Matzoh Bread House
This easy to do project is fun for all ages (and religions), combining your sharpest hot glue gun skills with your favorite brand of unleavened bread. Caution: matzoh is much more difficult to cut than gingerbread. Extra caution: in the festive holiday spirit of our litigious society, let me remind you not to eat the matzoh or candy once it's been applied to the house. Glue is not good for you and small stale candy is a choking hazard.
Supplies Needed
- Small wooden bird house (purchased from any craft store)
- Hot glue gun and a package of glue sticks
- X-Acto knife
- White craft glue
- Straight edge ruler
- Box of matzoh (unsalted seems to work best)
- Your choice of candy decorations. We use:
- Assorted colors and sizes of gum drop candy
- Assorted Hanukkah chocolate gelt coins
- Chocolate nonpareils
- Peppermint candy cane
- Peppermint candies
Directions
- Measure all dimension of each flat surface of the bird house.
- Using the straight edge ruler as a guide, cut the matzoh with the X-Acto knife into shapes and sizes corresponding to the surfaces of the bird house. Matzoh tends to crumble and crack very easily. Break matzoh along the perforations for best results.
- Matzoh tends to crumble and crack very easily. Break matzoh along the perforations for best results.
- Using the hot glue gun, apply matzoh to the surfaces of the bird house. White glue will also work, but the matzoh may get soggy.
- For irregular or curved surfaces, first dampen matzoh in water until it is soft and pliable before applying. Don't get it too wet or you'll have matzoh brei.
- Allow wet matzoh to dry and harden before continuing. If any of the matzoh cracked during construction, fill the crevices with a mix of wet matzoh mortar.
- Using the glue gun, apply a small dab of glue to candies and apply to surfaces as desired. Be careful not to melt the candy!
Precautions
- Do not eat the matzoh or candy once it's been applied to house. Glue is not good for you.
- Keep the house dry, away from heat and out of direct sunlight.
- Keep out of reach of children, dogs, cats, mice and other hungry critters.