it will keep it nice and flat.
• Wood blocks that are a bit larger than your design but “holdable” – 4×6 is a good size OR cardboard box scraps layered together
• Fabric paint
• A flat paintbrush
• Toothpicks
• Paper towels
• Pen and optional carbon paper for template transfer/grooving. If you have a pen that doesn’t work, that’s great.
• Iron
• Pressing cloth or butcher paper
• Something to iron on (a heat-resistant mat or ironing board)
• The template – print it below

Print the Template

Download your free template! It’ll arrive right in your inbox. By downloading, you’re subscribing to our FREE newsletter with updates on cool printables like this, ideas to simplify Jewish life, and more. Unsubscribe at any time at the bottom my emails. I respect your privacy and the law, and won’t share or sell your email address.

Watch the video

Watch the full-length video on YouTube if you prefer to learn that way! Or scroll down for written instructions with photos.

Step by Step with Photos

1. Print your template on paper. Position it on your foam. Go over the design, pressing down hard with a pen. Note: for simpler designs, you can first cut the outer shape out – it’ll be easier to trace.

I recommend that you start with something easy, like this wine glass shape.

2. Press down with the pen to make a clear line for any engravings.

3. Cut around the outer shape of your design. You may need to re-trace it a bit first if it didn’t come out clear.

4. Tape your foam cutout to a base that’s easy to hold – either wood, or stacked cardboard.

5. It is highly recommended to iron your napkin before stamping it. Place a piece of cardboard or cardstock behind the napkin.

6. Paint a thin but even layer of paint on your stamp.

7. Use a toothpick in the groove to highlight the engraving.

8. I recommend testing your stamp on a scrap cloth or paper first. When you’re ready (you do need to re-paint each time), press it down on your napkin. Get it in the right spot on the first time. Press down firmly, rubbing the back of the stamp, without shifting it.

9. If you’re doing multiple stamps, keep going….Reload your stamp, clean around the stamp part, and in the groove each time.

10. When you’re done, allow it to dry totally (based on paint instructions). then, using a barrier between the iron and the design, press it to heat set it.

You’ve successfully made your own beautiful hand-stamped DIY Passover napkins! Set your table with pride!

Which Passover crafts do you want to see more of in this space? Comment below!

The post Make Your Own DIY Passover Napkins – An Easy Fabric Printing Tutorial appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

Sometimes a project starts with a simple decision: I am GOING TO make a resin seder plate and then a vision: colorful translucent bowls on a sparkling white base.

And then it evolves from there.

Making this DIY resin seder plate was quite the journey that I chronicled in my Instagram stories (yes – this is a shameless plug, make sure you’re following me if you don’t already!)

I ended up going with shades of blue and lime green just so it feels more within my husband’s comfort zone. And the sparkling white base wasn’t quite what I imagined, mainly because I ran out of white dye in the first round – and forgot that I can simply use acrylic paint!

This post is long but not because of nostalgia and memories – I’m trying to give you as much information as possible for making your own DIY resin seder plate so that you can work through it in the most efficient way possible. And because that’s my job.

Finding molds for a resin seder plate

There are a few ways to approach making resin Judaica when there are so few molds (especially affordable ones) already available and I’ll address each one – because they are ideas you can definitely try – and then share what I ended up doing.

I’d like to point out that any way you go, you’ll likely encounter some trial and error. So be prepared for a challenge! I’m going to share the exact process, but since your circumstances (environment, brand of resin, length of time you heat gun to pop bubbles, etc.) aren’t the same as mine, you’ll still need to experiment.

Get a seder plate mold

The first question is: can you even just get a seder plate mold? I’ve found a few on Etsy but the price is… worthwhile maybe if you’re a very successful resin seller and need something quick and easy I guess? And probably fair considering the labor it entails.

Personally, I wanted something with more presence and so I moved on.

MAKE YOUR OWN seder plate mold

The next option is to make your own mold for epoxy resin casting. You do this using a 2-part silicone compound, much like you use for resin, only the result is silicone.

You’ll need a sample to mold, which shouldn’t be too hard: go and buy a one-piece seder plate that you like and use that as your cast.

Again, for me this is “copy/paste” on another item and another step. Plus, the 2-part silicone is pricey. So while totally doable, I wasn’t sure it was the approach I wanted. I may try this in the future, though.

Indentations in a round mold

Another idea I had was to get a nice, deep mold and make indentations for the bowls in the resin when it’s partially cured. This can make a gorgeous one-piece seder plate and yes, I do recommend you give it a swing if you have the time and energy to experiment and this is what you want.

I, however, decided to go with a different option… I’m sharing the above ideas just to show you how many ways you can approach resin seder plates – and because mine does require some experimentation even if following my tutorial!

Separate bowls and base

My final idea for making a DIY resin seder plate was to make a large round base and add resin bowls on top. Many modern seder plates are structured this way.

It offers a very clean design, that allows you more control over placement of the bowls in the final assembly stages of your process. And you can play with different materials for the different parts – like I did!

Tips for crafting a resin seder plate

Here are some guidelines gleaned from my process – mainly why I made certain decisions I did.

Making mini bowls from a coaster mold

For the base, I got a large 14 inch side table mold that’s deep but doesn’t need to be filled fully.

Your instinct might be to go ahead and buy some resin bowl molds to use as bowls… But I instead used a 6-pack of 4 inch coaster molds.

Why do it this way?

The reason is simple: I wanted a very shallow bowl, not a deep one. Think of the seder plate – with its slight curvature bowls. They allow the items inside to be fully visible. To do this, you need to take the bowls out when it’s partially cured – no longer sticky but still flexible.

The thing is… doing it like this really complicated the process. You NEED TO EXPERIMENT. I started with one, and then kept it near me all day. I checked after one hour, three, four, six… after seven hours it felt right and I took it out.

When I went back and did it again with six bowls… it WASN’T good after seven hours, because there were other variables at play that I didn’t account for.

Factors that effect cure time

To make the mini bowls from coasters, you need to be very aware of the factors that play into cure time.

• Heat gun – how long you zap the bubbles with a heat gun for. On the trial one, I did. On the “real” one I managed to avoid most bubbles and didn’t heat gun it. Heat can accelerate the curing process.
• Thickness – If you make it too thick, it’ll take longer to be ready to demold. It also doesn’t come out as good. In my experiment, I underfilled my mold. I slightly overfilled my coaster molds when I was crafting it “for real”. When I fixed it, I underfilled them.
• Environment – The first time, I brought my trial up to the kitchen so I can keep testing it. Then, when crafting it, I kept it in my basement, which is colder. Factors like temperature AND humidity can play into cure time.

In a nutshell: test your first bowl in the correct environment, using the exact method you’ll use to craft your resin seder plate.

To keep it modular or attach?

I decided that I wanted my bowls to remain modular – that is, disconnected.

1. That way I can reuse the base as a matzah plate! And the bowls as smallish dip dishes.
2. It’s very compact to store that way.

You can attach it using resin – either UV resin, or epoxy – after you’re done crafting it. Resin can easily be used as a “glue” to connect resin parts. Just use it sparingly.

Putting it all together

Since I kept it modular, I did put those small cabinet silicone bumper thingies on the bottom of each bowl so that they don’t just slide around. They worked magically but don’t look that pretty. You will not see it, though, once your seder plate foods are inside.

You can also use hot glue, but that’ll be harder to keep neat.

I also added very small felt furniture slider pads to the bottom of the plate. This isn’t 100% necessary, but it’s worth doing to make it feel less flat on your surface, and to make it easier to move around.

You CAN also make separate resin legs for it, if you have the correct mold, and attach it separately. I may do this at a later date using a shot glass mold that I own. Each shot glass can make a hollow leg.

