creative jewish mom

Best Baby Toys For An Airplane Flight

I'll admit when my kids were babies I never considered that having some fun toys on hand to pass the hours in air might be a good idea, or maybe it was just that they were such good travelers that the toys and games idea was only necessary when they were well beyond the toddler years. This year we'll be traveling with an adorable 9 month old in our family group, and since one flight will be 14 hours long, I though it might be a good idea to research how to travel with a baby! I learned some really great tips, including bringing a bag of new toys they've never seen before, and make sure they have suctions cups to attach them to the window (a window seat is a huge plus) or at the least to the fold down tray do they don't end up on the floor all the time! Okay keep on reading for the condensed version of all the tips I learned, including the best baby toys for airplane travel!

Simple Striped Crochet Drawstring Pouch For Small Toys Pattern

I love crocheted drawstring pouches and especially using them as gift bags for children, and especially for Chanukah! This year though one of my art students quietly asked if I could crochet him something, so I ended up using up all the resulting yarn from unraveling a few never-worn scarves, to make crocheted draw string pouches. Three out of four were not like this one, but rather like the simple drawstring pouch I shared last week, though I do love the pattern that I made up for this one, and will surely use it again with different color combos, just as soon as I find my box of stash in the basement! (No buying yarn around here unless absolutely necessary, I need to use us whatever I have!) You can use this pattern to make a pouch in basically any size you like, just start with a circular base, crochet the body in rows of hdc, with a stripe in sc, a drawstring row in dc, and a picot stitch row as the trim! Got it? Not to worry, I've written up the pattern in this post, so keep on reading! Ah yes, and do invest some thought into the drawstring, (made from t-shirt yarn, ribbon, leather, etc.) it elevates this simple pouch to something fabulous!

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, thanks for joining me here! Summer is already flying by and I honestly don't know where the days go, as we seem to be in a time warp of sorts, with so many ups and downs and the nervous system is truly working overtime to help many of us deal with the stress, big sigh. I just finished painting a bunch of 30 egg egg carton flats in order to make some tissue paper collage egg carton flowers with my 4th grade boy students tomorrow, though I have yet to actually make the example, so running of to do that! Enjoy the features from last week's party and just by the way, this week I realized that with just some plyers you can take the spray nozzle off of any lovely glass perfume bottle, and then use that bottle, which I've always wanted to do. More on that another time, take care!

Giant White Phaelanopsis Grandifloris Blooms!

It just so happens that without any plan, my home has become a sanctuary for orchids that need some love, and my husband even brought me a new patient yesterday, though very happy to report that it is in great shape, just after blooming and needs the right attention for a re-bloom. Some of the orchids that arrive to my orchid sanctuary are on their last legs, and some honestly I have not been able to save, but I'm trying all the tricks, truly. Last summer I got a box full or orchids, many of whom I had no idea what color their blooms would be, and this particular plant certainly surprised us with giant blooms, nearly twice the size of regular white phaelanopsis! I had no idea there was such an orchid, but yes indeed, there is, and it is called phaelanopsis grandifloris, known for its large white blooms. Since orchid blooms hang around for 3 or so months, this one has been bringing me lots of joy!

A Crochet Mesh Stitch Called The Y Stitch

Back in March when I was doing some research to get inspiration for crocheting an afikomen bag, I had the thought that a crochet stitch with triangles might be a nice way to reference the pyramids in Egypt, and I discovered a simple stitch called the Y stitch, that produces essentially rows of tiny triangular netting. I made a tiny swatch, from which I was requested to make a baby blanket, so I thought I'd make an even bigger swatch to see how the stitch feels, and that is the swatch you see here. After crocheting this swatch I wasn't happy with the "fall" of the resulting fabric, so I ended up going down the filet crochet rabbit hole and actually crocheted 4 filet crochet swatches in diamonds and stripes, which are much more appropriate for a baby blanket.

Lesson learned? Spend a bit of time creating a swatch before diving into a large project! That said, the Y stitch is still a wonderful stitch, whips up quickly, and this swatch is being used as a nice blanket in a 1 8 scale dollhouse! The Y stitch is a lesser known stitch, so a quick Google search for projects that use is resulted in nothing really, meaning it is time to shine some light on this wonderful stitch! I did find a photo of a swatch alternating rows of double crochet with tow rows of Y stitch which looks great and would produce fabric with a better fall for use as a blanket, so keep on reading, and if I had some yarn on hand I'd make a swatch of that too!

