Shavuot Craft Stick Flowers

SHAVUOT

It was on a mountain in the desert—neither the highest mountain for the most beautiful mountain; but apparently the holiest—that the Jewish People received their greatest gift. It was at Mount Sinai that the Jews were given the Torah and thus became the Jewish nation. This momentous event is commemorated on the joyful holiday of Shavuot with the sounds of Torah study emanating from synagogues and Jewish study halls late on Shavuot night and the reading of the Ten Commandments on Shavuot day.

In one of the loveliest traditions of this spring holiday, our synagogues and homes are decorated with flowers to celebrate the fact that Mount Sinai, an otherwise barren desert mountain, bloomed on the day that the Torah was given.

In addition to decorating your home with garlands of fresh flowers and shiny green leaves, you can create a lasting floral display with silk flowers or craft sticks. They'll grace your home long after the cheesecake - another delicious Shavuot tradition – has disappeared.

Craft Stick Flowers

 

What you will need:

  • - 4-6 colored regular or jumbo craft sticks per flower
  • - white glue
  • - colored flat buttons
  • - scissors
  • - tall drinking glass or vase
  • - jelly beans, marbles, or gravel, optional

 

How to do it:

  1. Lay one craft stick on a table or flat surface. Put a dab of glue on the center of the stick.
  2. Place another stick across it so that the two sticks form a wide
  3. Put a dab of glue on the center of the top stick and place another stick across the middle of the "X."
  4. Continue gluing on 1-3 more sticks so that the joined sticks look like a full flower.
  5. Put a dab of glue on the center of the top stick and place a button on it. Let the flower dry.
  6. Make additional flowers by repeating steps 1-5.
  7. Glue a green craft stick onto the back of the dry flower. This will be the flower's stem. Cut another green stick in half to form leaves. Glue one or two leaves to the back of the stem. Let dry. Repeat for remaining flowers.
  8. Display the flowers in a tall drinking glass or vase.

 

Optional: Fill the glass or vase with colored jelly beans, marbles, or gravel. Push the flower stems into the filler.

 

Estimated time: 15 - 30 minutes

Drying time: 30 minutes - 1 hour