Adding words…

So how do you add the words on the seder plate? I honestly like mine without. I reference the Haggadah for arranging the plate – I don’t need the guide on my plate itself. I find that it looks cleaner without words.

My best recommended way to do this is to cut words from your Cricut, apply it to cured and demolded resin, and then seal it with a top coat of clear resin.

You can probably also print it on transparency film and apply it between layers of resin.

Material tips for making a Resin seder plate

With resin, it’s important to choose the right materials to use.

Is resin even food safe?

Food safety is a big issue when making resin “food” items. However, I know that in our home, the seder plate foods aren’t even eaten!! So it doesn’t matter.

There ARE food safe resins (once fully cured). But not all of your mix-ins and colorants will be food safe. If you think you might use it for direct contact to food, just make sure the top/bottom layer (whichever one will be the top of the plate and contact food) is made with clear, food-safe resin.

A word about alcohol inks

And a final word: I used alcohol inks to color the bowls. They give a gorgeous glass-like effect with naturally-occurring dynamic patterns and movement. But they can also fade dramatically with exposure to light. Keep this in mind if you choose to use them.

I used acrylic paints to get the strong white on the back of the seder plate. You can use food color if you want to keep the bowls food safe.

How to make a resin seder plate (step by step)

Materials needed

Tools, etc.

• A respirator mask
• Mixing and measuring cups dedicated to resin (I recommend silicone ones)
• Stirring sticks – I recommend silicone ones like the ones included in the kit above
• Nitrile gloves
• 14 inch round mold
• 6x 4-inch coaster molds
• Level
• Heat gun

Materials

• Resin – I used Alumilite clear casting resin (from Michaels)
• White resin dye/acrylic paint
• Alcohol inks
• Adhesive Rubber cabinet bumpers (roughly 6-8 mm circles)
• Small adhesive felt furniture pads
• Small plastic bowls (around dip bowl size)

Watch the YouTube video

Watch the full-length video on YouTube if you prefer to learn that way! Or scroll down for written instructions with photos.

Step by Step Instructions

Making the Base

1. Level your surface. This is a critical step with any resin surface but especially with larger ones! I skipped this with my resin Menorah tray and it caused issues. I recommend having a large slab of wood to work on, and leveling it using books underneath the sides as needed.

2. Mix your resin together as per package instructions – until there are no more striations. To make it food safe, start with a layer of food-safe clear resin and allow it to cure.

I made mine with a slightly translucent top layer (the first in the mold) and a solid white back layer (last in the mold.) Add white dye or acrylic paint and mix it until it’s fully mixed in.

3. Pour the resin into your mold and make sure it reaches every corner.

4. To add a slightly marbleized texture, I added some straight white dye into the plate, and streaked it in. I did not have enough to make this really look like I wanted, though.

5. Zap your air bubbles with a heat gun.

6. After I ran out of white dye and to make a solid white layer, I mixed up new resin with white acrylic paint. You can do this straight away for your entire resin seder plate base if you prefer.

7. Pour it over, covering the entire surface. Decide how deep you want your resin seder plate to be and fill it till there. End table molds like you probably purchased are HUGE and use up a ton of resin. You don’t need to fill the whole thing. Mine is about half an inch thick. You can do 1/2 inch to an inch.

Allow it to cure completely (2 days usually) and remove from the mold.

Making the Bowls

Important: do a test coaster first to see how long you need to wait for it to partially cure!

1. Prepare clear resin. Working on one coaster at a time, add a few drops of alcohol ink directly to the mold. I used blue, lime green, and teal.

2. Right away (alcohol evaporates quickly and the inks begin to dry), pour the resin around the coaster, focusing on the ink spots. Fill the coaster about 1/2-2/3 of the way.

3. The inks should swirl naturally. You can “encourage” it a little with your silicone stick, but don’t overdo it or you won’t have those dynamic swirls – it’ll keep moving on its own.

4. Zap the air bubbles with a heat gun, moving it around constantly so you heat it evenly. Again, don’t overdo it – you’ll move the inks too much AND cure your coaster prematurely.

5. Allow your coaster to partially cure – for me 7.5 hours ended up being perfect. You know your coaster is ready when it’s still flexible but no longer sticky, and can easily be removed from the mold. If it seems to no longer be sticky at the top, but is sticking to the mold, give it another half hour and check in again. It’s probably still sticky lower down.

6. Gently release it from the mold. Use gloves to avoid fingerprints (I actually recommend getting smooth gloves for this stage, as it’s still soft, and will leave an impression).

7. Gently press it into a bowl so that it curves the amount you want it to. Allow it to cure the rest of the way.

8. When it’s fully cured (according to package recommendations – likely 2 days) remove it from the plastic bowl. You may want to polish up your resin parts – sand the edges, polish them, etc. But I like the slightly rough handmade look so I didn’t do that on this craft.

Assembling your resin seder plate

1. To finish up a modular seder plate, start by adding adhesive bumpers to the bottoms of your bowls. I added 3 in a triangle shape.

2. Add felt sliders to the bottom of your seder plate – again, three in a triangular shape, close to the ends.

3. Arrange them in your preferred setup – a ring of six, or one in the center and five around it!

Your resin seder plate is complete!

If you’ve made this DIY resin seder plate, please drop a comment and share your feedback – I’d love to hear how it went for you!

Yield: 1

DIY Resin Seder Plate for Passover

Learn how to make a DIY resin seder plate, including tips and tricks and alternative ideas!

Print

Materials

• Resin - I used Alumilite clear casting resin (from Michaels)
• White resin dye/acrylic paint
• Alcohol inks
• Adhesive Rubber cabinet bumpers (roughly 6-8 mm circles)
• Small adhesive felt furniture pads
• Small plastic bowls (around dip bowl size)

Tools

• A respirator mask
• Mixing and measuring cups dedicated to resin (I recommend silicone ones)
• Stirring sticks - I recommend silicone ones
• Nitrile gloves
• 14 inch round mold
• 6x 4-inch coaster molds
• Level
• Heat gun

Instructions

Making the base:

1. Level your surface. This is a critical step with any resin surface but especially with larger ones! I skipped this with my resin Menorah tray and it caused issues. I recommend having a large slab of wood to work on, and leveling it using books underneath the sides as needed.

2. Mix your resin together as per package instructions - until there are no more striations. To make it food safe, start with a layer of food-safe clear resin and allow it to cure.

I made mine with a slightly translucent top layer (the first in the mold) and a solid white back layer (last in the mold.) Add white dye or acrylic paint and mix it until it's fully mixed in.

3. Pour the resin into your mold and make sure it reaches every corner.

4. To add a slightly marbleized texture, I added some straight white dye into the plate, and streaked it in. I did not have enough to make this really look like I wanted, though.

5. Zap your air bubbles with a heat gun.

6. After I ran out of white dye and to make a solid white layer, I mixed up new resin with white acrylic paint. You can do this straight away for your entire resin seder plate base if you prefer.

7. Pour it over, covering the entire surface. Decide how deep you want your resin seder plate to be and fill it till there. End table molds like you probably purchased are HUGE and use up a ton of resin. You don't need to fill the whole thing. Mine is about half an inch thick. You can do 1/2 inch to an inch.

Allow it to cure completely (2 days usually) and remove from the mold.

Making the bowls:

Important: do a test coaster first to see how long you need to wait for it to partially cure!

1. Prepare clear resin. Working on one coaster at a time, add a few drops of alcohol ink directly to the mold. I used blue, lime green, and teal.

2. Right away (alcohol evaporates quickly and the inks begin to dry), pour the resin around the coaster, focusing on the ink spots. Fill the coaster about 1/2-2/3 of the way.

