creative jewish mom

Wishing You A Very Happy Zot Chanukah!

After a very busy and festive week of Chanukah, I just had to share with you the lovely sight that is "zot Chanukah" namely the 8th night/day of the holiday. Tonight all 8 cups of oil were lit and we spent one last night gathered around the Chanukiah (menorah) singing and praying and eating a few little treats. My daughter fortunately decided to make latkes, which I didn't have time for as I was working today, and that was a great traditional addition to our last Chanukah meal. I also gave my daughter the recipe for our favourite Moroccan semolina soup, which she made for the first time and it was delicious and a perfect winter evening dish! I took these photos to share with you as tonight is the height of the holiday and I dare say the most important day. The word "zot" means "this" so literally the name of the 8th night/day of Chanukah is THIS IS CHANUKAH, meaning that the last day is filled to the brim with the true essence of the holiday: light and hope!

So dear readers, wishing you all a light filled Chanukah, and may the light of our menorahs light up the darkest corners of the world, which is surely needed right about now. 

Ah, and I almost forgot, the menorah seen here has a very special story which I know I posted here a few years back but I can't find it at the moment, sigh. I'll try to find it, promise. In the mean time, keep on reading to see the large Chanukiah that we light when saying the blessings. (Though this brass one has a special place in my heart.)

Chocolate Chip Cookies With Sprinkles For Chanukah Or Any Festivity!

Wishing everyone a lovely light-filled Chanukah on this fourth night of Chanukah. It is pouring cats and dogs here in Northern Israel creating a very dramatic setting for the glowing flames of the holiday. My kids are all snugly tucked in bed with a book so I’m taking a moment to share these fun cookies with you. Courtesy of my teen daughter I might add, who does all the baking......and who baked some more goodies today as we have a small army of guests coming for meals this special upcoming Shabbat!

This idea is pretty self explanatory but keep on reading for a few tips......

Drinking Straw Menorah Craft Is Beyond Adorable!

Hanukkah crafts made from plastic drinking straws are so much fun and a great way to recycle! I have already share with you my Hanukkah drinking straw wall hanging, or why not call it a Hanukkah mobile? And now, for one of the favourite results of playing around with drinking straws, I present to you the drinking straw menorah, with Q-tip to boot! This little menorah is cute as can be, and a great gift, so make a bunch. Kids can enjoy "lighting" a new candle each day of Hanukkah, while I on the other hand love seeing them with all the candles lit. This little menorah isn't large, but its cuteness makes up for that, and you can tuck one of these in every little corner of your home, or use it as a gift topper. So many ways to go, so lets get started!

Creative Ways to Display Your Photographs

Photography is by far one of the most fascinating man-made inventions. The ability to freeze a moment and keep it forever is priceless. Just think of the times you felt nostalgic about an old family trip or you missed a late relative...... just looking at old photos can certainly lift your spirits and help you refresh wonderful memories. Smartphones and digital cameras have made it easy for us to snap a picture anywhere, anytime. However, there is something much more special about printed photos that you can hold in your hand, or frame to display around your home. Unlike digital albums, photo albums are family heirlooms that get passed down from one generation to the next, and it is so much nicer to gather around a photo album than around someone's phone, right? So let's get those photos off our phones and computers and truly enjoy them! (Note to self as well!)

Of course in addition to photo albums, hanging a few favorites as wall art is always a great idea. Choose a few photos that work well together or make a photo collages from your favorites. There are so many options, so start simple, and see where that takes you. Let’s take a look at some creative ways for displaying your prized photos for everyone to enjoy:

Q-Tip Painted Brown Paper Bags For Gift Giving

Whether you want to use up or re-use some simple brown paper lunch bags, or even better, recycle larger brown paper. bags, you can create festive gift wrap or gift bags with the addition of some festive Q-tip painted patterns! I had planned to create a whole Q-tip painting primer with patterns and ideas, but since that has yet to happen, I now present you with Q-tip flowers and polka dots which is fun to create and looks amazing. One of the great things about painting with Q-tips is it is great for little hands as well, and really so much fun. Beware, you may want to Q-tip paint the whole house, though that could be great too! For starters lets hone our Q-tip painting skills with these fun gift bags!

