creative jewish mom

Red Poppies (Anemones, Actually) In Bloom In Northern Israel

Yesterday when I took a walk with my son in the nearby fields, thinking that I was going to photograph some Almond blossoms, I was surprised to find that our native red anemones, that everyone just calls poppies, are also in bloom, which is so very exciting every time! Dots of red peeking out from new green growth of Spring is so very lovely, and I know so many of you love getting a glimpse of nature here in Israel, up close and in person, so here we go!

A Rosh Chodesh Walk And Almond Trees Blooming In Northern Israel

On Rosh Chodesh, the first day of each Jewish month, my kids have a half day of school, meaning it is the perfect time to take a little nature walk, and especially since Spring is here, and this month is Adar, a very joyful one indeed, and walking in nature surely gives us joy. As it turned out, only my 11 year old was actually available to go with Mom, and while there were delays as always, I'm glad we made the effort to get out the door, and taking photos as the sun is going down can be quite lovely!

Every year I post photos of the almond trees in bloom because it is truly magnificent and their blooms are the first sign of spring, which is always exciting. My son was so happy to get his bike out after a few months of rain and cold, and I was just happy to be out! I hope you'll enjoy my photos, and of course, any time I set out with camera in hand there are many things to capture, so this is just the first post with photos from our walk. 

Welcome To craft Schooling Sunday

 

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, I hope all is well with my little family of crafty party goers! The first signs of spring have arrived in Northern Israel, and I expect to see the first of the lovely almond blossoms tomorrow when I head out with my camera for a little  Rosh Chodesh walk with my kids, who will have a half day of school. It is now the Jewish month of Adar, a very festive one indeed, meaning filled with creative activities in our home, so just as soon as I finish getting this party started I have work to do!

There are decorations for our women's Purim party and play to be made.....for starters, and after that well it is all about time! This year my kids have now outgrown the school costume thing, which is a bit sad, but certainly much less work for me! So maybe just maybe I'll get around to making that macrame wall hanging I've been dreaming of? Wishing you all the best with realizing your dreams as well, whether large or small, and thanks for joining me here!

And now for the features from last week's party, hope you enjoy them, I certainly did!

 

Love these reusable snack bags from nap time creations, and this sweet crocheted fox rag doll from Anne Marie.

A fabulous paper mache bunny head from pillar box blue, and a little mermaid birthday party from pink peppermint designs.

Filet Crochet Exploration.....

 

This week I decided at long last to give filet crochet a try, as I've been wanting to do something with this crochet technique for ages.....namely to take the idea of filet crochet, normally executed with crochet string and a tiny hook, and do it using regular yarn. I do love the results, this being the second sample that I made, the first one I tore out....but there are some important things to keep in mind, which I learned with this experiment. If the idea of taking gridded designs and turning them into crocheted masterpieces appeals to you, keep on reading......and for the rest of you, well stay tuned to see what I do with this sample, not quite sure myself yet, though it does look good on our piano bench!

Crocheted Striped Mohair Collar With Ribbon Tie

Sometimes a soft mohair collar to keep your neck warm would be just the perfect little accessory, so why not whip one up? Or for that matter, make a bunch in different sizes, as this would surely be adorable for a little girl as well, right? My crocheted striped mohair collar with a ribbon tie is so simple to make, and depending on the yarn you choose as well as the ribbon tie, could go with so many looks, not to mention perfect for a cool spring day.

Ah yes, and what might be the difference between a cowl and a collar you ask? Keep on reading, and we shall explore that issue!

Crocheted Wavy Ribbed Cowl Pattern

Our pink almond blossoms are on the verge of blooming, which is the first sign of spring here in Northern Israel, so this pink wavy ribbed cowl is right on time and a perfect Spring accessory! I just love cowls, button up ones that is, and even wear them indoors all winter long. So when it occurred to me to use this space dyed pink yarn to make a cowl of some kind, I just had to get to work so that I could still enjoy it this year! Given my tendency to leave projects without ends woven in, and no buttons, well this is truly a miracle, yippee, especially since I made this just yesterday.