3. The inks should swirl naturally. You can "encourage" it a little with your silicone stick, but don't overdo it or you won't have those dynamic swirls - it'll keep moving on its own.

4. Zap the air bubbles with a heat gun, moving it around constantly so you heat it evenly. Again, don't overdo it - you'll move the inks too much AND cure your coaster prematurely.

5. Allow your coaster to partially cure - for me 7.5 hours ended up being perfect. You know your coaster is ready when it's still flexible but no longer sticky, and can easily be removed from the mold. If it seems to no longer be sticky at the top, but is sticking to the mold, give it another half hour and check in again. It's probably still sticky lower down.

6. Gently release it from the mold. Use gloves to avoid fingerprints (I actually recommend getting smooth gloves for this stage, as it's still soft, and will leave an impression).

7. Gently press it into a bowl so that it curves the amount you want it to. Allow it to cure the rest of the way.

8. When it's fully cured (according to package recommendations - likely 2 days) remove it from the plastic bowl. You may want to polish up your resin parts - sand the edges, polish them, etc. But I like the slightly rough handmade look so I didn't do that on this craft.

Assembling your resin seder plate:

1. To finish up a modular seder plate, start by adding adhesive bumpers to the bottoms of your bowls. I added 3 in a triangle shape.

2. Add felt sliders to the bottom of your seder plate - again, three in a triangular shape, close to the ends.

3. Arrange them in your preferred setup - a ring of six, or one in the center and five around it!

Your resin seder plate is complete!

Notes

Making mini bowls from a coaster mold

For the base, I got a large 14 inch side table mold that's deep but doesn't need to be filled fully. Your instinct might be to go ahead and buy some resin bowl molds to use as bowls... But I instead used a 6-pack of 4 inch coaster molds.

Why do it this way?

The reason is simple: I wanted a very shallow bowl, not a deep one. Think of the seder plate - with its slight curvature bowls. They allow the items inside to be fully visible. To do this, you need to take the bowls out when it's partially cured - no longer sticky but still flexible.

The thing is... doing it like this really complicated the process. You NEED TO EXPERIMENT. I started with one, and then kept it near me all day. I checked after one hour, three, four, six... after seven hours it felt right and I took it out. When I went back and did it again with six bowls... it WASN'T good after sever hours, because there were other variables at play that I didn't account for.

Factors that effect cure time

To make the mini bowls from coasters, you need to be very aware of the factors that play into cure time.

Heat gun - how long you zap the bubbles with a heat gun for. On the trial one, I did. On the "real" one I managed to avoid most bubbles and didn't heat gun it. Heat can accelerate the curing process.

Thickness - If you make it too thick, it'll take longer to be ready to demold. It also doesn't come out as good. In my experiment, I underfilled my mold. I slightly overfilled my coaster molds when I was crafting it "for real". When I fixed it, I underfilled them.

Environment - The first time, I brought my trial up to the kitchen so I can keep testing it. Then, when crafting it, I kept it in my basement, which is colder. Factors like temperature AND humidity can play into cure time.

In a nutshell: test your first bowl in the correct environment, using the exact method you'll use to craft your resin seder plate.

To keep it modular or attach?

I decided that I wanted my bowls to remain modular - that is, disconnected. That way I can reuse the base as a matzah plate! And the bowls as smallish dip dishes. It's very compact to store that way.

You can attach it using resin - either UV resin, or epoxy - after you're done crafting it. Resin can easily be used as a "glue" to connect resin parts. Just use it sparingly.

Putting it all together

Since I kept it modular, I did put those small cabinet silicone bumper thingies on the bottom of each bowl so that they don't just slide around. They worked magically but don't look that pretty. You will not see it, though, once your seder plate foods are inside.

You can also use hot glue, but that'll be harder to keep neat.I also added very small felt furniture slider pads to the bottom of the plate (3 in triangle formation). This isn't 100% necessary, but it's worth do

You CAN also make separate resin legs for it, if you have the correct mold, and attach it separately. I may do this at a later date using a shot glass mold that I own. Each shot glass can make a hollow leg.

Adding words...

So how do you add the words on the seder plate? I honestly like mine without. I reference the Haggadah for arranging the plate - I don't need the guide on my plate itself. I find that it looks cleaner without words.

My best recommended way to do this is to cut words from your Cricut, apply it to cured and demolded resin, and then seal it with a top coat of clear resin. You can probably also print it on clear paper and apply it between layers of resin.

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

The post DIY Resin Seder Plate appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

There’s nothing quite as festive as a pretty centerpiece to bring the holiday spirit into your home and I love having something themed in the center of my table.

And if you’re making a larger scale Purim event – whether it’s a big seudah (meal) or an event for your school/shul – you probably want something large and affordable, that’ll really stand out in the room.

What I love about this DIY Purim centerpiece that I’m about to share is that it’s really the framework for a centerpiece for any holiday. In fact, I attached the Purim elements temporarily, so that I can reuse it.

How you can switch up this DIY Purim centerpiece

Explaining my choices

I wanted something that was vaguely Purim-esque and my mind right away turned towards feathers. They just scream “costume” and large ostrich feathers make quite a festive, cheerful, but still classy statement.

But I felt it wasn’t “Purim enough” to share with you as a Purim centerpiece and I have to add masks. I’m sharing this because you SO don’t need the masks, but you CAN add them if you want a real Purim vibe.

I wanted to keep it simple and modern but elegant, but still have a “glam” Purim vibe – which is why I chose gold as the main color. I added the metallic pink for a festive touch but frankly I regret that color choice.

And I also was working on a time crunch and couldn’t wait to order masks to pin around the edges so I cut some on my Cricut, which may have taken away from the polished look a bit.

Ideas for how to switch things up

So here are some “mix ‘n match” ideas for this DIY Purim centerpiece. All these are things I considered before making my final design choice. The vase in the center is totally removable. The main element is the frame and the stand for the vase that you use as the base for any centerpiece.

• Add fresh flowers to the vase – you already have the masks and don’t need the feathers
• Use masquerade masks in any color, shape, style you want
• Skip the masks entirely OR
• Include other Purim elements around the frame
• Wrap vines or florals around the frame
• Prop graggers in the vase (works great with florals around the frame, or combined with florals)
• Skip painting the floral blocks and use an abundance of faux florals the same way you would real to create a floral base. Note: technically you can use real florals but since you don’t have the block in a base, it would leak water. You can probably give it minimal water and put it on a tray but you’ll need to be on top of it and it probably wont’ last as long.

I taped my masks on but you can absolutely hot glue it if you don’t plan to reuse it. You can also attach things with zip ties.

How to make a DIY Purim centerpiece

You’ll need

• Floral foam blocks (this may work with regular foam blocks but I like the smoother surface of the floral block)
• Mod podge
• A wide brush for the Mod Podge
• Acrylic Paint (I used FolkArt Brushed Metal dark gold)
• A small hula hoop – if you go for too large a hoop it’ll throw it off balance. I believe mine is 20 inches. Mine is from the Dollar Tree
• Gold spray paint
• Masks to match – buy or make on your Cricut. I made mine from metallic pink poster board.
• Ostrich feathers
• Straws to match (I used metallic paper straws) will likely be needed to give your feathers height.
• A vase of choice – I used a simple glass vase from the dollar store
• Hot glue, tape, or zip ties to affix masks

Process

Watch the full YouTube video here or scroll down for the step-by-step written tutorial with photos:

There is a fair amount of dry time needed for this, so I’m sharing this not by element created, but in the sequence that I created it to allow for drying time.