Sewing Tips For Beginners

Above: Giant lonestar quilt made with fleece, a great beginner's project, and an amazing gift, tutorial here.

Once upon a time sewing was a very necessary skill as folks needed to know how to sew their own clothing and household items. Today sewing is generally a hobby rather than a necessity, and it has become a fantastic creative outlet. Wearing or decorating one's home with projects you've sewn (and giving them as gifts) is an amazing feeling! And it can be easy on the budget to alter one's own clothing or re-make hand-me-downs. The quilt shown above was made from old fleece blankets! And of course making your own costumes, well, that is both a money saver and a great joy. That said, starting the sewing journey can be confusing and even difficult, as there are materials, skills and basic knowledge that are crucial to success. Take it from me, the most important key is patience, and sticking to your goal, and of course some valuable tips are always helpful.

So, keep on reading and take a look at these sewing tips for beginners and enjoy sewing success!"

Drinking Straw Hanukkah Wall Hanging Craft

Hanukkah which we call Chanukah actually, is quickly approaching, but there is still time to make a fun drinking straw wall hanging to add a very festive touch to your home! This week I have shared with you how to make drinking straw dreidels, drinking straw starbursts, drinking straw diamond starbursts, and now I present to you the finished product, yippee! After making the elements that I've listed, you can certainly figure out how to make the drinking straw menorah, right? Okay, these photos aren't the greatest, but I'm pressed for time with a million things going on, so they do the job for now. The main thing is, use this next week to fill your home with crafts that anticipate the joyful holiday of Chanukah! And take a look in my archives, that are busting at the seams for many many more ideas if plastic drinking straws aren't up your alley or you don't have any on hand. Okay, lets make this fun drinking straw wall hanging, shall we?

Drinking Straw Diamond Starburst Ornament

We are on a roll with the elements you'll need to assemble a fun Hanukkah wall hanging made from drinking straw ornaments, so far we've learned how to make a drinking straw dreidel and a drinking straw starburst, and I now introduce to you the "diamond starburst." When one is combining a bunch of elements together to make a wallhanging, a diamond shape is a great addition, and indeed this diamond starburst pulls together all the other elements, so do learn how to make it!

Now is the time to get crafting, and most folks have a few straws hanging around somewhere that could be used up, or of course recycled, so lets get started!

Drinking Straw Starburst Ornament

Let's recycle all those plastic straws that we may be using (if not recycling, use what you may have on hand or buy paper ones, please!) and make some wonderful and festive decorations! I'll be using straws to make a whole bunch of Hanukkah ornaments for a wall hanging, but of course this idea could be used for decorations for so many occasions. Best of all the drinking straw ornaments I've made for this Hanukkah are two sided, so in the future I can use them to hang in a doorway or as a mobile. You can find the link to the tutorial for making the drinking straw dreidel ornaments here.

Crafts made with plastic straws will last virtually forever (which is why we need to recycle them!) so decorations packed away nicely in a flat box can be used for years to come. I know, bright plastic straw DIY crafts may not be exactly suited to every area in your home, but I'm sure you can find a spot. I've hung the completed wall hanging in my kitchen on the side of a tall floor to ceiling cabinet, and it looks festive and fun. Okay, lets make a drinking star starburst ornament!

Drinking Straw Dreidel Ornament

Plastic drinking straws have been outlawed in California indicating that they are not a good thing for our environment, so if you don't have any on hand for this Hanukkah craft, PLEASE use paper instead. I happen to have many many bags of plastic drinking straws from IKEA so stay tuned for a bunch of crafts as I attempt to put a little dent in this collection by using them to make some festive decorations for Hanukkah! 

For starters, you can make drinking straw dreidels in any size you desire, to be used in a mobile, hung in a doorway, or on a wall, you decide! I have made dreidels from drinking straws in the past, check that drinking straw dreidel craft here, but those were only suitable for hanging on the wall as the straws were glued onto a cardboard backing. (This is preferable for little kids.) This new improved version has all the flexibility you may love, especially since you can save them for years to come and use them in a different way each year.

Okay, lets make some drinking straw dreidels!