creative jewish mom

Crocheting For Hanukkah!

Crochet projects for Hanukkah? Of course, because as you all know, I love to crochet, and so crocheting is often a big part of my hanukkah crafting! With the holiday approaching  quickly I thought I'd share some crochet projects from the archives to get you started, as the time is now! I on the other hand am busy with editorial crafting content that does not at the moment include crocheting, but I will fit some in there hopefully sooner than later!

Above: Super simple crocheted star trivets using industrial t-shirt yarn make great gifts, and if you make a bunch you could even string them together to make a table runner, or even a rug. Keep on reading for lots of great projects, including the crocheted gelt bags or hanukkah gift pouches that I've been making for my kids every year. Hanukkah wouldn't be chanukah without them and of course at this point though we have quite a collection I'm happy to make more.

Getting Ready To Celebrate A Stress-Free Hanukkah With Family

Hanukkah starts on the night of December 12th, so now is the time to start getting ready for this wonderful eight night Jewish holiday.  My kids look forward to celebrating Hanukkah all year, because in our home it is a joyful holiday full of family together time which includes traditional Hanukkah meals and treats, practical presents often given according to a theme for the night, fun prizes, and of course lots of dreidel spinning! This year I'm going to do my best to make the holiday as relaxing and stress-free as possible, which really just boils down to planning ahead, being realistic and most importantly being present for your family!

It is true, that an eight day holiday, represents quite a chunk of time. Depending on the ages of the children, or even if the holiday is celebrated by just adults, keeping Hanukkah fresh and interesting all week long requires some forethought, and I'm here to help you with that! I was just introduced to a really nice Hanukkah Activities Box from a company called Days United, and if you are already feeling a little stressed having read only this first paragraph, or are just completely swamped this time of year, this might be a great solution for you. The Days Hanukkah box is a great gift idea as well, especially for those not so familiar with the holiday or who would like to teach their children the basics in a fun and friendly way.

Would you liked to learn more about this wonderful product delivered to your door just when you need it most? Keep on reading.......

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

 

 

 

 

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday! Every year I take a break with the party for the month of December, and I can't believe that time has come again. So, here's to the last party of 2017, give it your all!

I hope all the Americans in the crowd have been taking advantage of the long weekend to get crafting? If not, then hopefully you are spending time with family, friends, and loved ones, or doing something truly meaningful, or both. Now of course family time can also be crafting time, as can travel time.......knitting, crocheting and embroider are all really great crafts to do on the road, or take along to a family gathering!

Cold weather has arrived here in Northern Israel, and honestly I can't wait to finish all my Hanukkah craft comittments so I can get crocheting, hmmmm, or sewing, not sure which, but making cozy things for my family is what is calling my name right about now! What about you? Not quite sure where to start? Take a look at the features from last week's party, and get the ball rolling, shall we?

 

 

G0rgeous marbled tins that are upcycled and decorated using nail polish from pillar box blue, and adorable felt candy garland from growing up gabel.

A stunning table, (take note of the candle color, the artichokes and the gold colored silverware) from sorry still looking for the link and gorgeous copper leaves from sparkle living.

Wool Felt Stars For Holiday Crafting

Aren't these eight pointed wool felt stars great looking? I have to say I never thought that felt could look so good, that is until today when I started crafting for the very first time with 100% wool felt, which is a very very distant relative of the acrylic felt I've been using for years. More on that another time, for now I just want to share with you that wool felt is wonderful for holiday crafting, and you are going to love the rich colors one can find, ahhhhhh. I'm going to be creating quite a few crafts for Chanukah using wool felt, some which I'll be able to share sometime next week, and some which I'll have to wait and when they are posted elsewhere.

I will give you one little hint, an important hint that is, which is that one of the great things about wool felt is that you can felt with it, namely join one piece of felt to another with a felting too.....truly a crafting pleasure I wouldn't want you to miss......

Blue And White Marshmellow Skewer Party Favor For A Bar Mitzvah Or Hanukkah?

The other night I dropped by to wish the parents of a boy in my son's class mazel tov on their son's bar mitzvah, and of course I had to have a look at what the mother, who is the baking queen, whipped up for this special occassion. Truthfully I didn't look too closely as I am saying no to sugar, but I did love these blue and white marshmellow skewers, that looked great and are so simple to whip up, even a week or more before the special occasion.