1. Prepare your masks if needed. I cut mine on my Cricut.

2. Prime your floral block using a GENEROUS amount of Mod Podge. Floral blocks are super absorbent and they’ll crumble if you try painting straight so just slop on generous amounts of Mod podge on any side you’ll be painting. I skipped the bottom. Set it aside to dry.

3. The hula hoop I used was really a large tube connected with a connector piece that can be opened and removed. If yours is sealed, open it some other way. Empty anything that might be inside.

4. Spray paint the hoop gold and set it aside to dry. I did this in a few batches (it helps to have fast-drying spray paint for this).

5. Paint the block once the Mod Podge is totally dry. Go gentle so it doesn’t crumble. Allow it to dry completely.

6. You should be able to shove the hoop into the two small sides of the block now. It goes in at an angle, so make sure to first see how you want it positioned and then do it. It should be totally supported by the block and easily stand on its own.

At this point, you have the framework for the DIY Purim centerpiece complete and ready to “decorate” however you’d like. This is how I did mine:

7. Insert the feathers into straws so that they are propped up.

8. Place the vase on the center of the base, and add the feathers. You are not necessarily fixing this in place (you probably can if you want to but I didn’t). But you want it placed to do the next step. Look how gorgeous it is.

9. Add your masks, arranging them so that they are balanced and placed nicely around the feathers.

When you’re ready to set it up, place the hoop with base in the center of the table and add the vase on top of the base.

Got any other ideas to switch up this DIY Purim centerpiece? Or any other centerpiece you’ve made for Purim that you loved? Comment below!

Yield: 1

How To Make Purim Centerpieces

Active Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Difficulty: Medium

Craft these gorgeous and festive DIY Purim centerpieces that can actually be customized for any holiday!

Print

Materials

• Floral foam blocks (this may work with regular foam blocks but that's what I had)
• Mod podge
• A wide brush for the Mod Podge
• Acrylic Paint (I used FolkArt Brushed Metal dark gold)
• A small hula hoop - if you go for too large a hoop it'll throw it off balance. I believe mine is 20 inches.
• Gold spray paint
• Masks to match - buy or make on your Cricut. I made mine from metallic pink poster board.
• Ostrich feathers
• Straws to match (I used metallic paper straws) will likely be needed to give your feathers height.
• A vase of choice - I used a simple glass vase.
• Hot glue, tape, or zip ties to affix masks

Instructions

There is a fair amount of dry time needed for this, so I'm sharing this not by element created, but in the sequence that I created it to allow for drying time.

1. Prepare your masks if needed. I cut mine on my Cricut.

2. Prime your floral block using a GENEROUS amount of Mod Podge. Floral blocks are super absorbent and they'll crumble if you try painting straight so just slop on generous amounts of Mod podge on any side you'll be painting. I skipped the bottom. Set it aside to dry.

3. The hula hoop I used was really a large tube connected with a connector piece that can be opened and removed. If yours is sealed, open it some other way. Empty anything that might be inside.

4. Spray paint the hoop gold and set it aside to dry. I did this in a few batches (it helps to have fast-drying spray paint for this).

5. Paint the block once the Mod Podge is totally dry. Go gentle so it doesn't crumble. Allow it to dry completely.

6. You should be able to shove the hoop into the two small sides of the block now. It goes in at an angle, so make sure to first see how you want it positioned and then do it. It should be totally supported by the block and easily stand on its own.

At this point, you have the framework for the DIY Purim centerpiece complete and ready to "decorate" however you'd like. This is how I did mine:

7. Insert the feathers into straws so that they are propped up.

8. Place the vase on the center of the base, and add the feathers. You are not necessarily fixing this in place (you probably can if you want to but I didn't). But you want it placed to do the next step. Look how gorgeous it is.

9. Add your masks, arranging them so that they are balanced and placed nicely around the feathers.

When you're ready to set it up, place the hoop with base in the center of the table and add the vase on top of the base.

Got any other ideas to switch up this DIY Purim centerpiece? Or any other centerpiece you've made for Purim that you loved? Comment below!

Notes

Here are some "mix 'n match" ideas for this DIY Purim centerpiece. All these are things I considered before making my final design choice. The vase in the center is totally removable. The main element is the frame and the stand for the vase that you use as the base for any centerpiece.

- Add flowers to the vase - you already have the masks and don't need the feathers
- Use masquerade masks in any color, shape, style you want
- Skip the masks entirely OR
- Include other Purim elements around the frame
- Wrap vines or florals around the frame
- Prop graggers in the vase (works great with florals around the frame)
- Skip painting the floral blocks and use an abundance of faux florals the same way you would real to create a floral base. Note: technically you can use real florals but since you don't have the block in a base, it would leak water. You can probably give it minimal water and put it on a tray but you'll need to be on top of it and it probably wont' last as long.

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

The post DIY Purim Centerpieces appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

A few years ago, I watercolored some designs to make Purim printables – labels, napkin rings, place cards…

I decided to take some of those (the hamantaschen in particular) and turn them into fun little party picks that you can use to add some festive fun to your Purim party!

They’re super simple to assemble and I even included two versions of the printable for your convenience. One is a PDF to print and hand cut, and one is a PNG formatted to use with Cricut “print then cut”.

They are simply sandwiched over a toothpick and glued back-to-back.

I included both an attached trio of hamantaschen and individual ones, for bigger or smaller picks.

Note: the hamantaschen are formatted “point down”. That’s because it made more sense to put the fold on the long end. If you prefer it point down, you simply need to punch or poke a tiny hole for the toothpick along the long (fold) edge.

More ways to use Purim Party Picks

I think that party picks are one of the most underrated party supplies. They are so easy to make and versatile, and you can really “theme” a party with them.

Beyond charcuterie, fruit platters, or finger foods, there are many different ways to use them at your Purim seudah – or not.

In Mishloach Manot – if you’re giving the type of foods that work well with party picks, this is a super fun way to make it more special.

Sensory bins – I have a fun Purim sensory bin idea where I use this as an add-in. Because it’s pokey, you may prefer to finish it off with a small segment of paper straw for younger kids.

Cupcake topper – I have long used party picks by poking them into cupcakes. It works better with larger picks.

Assemble the free printable Purim Party Picks

Materials

• The printables printed on cardstock
• Scissors – I recommend detail scissors
• Toothpicks
• Glue – A hot glue gun works well for this and dries almost instantly. Pretty much glue should work too.

Process

1. Cut out your hamantaschen around the outer border.

If you’re using your Cricut, upload it to Design space, resize it to max 6.75 wide or 9.25 inches high. Follow the normal process to “print then cut”.

3 Fold your Hamantasch in half so that you have the two identical sides aligned back to back. If you hand cut, you may want to clean it up a little and trim it to be pefectly aligned. (Or do this after the last step).

4. Glue the tip of a toothpick on the bottom edge, overlapping by about 1/2 inch or a little less.

5. Apply glue over one of the hamantaschen (one half of the pick).

6. Fold it in half, press down, and allow it to dry.

Your Purim party picks are complete! How will you be using yours? Comment below!

Download the free Purim party picks

Get matching watercolor hamantaschen napkin rings, and place cards!

Download your free template! It’ll arrive right in your inbox. By downloading, you’re subscribing to our FREE newsletter with updates on cool printables like this, ideas to simplify Jewish life, and more. Unsubscribe at any time at the bottom my emails. I respect your privacy and the law, and won’t share or sell your email address.

The post Free Printable Purim Party Picks appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

Craft these Sukkah name cards to seat your guests quickly! When you’re done, try these Sukkot napkin rings too. This post contains affiliate links.

There’s nothing quite as efficient as getting the night started as place cards. They allow you to seat everyone quickly and smoothly, while making each guest feel so welcome with a personalized place setting!

