creative jewish mom

Recycled Cardboard Clothes On A Line Stage Set Or Fun Wall Decor

Make a fun clothesline filled with cardboard clothes as a back drop for a play, or even as decorations for a party, and you'll get the whole crowd smiling. You can fill the clothesline with items/clothing to match your party's theme, like shirts with a number for a birthday or anniversary, or maybe even spell out something across a row of cute clothing items, and you've got yourself some original party decor, that is just as cute as can be, and the supplies are basically free. I made the clothes line here as a back drop for a bat mitzvah play at a local school and everyone loved the results, myself included, which is not always the case. I think the success of the project was also due to keeping the items very simply drawn and with a very minimal use of color. Ah yes, and the black and white t-shirt yarn clothesline really was a nice subtle touch. Okay, ready to make some cardboard clothes? Lets do it!

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, thanks so much for joining me here! The almond trees are in bloom, together with red poppies, for a truly stunning pop of color, and I'm really really hoping to find even a spare half an hour or so to get out and take some photos. The thing is I'm in the middle of a bunch of rush design jobs including a stage set for a Bat Mitzvah play (a first for me, namely never done a stage set) and every second is precious. The truth is, every second is always precious we just don't normally look at it that way, unfortunately. So I say, take this idea into your everyday, and instead of spending time  looking at photos on Pinterest (I'm guilty as charged) use that time to make something. Craft Schooling Sunday is always full of more than enough inspiration to get you started, so let's take a look at the features from last week's party.........

Crocheted T-Shirt Yarn Dishtowel For A Play Kitchen

Now that you know how to make adorable play cupcakes, let's make some things to use in a play kitchen. And of course you don't need an actual play kitchen, little ones can make that part up themselves. Add a cute t-shirt yarn dishtowel to the set up and maybe some wooden utensils, and let the imagination take them for a ride. No, I won't be letting anyone play with my new pink casseroles that I got recently for small change at 80% off, but they sure do complete the picture! And actually some pink casseroles like these would be simple to crochet with t-shirt yarn, okay, I guess I do need to go out and buy some more yarn (which I've been avoiding), as I think I need to take my own advice, it will be perfect. Lest I digress, we are here to learn how to crochet a play dishtowel from t-shirt yarn, so lets get started! Ah yes, and I might add that yes this is much thicker than a dish towel would be, but washes really well and can be used as a doll blanket or even a rug, which makes it super versatile for imaginative play.

DIY Play Cupcakes Craft With Sprayfoam

Aren't these play cupcakes just the cutest? They are so simple to make, and whipping up a batch is a great craft project to do with a group. My daughter actually made these with a group of gradeschool girls, and they used them as cupcake magnets, so use your imagination and enjoy! It is true, this craft is made with a product that is for adults only, and likely full of toxic fumes, but maybe you have a can of insulation spray foam sitting around, so I'd say better to use it than toss the partly full can! Spray foam can be used to create so many amazing things for Purim as well, so give that some thought but do make sure to use the product outdoors only, wearing gloves and with caution. Even crafting sometimes needs to be done mindfully, and that is just the way of the world. Sometimes I envy quilters who only quilt, or potters who only work with clay, or knitters who only knit.........all of which involves contained and expected supplies, but then again, I'd surely get stir crazy as I love to switch it up when it comes to creativity, and if that means a little bit of toxic spray foam here and there well so be it.......just walking outside or going to the park can be equally ill advised depending on what was just sprayed on the weeds or pests. Yikes, lets just make some cupcakes and bring joy into the world!

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, thanks for joining me here! I am sooooo glad that this leap year, meaning Purim is not on Tuesday, but in another whole month,and Passover is not a month from Tuesday, but rather two months, which also seems really really soon. I'm been very busy with so many projects I can't believe how quickly the time is zooming by, so I'll just say have a wonder joyful month and a half of Adar, and do try to bring happiness into the world through creativity.......there are so many ways to do this, just pick one! And now for the features from last week's party:

When Your Kids Outgrow Your DIY Costumes

Photo Above: Just to clarify, this is a costume my son threw together himself last year, with bits and pieces, it is a Moroccan Sherrif clown!