As I have stated before, we don't buy candy generally but for a bar mitzvah, and we have one coming up in another six months, I would, and likely will, consider buying lots of different kinds of marshmellows and gummy candies in order to make some show stopping skewers! Ah, and of course, the label with the child's name on it, in this case Shimon, will be something lovely hopefully.

Cute Bar Mitzvah Party Favor: Candy Sefer Torahs

Yes, it is time to get crafting for Chanukah, but I'm stuck under a pile of graphic design work and just cant' seem to get out, so in the mean time I have a few cute Bar Mitzvah party favor ideas to share with you......ideas that is, courtesy of bar mitzvah parties for a few boys in my son's class. This week alone there are three bar mitzvahs, with another one next week, and fortunately it is totally acceptable to drop by on the late side to say mazel tov and socialize a bit, assuming this isn't the bar mitzvah of one of your very best friend's sons! So I now present to you one of the very cutest ideas, a candy sefer torah, that works for a bar mitzvah, but could also be perfect for the holiday of Shavuot and Simchat Torah!

Fpr those of you who don't read Hebrew, the little label wrapped around the candy says the boy's name and mazel tov. Oh and just by the way, I am not that mother that buys candy for her kids, (except for chocolate for Chanukah) or thinks that people should eat candy, but for special occasions, sometimes nothing else quite does the trick. And in any case one doesn't really have to actually eat these! Ready to make some yourself? Let's do this!

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

 

 

 

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, and thanks so much for joining me here! As you can see from the general look of my blog, Hanukkah, or Chanukah preferably, is coming! On Sunday night we are exiting the "dark" Jewish month of Cheshvan, and entering the very light filled month of Kislev......which means dear readers it is truly time to get the show on the road: Homemade gifts? Check. New Chanukah decorations? Check. Busy with some editorial work for chanukah? Check. And right about now all I really want to do is get crocheting for the holiday, but that is going to have to wait for another few weeks, as my plate is already overflowing, happy to say.

Fortunately, the contributors of this little party have been crocheting, with lots of great inspiration, so enjoy the feautures from last week's party and lets make this month a creative one!This crocheted dog from frau tschi tschi has a free pattern and is seriously adorable, maybe I'll have time to make some of these for Chanukah gifts) and adore this crocheted pencil scarf as well another amazing gift I must say from sew crafty crochet.

For the cactus lovers out there, a fantastic crocheted cactus in a pot scarf, from sew crafty crochet, and love these simple DIY wrist warmers from old socks, from liebe design.

DIY Hanukkah Tablecloth With Block Printed Dreidels

Lets face it, if you were thinking you'd like a tablecloth for Hanukkah or Chanukah, you will not find a whole lot out there, so you are just going to have to find a tiny window of time and make this simple DIY stamped dreidel tablecloth for Hanukkah. And the good news is, it isn't actually stamped as it looks, and as I've named it, the technique is actually sooooooo much easier, and something every DIYer needs to have in theri repetoire.

I chose to make my tablecloth really modern and somewhat Scandanavian looking, you can of course make yours in all the colors your little heart desires, and with dreidels that are any size that suits you! While you are at it, make some fabric to use for little gift bags, and even a table runner or pillows, now we're talking!

DIY Hanukkah Mobile With Nesting Dreidels

If you start to see photos of my classic nesting dreidel mobile here on CJM that must mean that Hanukkah is coming! So yes indeed, with Hanukkah just a month away, I suggest planning ahead and getting a head start on decorating your home, your classroom or workplace with an extra dose of color. My nesting dreidel digital craft kit is the perfect place to start, and you can use the pages in so many fun ways beyond mobiles! Make garlands, place mats, gift wrap, gift tags, or even use the dreidels to decoupage on the bottom of some glass plates or trays! Yes, you are right, I need to try that myself, will do!

DIY Hanukkah Tablecloth: Giant Blue And White Stenciled Snowflakes

Yes, indeed things are starting look quite festive around here, right? And at long last I can share with you this really great Hanukkah DIY tablecloth that is really so simple to make, and the results are truly fun and fabulous. In fact I'd recommend getting enough supplies so that you make quite a few of these, they would make perfect Hanukkah gifts! And if you are a sewer, you could use this idea to make fabric with which to sew up some fun gifts for Hanuukah like pouches, pillow covers, napkins, table runners, you name it!

In true CJM style I actually raided my linen closet and used a sheet for this, always preferable to actually buying something, right? It is true, that sheet was part of a set, but no one even noticed that it was missing. So, lets get started, shall we?