To make things really festive for Sukkot, I designed some fun Sukkah place cards. To be accurate, I really assembled TWO sets: one printable one and one for Cricut and other cutting machine crafters.

The idea was to have a little stand-up sukkah with schach that has the guest’s names on them! The shape of the Sukkah was just begging to be a place card.

Sticking to the simple bifold format means it stands up easily, and you really don’t even need to use them as names – you can use them as table settings and props.

Learn more & download the Sukkah place cards

Because I can’t stop at just one, each of these Sukkah place cards come with a few variations:

• A simple tent card vs. one with a cutout door
• A layered/multicolor-style canopy/schach and a flat colored one

The SVG also allows you to choose to create the canopy from one piece of paper (easier) or multiple (more detail). It gives you the option of a palm branch tyle one too (which I felt would be too complicated to cut by hand so I omitted on that version.

The printable Sukkah place cards

I spent most of my crafting years without any craft technology, so I’m always mindful of the fact that many people love to craft occasionally, make something pretty, and spice things up for the holidays – but don’t own craft machines!

So I always try to create a low-tech option.

These printable place cards were designed to be as easy as I can make them to assemble. You have one that has a simple texture and a door that opens.

The other has a more distinct space for the name but is also simpler. You can mix and match the bottoms with the top and have fun with it.

The Sukkah Place Card SVG

I’m always gonna be a fan of the SVG crafting concept: you get just the die cut files and you choose the materials. I really had fun crafting these with mixed materials, sticking with textured cardstock for the canopies but mixing it up for the Sukkah portion.

On one, I used metallic cardstock. For the second I opted for crepe paper because of the cool Sukkah-like texture. However, I did need to cut the base card twice for that, making a supporting layer from cardstock.

Another cool thing about Cricut/SVG crafting is that you can make it much larger as centerpiece. You can scale it up fully to the max cutting size of your machine or materials. And if hosting a real crowd with multiple tables, scaling it up somewhat can allow you to create table card centerpieces.

I added rectangle/square to the SVG after crafting when I realized that using some more unique materials (such as crepe paper) might warrant that. Use it or ditch it.

Assembling the Sukkah Place Cards

The Printable Version

You need:

• The files, printed on cardstock
• Scissors
• Glue or double sided tape
• Optional: bone folder and/or scoring board

1. Cut out the main place card and canopy.

2. If using one with a door, locate the faint markings of the door. Cut on the right and horizontally on those markings.

3. Fold back on the faint dotted line. Fold the card in half as well.

4. Glue the canopy on top of the fold so that the front of the card comes about halfway up the back of the canopy. Use your judgement for this: it should stick up nicely, take into account where you’re adding the name, and look good.

5. Write a name. Place on the table and enjoy!

The Cricut Version

You need:

• Cricut cutting machine with fine point blade.
• If using a Maker, the scoring wheel. If using the Explore, the scoring stylus.
• LightGrip Mat for lighter cardstock, StandardGrip Mat for more heavyweight.
• If using crepe paper as described above: rotary blade and FabricGrip mat with Maker
• Brayer to adhere materials well
• Cardstock for main Sukkah and canopy/leaves
• Glue or double sided tape

1. Upload your SVG – it should be a good size for place cards by default. Resize if you’d like, ungroup choose which layers you’d like to use, hide the ones you don’t want… Turn any fold lines into a score line type (or delete if you’re not equipped to machine score) and attach them to the base card.

Tip: you CAN format your files in Design Space to write the names on the cards pre-assembly. To do that, write names, turn into drawing line type and attach to the base of the card where you want it. I usually add names by hand.

Prepare your material on the mat.

2. If scoring, your Cricut will prompt you to first load the scoring wheel/stylus. When it finishes, don’t unload.

Swap the blade for the fine point blade and follow prompts to cut.

3. Carefully remove your card from the mat (note: the correct way to do this is actually to flip face-down and peel the MAT away from the PROJECT so that it doesn’t curl.

4. Glue your canopy on the fold of the card so it sticks up. Write names and set that table!

If using separate leaves, just arrange them however you think looks good.

The post Sukkah Place Cards (Printable & SVG) appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

I hope you enjoy this beautiful and doable Rosh Hashanah tablescape, and get some great ideas for your own table! When you’re done, you can check out these printable simanim cards – in case you forgot about them! This post contains affiliate links.

I’m excited to share this gorgeous Rosh Hashanah tablescape – full of ideas for table settings, those little extra touches, and of course, serving up your holiday-specific stuff.

I’d like to extend a big thank you to Sabavi Home – a Jewish owned home decor marketplace that helped facilitate this by providing some of the pieces you’ll see.

I love featuring Jewish retailers in Jewish content and I hope you’ll check out the lovely decor items they sell!

Some of these pieces make fabulous hostess gifts if you’re going away for the holiday, and I’m happy to show them to you in the context of how beautiful they make the holiday table.

I tried to include versatile pieces that can be used beyond the holiday, but will make your Rosh Hashanah table complete. And finally, I am staging this in advance of the holiday just to show you how beautiful it can look!

The theme

One of my favorite ways to make my holiday table my own is to decorate around a theme. You may have noticed on my Passover seder tablescape, that I like to create a vague theme – one that has elements of the holiday but isn’t tacky or in-your face.

For this one, I tried to bring in items, colors and shapes that are reminiscent of every child’s Rosh Hashanah favorites: apples and honey.

I kept the tones for this Rosh Hashanah tablescape bright but warm – a nod to summer that has just slipped away and the approaching autumn.

Apple green combines with geometric shapes that pull from the honeycomb aesthetic. Gold accents pull it together for a touch of glam that still stays warm and comfy.

The various coordinating serving pieces also serve practical uses for Rosh Hashanah specifically, but are also fabulous for year-round, so you can use it instead of just storing it!

The Background and Decor

I started with my tan colored tablecloth because that gives that warm but bright vibe I was looking for. It’s a spill-proof cloth that’ll handle some honey drips.

I used a simple cream colored vase with pampas to keep things light and airy.

I did not add a lot of accents (although you can pull in some apple branches or vines to complete the look) to leave room for serving pieces and movement.

The gold ball you see on the table is the gorgeous Kate Spade On the Dot salt shaker. It fit so well with this table, I had to include it!

Serving up the Simanim (symbolic foods)

One of my favorite pieces on this table is this dip dish and tray by Caesarea. It’s made of high quality lucite and is surprisingly large and spacious – making it a true centerpiece.

The dishes come off the removable tray and can be placed in the fridge independently, since they come with lids. It’s perfect for storing Simanim or small salads that are inspired by Simanim, that are taken out again for each meal.

The lacy laser-cut look inlay on the base and the lids resemble honeycomb (without being explicitly so) making it really spot on for this Rosh Hashanah tablescape!

This honey dish goes perfectly with it, and features a tray for the apples too! It’s out of stock right now, so if you do spot it, you’ll want to grab it – it’s clearly a popular item! If you don’t see it, this honey dish still mimics the shapes of the dip dish and looks fabulous together.

You can also use the dip dish above for honey, apples, and pomegranate seeds – it’s a gorgeous display that is perfect for Rosh Hashanah – and then repurposing for year-round!

Traditionally, on Rosh Hashanah we serve round Challahs. This gorgeous brass-colored aluminum oval-shaped tray from Beatriz Ball goes beautifully with two round challahs. It then serves as a year-round platter for charcuteries, fruit, and more!

I actually love having something like this for serving up cut Challah year-round, as it’s lightweight enough to pass around the table and holds the Challah better than a board.

The gold tones of the Sierra Modern Strie Brooklyn platter pick up on the other warm, apple-and honey tones and I can not begin to show you in images how gorgeous the finish is, but I’m gonna try my best!