Purim is in another month and it is time to get going with the costumes! DIY costumes have been something that I've spent a lot of time and effort creating over the years, and guess what, I can now use that time for some other creative pursuits, as my kids have outgrown my DIY costumes! An end of a sweet era I must say, on the other hand I'll get a bit more sleep on those nights before the Jewish holiday of Purim! It isn't that they don't want to dress up at all, it is just that they want to be like everyone else their age who just throws together a few fun accessories. There is no Purim costume day at school, and the idea of costumes is downplayed once kids become teenagers. (Purim is a day of extreme fun, but also a very very holy day, a very interesting mix that is sometimes a challenge to remember......) Of course I do help neighbors with costumes, but the pressure is off, yippee! Or waaaah, where did the years go? Fortunately I have all the pictures of my best efforts on this blog in the DIY costumes category, and it is s fun to look back at the photos over the years.

And guess what, my kids do just fine without my help at this point, as you can see by my 12 year old son's Moroccan sherrif clown getup from last year. And truthfully I needn't be too sad, the next generation of grandchildren will be happy to have some DIY costumes, I'm sure, and in the meantime I've got tons of little neighbors........then again I think I'll embrace this new period and start doing some of the things I never had time for, like illustration and painting and hey, what about that craft book series?

How To Make Quick Birthday Cake Decorations

Let face it, life is busy and simple solutions to acknowledge family birthdays, or any special occasion, in a fun way are always great to have on hand. Personally, I'm not into spending hours and hours on a birthday cake that then gets eaten anyway, and over the years have mostly relied on simple decorations that can be made quickly and generally at the last minute.....so it goes around here! All you need are some basic drawing skills, a bit of an idea regarding scale and proportion, and very simple supplies. I have used this same technique over the years to make a Lochness Monster Cake, An Underwater Castle Cake, A Penguins Cake, A Merry-Go-Round Cake and many more, so use your imagination and just a tiny bit of time to make something adorable and memorable! Check out this round-up that includes all the cakes mentioned, plus a King Kong Manhattan cake, my favorite, right here.

No Bake Popsicle Cookies Are Simply Adorable

With everything looking pinker than pink in blog land this week, I thought I'd contribute with these super simple and beyond adorable no-bake popsicle cookies! And I'll just add that these are courtesy of my 16 year old daughter who is quite the expert at these kinds of things.......her mother would rather be painting, or making something healthy! Regardless it is great to have a trick like this up your sleeve when another neighbor's daughter is having an engagement party and the desert bar needs to be beyond gorgeous! Ah yes, and with Purim coming up, some of these presented with a summer theme could be an amazing mishloach manot! In fact I think that is what we'll do, just need to come up with the rest of the presentation, like summer umbrella, fruit punch, sunglasses..... stay tuned for that, in the mean time let's learn how to make these cuties!

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, thanks so much for joining me here each week! We are now in the Jewish month of Adar, a month filled with joy. And this is Jewish leap year so we in fact have two months of Adar, meaning even more joy, and more time to prepare for the Jewish holiday of Purim, which is celebrated during the second month of Adar. So with the arrival of Spring here in Northern Israel, and yes I hope to get outdoors wtih my camera this week, now is the time to fill the world with joy, however you like, though of course crafting is a great place to start! The good news is that here on Craft Schooling Sunday there is always lots of great inspiration, so have a look and get inspired to make something this week......and now for the features from last week's party:

Golden Doves Henna Party Centerpiece

First of all, it is now the month of Adar, a month increased joy and happiness, and some sillyness to boot, so you don't need the excuse of a neighbor's henna party to make some fun Moroccan doves like these! Did you know that doves mate for life, and they also share the duties taking care of the young ones? I know this since I've had many doves nesting on my window sills over the years! So it is no accident that a pair of doves is often used as wedding symbolism. I happened to have large number of white doves that I used as centerpieces for a different kind of occassion, but thought I'd upcycle some of them to use as centerpieces at the henna party we threw for my neighbors daughter as a part of their engagement party. Maybe painting the doves gold would have been enough, but I just had to add some Moroccan touches, little Moroccan hats for the male doves, and a crown of sorts and jewelry for the female doves. Maybe a little too cute for a super elegant occassion, but this was Israeli budget style with disposable tablecloths and dishes, so cute works just fine!