Diamonds And Stripes: 4 Filet Crochet Patterns To Try Now

As a somewhat avid crocheter over the years, I have certainly been aware of filet crochet, and the idea of making wonderful patterns with the placement of double crochet stitches together with blank spaces, such that one can create any kind of pattern that can be worked out on a grid. That said, traditionally filet crochet is made with very fine crochet thread, which is required for intricate patterns or at least to see them at a close range. I have started lacy tablecloths using crochet thread in the past, and it just was not for me, as I love quick or at least quick-is results! (Then again a neighbor gave me an unfinished lacy crocheted tablecloth that her mother-in-law with failing eyesight can no longer work on......it is sitting in a box in the basement, waiting to be finished, or more likely unraveled so I can use the thread. I have recently unraveled a bunch of my own projects to use the yarn, so no hard feelings, right?)

Today, while some might still want to crochet with thread, filet crochet stitches are being used with yarn weights of all kinds to make blankets and garments. A loved one requested a summer weight baby blanket after seeing one of my tiny dollhouse blankets, so I decided to make some swatches so she could pick her favorite, before all the time and expense involved! Keep on reading to see which one she picked, and which one I think I'd like to make as an alternate?

How Families Can Benefit From Medisave For Dental Treatments

Dental care is essential, but it can also be costly—especially for families juggling multiple needs. In Singapore, Medisave for dental treatments offers some relief. But how exactly can families use it? And what types of procedures are eligible? These are common questions among parents, caregivers, and even young adults navigating dental bills. In this guide, we’ll break down what Medisave is, how it applies to dental care, and how families can take full advantage of it. For those in other areas this article is a helpful guide for what questions to ask when looking for dental coverage.

How To Update Your White Kitchen With Touches Of Wood And Organic Elements

All-white kitchens whether modern or traditional, are quite simply classic, and have truly weathered every kitchen trend. The modern pearl-white laminate cabinets with an aluminum rim that I chose twenty years ago for my kitchen still look great, and the light color does make the room look bigger, more airy certainly, and you always know when they need a wipe down! That said I do look at photos of modern all wood cabinetry, or traditional cabinets in natural shades of green and blue and think, wow, I love that!

When it comes time to re-do my kitchen (hopefully not any time soon) will I actually choose something other than white? I really can't say at the moment, but what I can say is that if your white kitchen is looking a little too stark, or just a little bit too white, there are many ways to change the overall look of the kitchen, without a total re-do, whether in a very budget friendly way, or with some expense but changes that don't come anywhere near the cost of replacing the kitchen or even the cabinet doors. Of course there are many ways to go when thinking of how to update your white kitchen, and do think beyton the superficial by possibly investing in some new gadgets to make your cooking experience that much up to date as well. For starters how about the best meat thermometer, or maybe an instant pot and an air fryer, if you don't already own those popular items? Ah yes, and there is nothing like getting those cabinets and drawers organized to give your kitchen a feeling like it's been overhauled!

So many things to think about, indeed, and I love the idea of updating a white kitchen with touches of wood and organic elements, so lets dive in!

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, thanks so much for joining me here! Yikes, June is coming to a close already......how are your creative endeavors going? Mine? Well, of course I have the major excuse that life has not been anything resembling normal lately here in Northern Israel, and while I have not gotten back to the art, of course I've been crocheting up a storm to calm the nerves, and if I hadn't finished all the stash at my fingertips (lots more of course buried in the basement somewhere, sigh) I would have crocheted even more little pillows for a 1 6 scale dollhouse and blankets and more. I never thought I'd find myself getting into miniatures, but now crocheting with thread to make a 1 12 scale granny square blanket actually seems like a great idea, okay maybe not, but certainly a great take along project! Okay friends, get those creative gears turning, and take a look at the wonderful features from last week's party!

Top Family Cars: Which 5 Came Out on Top for 2025?

In 2025, the market for family cars is crowded. There are plenty of contenders, with many families and individuals choosing carefully from among them. What vehicles should you know about that are proven winners with American drivers?

We’ve compiled a list of options that should be on your radar if you’re car shopping for your family. You can visit Axio Auto, Sandy residents, if you live nearby and one of the models we have selected appeals to you.