The Settings

Since we will be having lots of guests, I decided to pull out the better paper goods for Rosh Hashanah. I also am not using placemats or chargers because those take up precious table space.

I started with these plastic plates that have gold geometric accents. They go beautifully with the Caesarea dip dish above. I get them from Bingo but if you don’t have one in your area, these are similar.

To complement it, I added these Zafferano Perle tumblers in apple green. They add a pop of color and are so perfect for Rosh Hashanah! The white detail on them prevent things from getting too dark and the warm tones of the gold throughout the settings go beautifully with the green.

I used simple white cloth napkins to keep things neat – I find it easier to use “real” napkins when I have lots of guests than dishes, since I can just dump them all in the wash! Instead of napkin rings, I decided to use a bit of green burlap ribbon to tie in a little more apple green.

After tying those in place, I slid in a honey stick (which can be used in lieu of honey for the meal – but I find that it serves more as decor for the meal and people sometimes use it for tea at the end.) I also added a honey stirrer just for the decor angle.

I decided to use the honey stirrers as name cards for the meals we’re having a lot of guests! I just used a paint marker to add the name!

For the flatware, I chose my late grandfather-in-law’s floral set because it goes with the whole late summer/early fall, bee look, keeping things warm and cheerful.

Some finishing touches

If you’re looking for the perfect finishing touches for your Rosh Hashanah tablescape try these:

• Make your own place cards or napkin rings featuring pomegranates – or simply print a ready-made set.
• Or, print these easily – they go with the apples and honey look!
• Simanim cards are a must-have – unless you have simanim party picks!
• And finally, you can fill up vases with apples for a gorgeous Rosh Hashanah centerpiece
• You can hand out the bulk of the simanim on smaller mini plates. We’ve done that in the past.

Got any Rosh Hashanah tablescape ideas to add to the list? Comment below!

The post Rosh Hashanah Tablescape – Decor & Gift Ideas! appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

I designed these pretty Simanim party picks to decorate your Rosh Hashanah table – and make things run smoother! When you’re done, check out this free Rosh Hashanah simanim printable too. This post contains affiliate links.

After launching my kid-friendly Simanim puppets and realizing that they can be printed in small and used as fun party picks I had an idea: Why not create a classier version that’s meant to be used that way? And add the blessings to the backs of them to make it super easy to pick up a food, make the yehi ratzon blessing and then eat it?!

More about what these are about, the design process, and assembly below.

Get the Simanim Party Picks

These Simanim party picks are available as an instant digital download on Etsy. Purchase them once and print them multiple times.

Your file formats include different ways to craft this to best suit your needs:

• A regular PDF to print out and cut by hand.
• A PNG ready prepared for Print then Cut on Cricut machines
• Individual PNG images to format as you’d like.

The quality of your picks will depend on the quality of your printer and paper. Mine are a bad print – see the image preview for full quality.

One purchase and you can use it again from year to year, for large groups, etc.

What are Simanim and how these picks help

For those who need more background: Simanim are traditional foods eaten on Rosh Hashanah – or the Jewish New Year – to represent our wishes for our new year. They each come with a Yehi Ratzon – or a prayer.

Rosh Hashanah is heavy on symbolism, and the symbolic foods are the epicenter of the Rosh Hashanah meal. While many people build a menu around these foods, most observant families start the meal by going through these one by one and saying the blessings together.

These Simanim party picks feature the blessing on the back. You simply place a pick in the appropriate food, and it serves as both a label and a blessing all in one. No more hunting for the blessing – it’s right there.

All blessings are fully in Hebrew. The food is labeled in Hebrew and English.

The Design Process for making these Simanim Party Picks

These Simanim party picks were a work of passion. My son was home fake sick, and we sat together and watercolored. I was able to give him an art lesson while getting this done.

Each food was watercolored by me – some in different stages. It took many hours to get it how I wanted, and some had to be done multiple times. I wanted to get it right, and to feature real art.

Then, they were imported into Photoshop to turn them into the image I wanted.

They were then brought into Illustrator and designed by my lovely designer to look how I wanted them to. Each one has an elegant title in Hebrew and English, and a prayer on the back.

They are very specifically backed onto a hexagon for a few reasons:

• I wanted a simple shape that will work well back-to-back since these are two-sided.
• The hexagon evokes honeycomb, and honey is one of the Simanim (combined with apple, of course) and included in many Rosh Hashanah dishes.
• A hexagon is a simple, modern shape that can look very elegant.
• And finally, it’s relatively easy to cut out.

While I normally try to translate, I did not do that for these blessings, because these Simanim are based largely on Hebrew humor. And I did not transliterate due to space constraints.

The blessing is written without any names of G-d so that they can be (presumably) discarded after use (you can verify with a Rabbi if you’re unsure).

Each hexagon is doubled – and gets folded in half to be assembled – so that you don’t need to keep track or match up the fronts and the backs.

This was truly designed with ease-of-use in mind!

How to Assemble the Simanim Party Picks

Assembly is super easy. You can either cut it out by hand – and the PDF version features a faint outline on the hexagons to make it easier – or use your Cricut to cut it.

Supplies

• High quality cardstock or photo paper – the nicer paper you use, the nicer it’ll look! Using a linen or other textured paper can even make it look like real watercolor art.
• Printer – I recommend one that runs with Instant Ink
• Scissors (smaller sharp ones will allow for an accurate cut)
• -or- Cricut Print-then-cut compatible cutting machine, fine point blade, LightGrip (blue) mat
• Glue – any paper glue should work. I prefer tacky glue or gel glue pens with foam applicator tips (glues that are too “wet” can warp the paper). A high quality glue stick can work too (such as Elmer’s CraftBond).
• Toothpicks

Assembly

1. Cut out your designs using scissors or a cutting machine.

2. Fold them in half across the narrowest point.

3. Place a bit of glue, and glue a toothpick in place so that about 1cm is on the paper.

4. Place glue covering the entire opposite side (or the same side including the toothpick) and fold in half. Make sure it’s nicely aligned back to front and glue in place.

That is all you need to do to assemble your Simanim party picks!

In case you missed it, you can get the printable right here!

The post Printable Simanim Party Picks appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

Last year, I decided to create a Pesach themed table in a theme that is quite popular: the splitting of the sea, or kriyat yam suf. However, I wanted to make it a bit more classy, and so I’m excited to share with you a beautiful Passover tablescape!

Before I begin: my qualifications are NOT professional party planner. My qualifications are artist, crafter, designer, and savvy shopper. The final tablescape is reflective of that.

I share these kinds of ideas because I personally get a bit frustrated with how ambitious some of the tablescaping ideas out there are.

I want to share a simple, attainable idea that doesn’t break the bank, can work with standard/neutral settings, and whose elements can really get lots of use.

If your budget is endless and you want something that looks like a professional planner stopped by, I’m the wrong address.

Another note: I did this two years in a row, and updated it the second year with newer photos – and lots of additions! The cool thing about a Passover tablescape like this one is that you can really add to it. So you’ll see some on a plainer table with fewer guests, and some photos fully staged. You’ll see different plates used – but going for the same look.

I hope you love this beautiful Passover tablescape idea that is perfect for the seder – or the entire holiday!

Splitting the Sea Beachy Passover Tablescape

My main goal was to set a scene of the splitting sea on a flat tablecloth (not scrunched up cloth like some people do.) This is just more practical with lots of guests, kids, etc.

I decided to play up the theme, not with props, but with regular table accessories.

