PAPER PLATE SUNCATCHER

On Lag B’Omer, we celebrate the life of the legendary mystic Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who died on Lag B’Omer (the 33rd day of the counting of the Omer, which is the 49-day period between the second night of Passover and Shavuot). Rabbi Shimon brought great light and wisdom to the world when he wrote and shared the Zohar. One traditional way we honor Rabbi Shimon is to light bonfires on Lag B’Omer. Another way we can do this is by making a Paper Plate Suncatcher with red, orange, and yellow tissue paper — reminding us of fire, Rabbi Shimon’s light, and the light that we must bring to the world now.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED:

-Paper Plate
-Scissors
-Clear Contact Paper
-Red, orange, and/or yellow tissue paper
-Optional: red, orange, and/or yellow glitter
-Red, orange, or yellow ribbon
-Hole puncher

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

(1) Cut out the middle circle area of the paper plate. (2) Trace a circle that is about an inch wider than the circle from the paper plate onto a piece of clear Contact Paper (I used a salad bowl to trace this circle. Do this a second time so that you have two circles of Contact Paper. (3) Flip the paper plate “wheel” upside down so that it curves upward. Next carefully put one of the Contact Paper pieces in the middle of the paper plate. (4) Carefully flip the plate to its original position. (5) Cut out several small pieces of tissue paper and put them on the sticky Contact Paper. If you’d like to add glitter, do that, too. (6) Once you’re happy with your tissue paper (and maybe glitter, too) arrangement, carefully put the other piece of Contact Paper over the pieces of tissue paper, and press your fingers around the edges so that you have a nice seal. (7) Using your hole puncher, make a hole somewhere in the white edge of the plate (where there is no Contact Paper). (8) Slip a piece of ribbon through the hole and tie it. (9) Hang your beautiful suncatcher in a window to remind you of the light and wisdom that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai shared with the world.