Tonight the Jewish holiday of Sukkot begins. This is the sixth year that we have built a Sukkah on our patio. We got a new Sukkah-building kit this year from here. The boards of our old model had become warped and it was always rather fussy to put together. The new one is very easy, requires no power tools and came together in an hour. Perfect. We still had lots of energy to decorate this year, and of course we are gearing up for some dinners with friends in this incredible fall weather in our new Sukkah!
Talking with the kids a few weeks ago I realized that they had never done paper mache. Oh my. I told Charlie that I better rustle up a project soon! I decided each girl could make a paper mache etrog as a Sukkah decoration. An etrog is a citrus fruit, similar to a lemon, that has ritual significance during Sukkot.
"Perfect" etrogim sell for hundreds of dollars. We usually get the $30 variety when we purchase the real thing. After Sukkot, we hang onto them and they dry out and look (and smell) really cool!
The girls were very excited to give paper mache a try.
I blew up two small balloons and then made a simple paste with flour and water. I wanted to buy some paper mache paste, but was too tired to go to the craft store. The flour and water worked really well and I was sort of glad I went with it because Roxanne decided to taste it after a little while.
We coated the balloons with newspaper strips dipped in paste and let them dry overnight. Popping the balloon with a pin was very exciting.
Then we painted them with two coats of yellow acrylic paint.
The girls put little brown dots with marker to simulate the real pock marks on the fruit.
I coated both etrogim with glossy ModPodge and after it dried we pushed small stick in the top for stems. I cut two leaves from green wool felt and glued them to lengths of floral wire which we wrapped around the stems.
They look great hanging in the Sukkah and it was fun to take on a multi-day project this year.
Hag sameach!
I love this project!! I am so going to do this with Zooey one day…
And I think we might get a sukkah when we have a backyard of our own next year!
Cute haircuts on the girls!
I’ve been wanting to try paper mache with mine. Now you have inspired me. . . I think we could make a pumpkin or pear to decorate our autumn table!
Thanks so much for sharing. I learned some things as well. Another vote here for multi-day projects!
They look wonderful–and you’re so cute with your bun in the oven! Question–why do the real fruits cost so much?
Thanks. The etrog is challenging to grow and only a certain very pure varieties are acceptable to use for the holiday.
What a great project! I can just smell those lovely etrogs. We are having a potluck in the Sukkah at our synagogue this evening. My daughter had her Jewish education class in their yesterday. We didn’t manage to put our own up this year. My husband made a very elaborate one that seems to take forever to put up and take down (power tools involved). I like the look of yours, and the ease with which you put it up.
Sorry to hear of your health issues with the pregnancy. PUPPS is miserable – glad it is going away. And GDM is a challenge. But, you have a good attitude, and I think sewing your birds will be part of your therapy! Love the new little birds for the show. I have continued to make some more birds myself. Cutting out and stitching on the feathers is my favorite part!
Love those etrogim! What a great project. Our Sukkah is full of the kids class projects from the first day in Gan and onwards. They’re both in school now and only bring home one item each year.
Hope you’re feeling good.
Love ur post on etrog. I first came to know about this fruit while lookign to purchase Jam in israel to bring up to my friends int he States. A kind fellow shopper told me what the fruit involved was.
Love ur blog. My 7 year old is an enthusiastic stffed toy maker, though hers are all two dimensional.
http://greenismyvalley.blogspot.com/2010/06/flowery-fella-and-how-to-make-two.html
I am getting your book for her.
Thank you for the comment! I'm so glad your daughter likes to sew toys! It's a great hobby.