What I’ve seen people do a lot is to scrunch up blue fabric on the sides of a brown base to make a seawall on each side. They then add loads of props – mainly the people crossing the sea. While I think that is adorable, I knew it wouldn’t work for me, as the table tends to get very busy and full with the things we need on it.

Instead I set a scene of blue parted with cream and sandy beige. I played up the beach theme with accessories and decor – the things we’d have on the table anyway.

Full list of products used

When I share a tutorial, I share a quick list of links to materials – and I figured I’d do the same here for those of you who like it already and want to dive right in. However, you can keep scrolling for all the details expanded upon and embellished so that you can pick and choose and read more first.

Not everything is an exact match because some things are seasonal items, but I’ve linked as best as I could, and mentioned when it’s not the exact product.

Linens

• Tablecloth (similar) – get the blue one
• Runner
• Burlap on top of runner (similar)
• Napkins

Settings

• Plates – and in year 2, I used these disposables
• Cutlery (note – this is just a cheap set that I bought and don’t necessarily recommend – in fact, I plan to replace it) and in year 2, I used these disposables
• Glasses (similar – much prettier!)
• 6 oz glasses for 4 cups (similar)
• “Wood” chargers

Centerpieces

• Vase
• Pampas (sheds like crazy, see notes by actual description)

Seder Accessories

• Seder bowls – tutorial
• Elijah’s cup – tutorial
• Haggadahs – Maxwell House & PJ Library and in year two the Hostages Forum Haggadahs
• Seder Plate – find more ideas for modern seder plates and in year 2 a second DIY seder plate for guests
• Square Matzah Plate – similar – fun fact: a matzah is about 7 inches, so any 9 inch square plate with raised edges can work!
• Matzah Box (hard to find similar online)

Recommended

• Placecards (splitting the sea is on theme but watercolor matzah is nicer – I show it using these for this year and it looks fab!)

• Trivets (not pictured)
• Napkin rings (new for year 2) – the ones I got were pretty bad so I can’t recommend them.

Step by Step

Setting the Stage

Every good Passover tablescape starts with a tablecloth that’ll set the mood and a runner to ground things. For this one, it actually creates the whole splitting the sea theme!

A navy blue tablecloth (similar) is reminiscent of the sea, and a creamy colored runner splits it with natural tones.

The runner felt too white and fresh, so I added a run of decorative light mesh burlap (similar) on top it and it really added so much texture! It’s also more of a sandy color, making it more beachy. And it’s an open enough mesh and a light and airy enough color that it still looks classy and not too burlapy.

A centerpiece really grounds the table, and while a single vase might not be the most all-encompassing, it’s practical. Once everyone is seated around the table, most centerpieces block conversation. We therefore remove it almost right away. And while you can do lower centerpieces, I personally like the height.

You can cluster three vases in place of the one – it’ll look gorgeous, and is something I considered as well.

In the end, I chose a simple colored glass vase with pampas grass. The vase is reminiscent of sea glass and the navy stands out beautifully on the light runner.

The pampas is like the reeds at water, and really sets the mood. It also sheds like CRAZY!! Open your pampas in a big empty room (one you just cleaned?) and shake off all the loose stuff. Vacuum up as much as you can. You may still experience some shedding, but that should take care of most of it.

The cool thing is that this makes for a beautiful little piece of decor to sit in your home year-round, too.

The table settings

Remember when I said practical? My dishes – both year-round and Passover – are simple square white dishes. I find square plates to be space-effective and the white palette is easy to incorporate into anything.

Usually I do put regular plates and salad plates

Year 2 of this tablescape, I had LOTS of company for the seder, so my Passover tablescape featured simple white disposables instead. I also added light wood chargers that look kind of like driftwood colored, going with the sea theme.

My flatware is also a my everyday Passover flatware. It’s a super cheap set I got from Walmart, and I don’t necessarily love it. I hope to replace it one year but for now, it works. Year 2, I also used better disposables for this.

The glasses are my regular Passover glassware, featuring smoky ribbed glasses (similar and much prettier). You can really go with anything, but colored glass is so reminiscent of the beach!

The seder glasses are also my every Passover glasses, and anything goes. I do recommend that you look for one on the smaller side of things. These are six ounces and were purchased at a discount store – these are similar (much prettier) ones you can try.

And finally, one of my favorite features of our Passover tablescape: the coral (really terracotta) napkins.

If you know anything about me, it’s that I love color. And so I needed a way to add a pop of color to this very dry tablescape. I decided on coral to go with the color scheme.

The ones I found are more of a terracotta, which is just a gorgeous natural color, and totally inspired by coral. And they are beautiful, linen-like, with raw edges, and just the right amount of character.

These napkins are quite thin and gauzy, which means you can knot them instead of using a napkin ring (and they do need ironing – but they iron out quickly). Year 2, I did add white napkin rings for contrast, however, I will not link it as the snaps fell off after not even one use…

The details

Finally, there are the Passover seder details to contend with!

Our first Passover was in 2020, and many things were purchased last minute on the cheap. As the years go on, we hope to evolve and expand our collection to include more pretty things.

Meanwhile, I did some DIY over the years too.

For Haggadahs, we use a mix of Maxwell House and PJ Library. Last year, we added in some hostage Haggadahs. Honestly none of these look great on the table, and I do hope to design something beautiful one year.

Our Seder plate is a simple textured glass one that totally goes with the scheme. I set it on a spare napkin only so that it shows up nicely in the photos, but it’s also a good idea in place of a Matzah cover. Last year I also added a second seder plate for my guests one that I made out of air dry clay. And this year I made a resin seder plate too!

I made in the past simple white seder bowls for salt water, Karpas vegetable, and charoset, which looked nice on the table too.

And believe it or not, my Elijah’s cup that I made in the past is in a sea glass theme!

Year 1 it was just us, but year two of this Passover tablescape we had lots of guests, so I made place cards so that we can seat everyone quickly and efficiently. I have a few that I designed, including a splitting the sea one. I did use my watercolor Matzah one instead, since the color works better.

A Matzah Plate purchased for year 2) is a must – you’ll want a place to put it so that everyone can reach for it. Fun fact: a square matzah is about 7 inches, so any 9 inch square plate with raised edges can work! If you’re big on round matzahs, I recommend having a round matzah box too. Ours was a pebbled blue glass – see if you can find something like that to!

More tips for setting a beautiful Passover tablescape

Here are some things that weren’t elaborated on above, that would make for fabulous table accessories, both for the aesthetic and the practical functionality:

Place cards – I am a HUGE fan of place cards, and for that reason I designed a few sets in the past. Place cards are essential when you’re having lots of guests, to help everyone find their seats quickly, and avoid excessive milling around before starting. They also feel personal and help guests feel extra welcome.

My favorite for this specific Passover tablescape is this matzah design. I created a watercolor look using digital art brushes so that it’s softer, and honestly less tacky. I did use it during year 2 of this tablescape.

Cookbook holder for Haggadahs – One big issue people face with the seder table, especially a busy one, is the amount of space Haggadahs take up. Use cookbook holders to prop things up behind each plate. Bonus points: it’s less vulnerable to spilled grape juice!

Napkin rings – Most of the time, I do set my table with napkin rings. They are like jewelry for your table. I only didn’t in the first version of this Passover tablescape because I didn’t have a set handy, and they knotted up so nicely. I did get some simple white ones for contrast for year 2, however, they were basically disposable so I’m not recommending those.

Some additional ideas that would work with this particular seder table include:

• The coordinating Matzah print to the placecards
• These DIY copper and gemstone ones – look for stones with a beachy vibe!
• DIY leather napkin rings – again, look for leather that matches!
• Rope – tie it loosely around each napkin
• Or, go for something simple and natural looking, like these

Trivets – I had this on my BUY NEXT YEAR!!! list, so I’m putting it here for your benefit! You’ll be putting lots of hot stuff on the table, so setting it up with a pretty trivet or two can be gorgeous.