Looking for a quick project that uses only one ball of yarn, namely a 100 gram ball of fingerling weight yarn, this might just be it!

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

 

 

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, thanks for joining me here! It is now motzei shabbat, meaning Saturday night, and I'm running off to meet a bunch of old friends who are gathering to have a little reunion for a friend who hasn't lived in our city for a good seventeen years or so. I'm bringing a mixed salad topped with some carrot roses, made with a tool that looks like a huge pencil sharpener, something I really must share with you all!

Speaking of sharing, thanks to all those who link up weekly or even once in a while, for making this party so very very lovely with your creativity. And now for the features from last week's party:

 

A sweet little birdies garland, perfect any time (and great for a baby's room right?) from the crafty blog stalker, and wonderful paper roses made from maps from Pillar Box Blue.

Love this first birthday shirt from C.R.A.F.T. and this fun shamrock tea towel from sparkle living.

Great advice for planting plants in containers with no drainage holes from brittany goldwyn, and love these cute cardboard sleeves for little plants from lolly jane.

Crocheted Victorian Lattice Tablerunner

Yesterday I shared with you a pattern for this lovely square called the Victorian Lattice square, and today, voila I can't quite believe it, but I am sharing with you the project I whipped up using just three such squares! Considering all the half finished projects I have kicking around, this is truly great news, and one aqua bedside cabinet is now looking pretty spiffy if I do say so myself. There is something really wonderful about a relatively quick crochet project that can infuse your home with that special handmade touch, without the huge effort that say crocheting a blanket requires. So here's to more crocheted table runners to use on bedside tables, on the dining room table, or even just slung over the back of a chair!

Want to make this little beauty that I'll call the Crocheted Victorian Lattice Table Runner With Bobble Edging? Keep on reading......

Crocheted Victorian Lattice Square Is A New Favorite!

Yippee I finally had a bit of time to indulge in a little crocheting, and found a wonderful square that works up quickly, with lovely results. The pattern is called the Victorian Lattice Square, and you can find it here on Ravelry as a free download. Now the only question is what to do with those squares? One square could make a little wall hanging or one side of a pot holder or hot pad, a few squares could become a small runner for a bedside table (that is what I think I'm going to do) and of course twelve or so could become a baby's blanket, and many could become a gorgeous coverlet for a bed. You decide! Oh, and just by the way, the square you see here isn't actually the entire pattern it is missing the last two rows that actually make it into a perfect square. For my purpose, I decided to keep those v shapes on the border for fun, and I may fill them in with another color.

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

 

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, a little crafty get together with contributors from around the world.Yes, really literally around the world! This week I have gone back to that fun tradition of labeling where all the contributors are from, and if I've gotten it wrong, please let me know! Sometimes this requires quite a bit of sleuthing!

I am writing this on Friday morning as I contemplate just how much time I'll have today to make extra things for our shabbat table, which is even more special this week as it is also the new year for the trees, Tu B'Shevat! Yes we have purchased all kinds of fresh fruit (I'm not going the dried fruit route this year as most are laced with terrible chemicals) and after our shabbat meal we will be making a Tu B'Shevat seder, which like the Passover seder also involves four glasses of wine. Okay, not four glasses of wine for each person in this case, but four glasses and a short program that involves eating fruit in a specific order and drinking both red and white wine. It is quite lovely and I'm happy to say we'll be sharing this tradition with a table full of guests.

Now I just gotta figure out how to make a beautiful arrangement of fruit on the table that won't interfere with the serving of all those Moroccan salads I make each week.....a cornucopia sure would come in handy right about now! Speaking of now, gotta run, so here are the features from last week's party:

 Love these Liberty fabric covered push pin buttons from mad for fabric, and love these shelves that are decorated according to the season/holiday from Lolly Jane. (USA)

 The most adorable applique quilt ever from flamingo toes, (USA) and love these sweet mini heart branches from simple nature decor blog.