Oatmeal Can Tzedaka Box Craft
A tzedaka box (charity box) made from an oatmeal can is just as cute as can be, and quite useful right now! As you may know, due to the Corona virus all the synagogues are currently closed, though prayer groups of up to 20 with proper distancing is permitted. While many neighbors have formed prayer groups from their balconies, we have formed one with the neighbors, which consists of my husband and my 2 teen boys from within our house (via a huge window that opens fully) and the neighbors gathered in a courtyard and on the stairs just outside this window. There is a custom to give charity before praying, and when I spotted my handmade ceramic tzedaka box sitting on a table out in the prayer area I of course freaked out and ran to rescue it. I quickly made a replacement, inspired by my walk to photograph the red poppies in bloom, and voila. True, not nearly as lovely as the ceramic hand-built version, but it was made with love, so there you have it!
Oatmeal can tzedaka boxes are likely made by kids in kindergarten every year, but that doesn’t mean that one can’t make versions that are something you would use! There are so many ways to decorate an oatmeal can, so have fun with this one! Just one word of advice, take into consideration the color of the plastic top and make that part of the overall color scheme. Okay, let’s get crafting!
You’ll Need:
- an oatmeal can with a lid, or any can with a lid
- watercolor paper, or white cardstock
- acrylic paint
- acrylic ink (optional)
- a black permanent marker and a white gel pen
- hebrew letter stencil (optional)
- a craft knife to cut coin hole in lid
- hot glue gun
How To:
Cut watercolor paper or card stock to the size (height and length) necessary to wrap around can, in my case I needed to extend the paper just about 2 inches.
Paint paper a background color (green in my case) and then decorate with a pattern of wild flowers. Start with black branches and add the smaller flowers to fill the space in between
I used acrylic ink for the yellow, white and red because I’ve been working with it lately and had it sitting out. You can use acrylic paint.
That is it! Ah yes, when finish adhere your piece of paper to the can, hot glue is preferable, the tape I used came undone.
Those Hebrew letters didn’t exactly work out on a line, but I like it!
Now go do some acts of kindness, which include helping those in need with charitable donations!