I have this one in my shopping cart, as well as this. You can also try this DIY wood trivet from dollar store building bricks.

Got any Passover tablescape ideas to add to the list? Comment below!

The post Passover Seder Tablescape appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

I like to see just how far I can stretch the most basic craft supplies, so while planning Pesach, I picked up some good old air dry clay, nothing fancy, and decided to make a DIY seder plate!

When you want to craft your own seder plate, there are a few considerations: size, durability, ease of storage… In theory, a seder plate is simply a circular section dish with six bowls. Breaking that apart allows you to come up with all sorts of things. And keeping it modular (by not attaching the bowls) makes it easier to store.

Remember: only a small scrap of food is usually placed on each (it sits out for many hours and is often discarded after the seders).

So all you need really is a small marking, and enough of a well that the egg won’t roll away.

A few different ways to make a DIY seder plate from air dry clay

When I made this, I wanted it to look “real”. But my intention was also to come up with a process that even kids can use.

How I made mine

Roll out the design

I started by rolling out my clay and then traced a plastic plate (my Passover stuff aren’t out yet). I used a knife to cut it to size and placed it on the same plate to mold it. . I created a template for the bowls and cut them with a knife, then placed them in small dip bowls to mold them.

I wet my fingers as I went along to smooth, and to create indentations for the bowls.

My base seder plate is smaller than most seder plates (I used a smallish plastic dinner plate – about 8-9 inches), which is actually nice. It’ll probably be a second plate for a long table, and it’ll take up less space on the busy table.

Painting, coloring, and decorating

I also made mine using different textures and finishes.

I used a clay texture sheet to add a fun geometric texture. You can also use anything you have, and even roll on coarse sandpaper to add a rough, natural finish.

I painted mine with watercolors, a process that actually sets the air drying time back because of how wet it is. However, it pools beautifully in the marks left by the texture sheet, really highlighting the design. It can also be painted with acrylics (as I did with the base plate) or tinted before crafting using paints or dyes (but those tend to stain hands while working.

I chose to leave it modern and simple, but you can also letter or paint on images of the items on the plate, or their names, using acrylic paints or paint markers. You can even etch in designs with clay tools!

Finishing things off

As I mentioned, I kept mine modular, so that it’s easier to store. That means that I didn’t connect the bowls, but I did create small indentations where they belong. You can glue yours on after all parts are created but not sealed, or while crafting.

To clean things up, I geared up with a respirator mask and goggles, and used a rotary tool with a sanding drum attached (I love my Worx MakerX) to really clean up the shame. I DID leave it organic and imperfect, but I got rid of any roughness on the edges. If you like to create pretty clay creations, I highly recommend you invest in one to clean up your work!

Sealing it

And finally, I started off by sealing it using an acrylic sealing spray. I figured it’ll just be wipe-clean and that’s fine – it doesn’t get heavily used, I can use a bit of plastic wrap underneath, and I don’t have a Passover dishwasher anyway. then, I decided to make it fully washable by sealing it with dishwasher safe Mod Podge. I still don’t have a Passover dishwasher, but at least it makes it sink washing-friendly.

Heads up: Dishwasher safe mod podge takes about a month to fully cure (it dries in a few hours), so if you’re crafting this closer to, stick to wiping it clean until next year.

Making a clay seder plate with kids

My original idea was for this to be a kid-friendly craft, but then I ended up crafting it “for real” and professionalizing it for my own fun. However, it still is – it just won’t come out quite as nice.

And making a DIY seder plate from air dry clay is a super fun craft for teens to create for Pesach!

Young kids can simply roll out a circle, pinch it into shape, and press in six sections using a small bowl. They’ll probably roll it out thicker to begin with, making it easier to create small wells for the foods. You can also cut circles for them to trace to press it in, or even create a full template with circles cut out

Younger kids are best off painting theirs using washable paints.

The ability to REALLY use the DIY seder plate is based on the finishes used. This gets more complicated if you’re crafting with younger kids, requiring a grown-up to potentially finish it off. Acrylic spray moves much faster, but also isn’t quite as good as a real glaze or Dishwasher Safe Mod Podge.

How to make a DIY seder plate

Materials

Basics

• Air dry clay: I used Sculpey Air-Dry – about half a package worth. It’s a clay that I like in general – it’s light and airy, and it dries very lightweight. I haven’t fully tested it against other clays for this project. Crayola air dry I’m sure would work as well, I do, however, find that it’s a bit more dense (and possibly more brittle when dry).
• A rolling pin – clay will pick up on the texture, so if you want it glossy, use something smooth, if you want it to be matte, wood works.
• Something to protect your surface (such as parchment paper).
• Craft knife
• Plate to use as a mold
• Bowls to use as molds (ideally six) – should be small enough to fit six in a circle or five in a circle with one in the center on your base plate (you’re only using the bottom 1/2-1 inch of it so if it spreads out a lot, you can measure from that point.) I used 4 oz dip bowls from Dollar Tree.
• Jar or cup with water
• Optional: rotary tool with sanding drum, protective goggles, and respirator mask
• Clear coat or varnish (such as Dishwasher Safe Mod Podge)

Decorating it

This is listed separately because it’s all really optional/variable

• Watercolor paints
• Soft paintbrush
• Acrylic paint
• Texture paint brush
• Texture sheets

Process

1. Pull off a nice chunk of clay (more is better – it’s hard to add on if you don’t take enough to begin with.) It shouldn’t need much conditioning, but you can definitely do a little to soften it.

2. Press it down on a protected flat surface (you can use wax paper or freezer paper if you’d like).

3. Roll it out using a rolling pin. I used my acrylic clay roller however, it was a bit tough to do since it is so small! You might want to spring for a full sized one for clay crafting purposes.

Roll it to about 1/4 inch thick so it’s not too brittle, but also not too thick.

4. Trace a plate that you’ll be using as a mold and use a craft knife to cut around it.

5. Dip your fingers in water and smooth out the edges.

6. Place the whole shebang on the plate, allowing it to dip into the curve of the plate.

7. Smooth out any imperfections, and help mold the clay to the plate by dipping your fingers in water and smoothing it out. Don’t use too much – just dip your fingers and work.

8. Use condiment or dessert-sized bowls to mark the placement of your seder plate bowls. Press them in a little in place to make a mark.

You should have six marks, roughly equally spaced, in a circle.

9. One again, dip your fingers, smooth, and indent to create very subtle wells for the bowls.

10. Roll our more clay (or use the scraps from the first batch if you have them.) Measure the base of the bowl, plus about 1/2 inch around. Cut out that circle. Repeat for six bowls.

11. If you’re adding texture, place the texture plate on top of the circle, and roll, applying even pressure. Roll equal amounts of times in each direction, since it’ll slightly expand your circle, and you want it to stay more or less circular.

12. Place each small circle in a bowl, gently pressing, while being careful not to ruin the design

13. Allow your bowls and plate to cure overnight. If it feels like it’s holding its shape, you can demold and allow a few more days for it to fully cure. The plate needed two days before demolding.

14. Once it’s completely dry, you can sand and round off the edges (optional).

15. Once it’s completely dry, you can paint your design! I used a thin wash of watercolors in earthy tones.

On the plate, I used ivory paint, applied with a texture brush.

16. When your DIY seder plate has completely dried, you can seal it. I did a layer of clear coat acrylic and then two layers of dishwasher safe Mod Podge.

Enjoy seeing your beautiful DIY seder plate on your holiday table!

The post DIY Seder Plate from Air Dry Clay appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.