creative jewish mom

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, thanks so much for joining me here! Spring is arriving quickly, as is the very festive and action packed holiday of Purim! We actually have our women's community Purim (a bit early) party on Sunday night, meaning I have to whip up a bunch of decorations.....wish me luck on that one! I did spy a HUGE cardboard box on my way home from buying some large sheets of colored paper, and after arriving home and grabbing scissors went back to cut it down in order to carry most of it home with me. I was wondering what the numerous cars that went by were thinking, and I was laughing to myself, as who else would do such a thing? Namely cut down a huge box on the side of the road after dark? Only a despirate stage decorater like myself! As I had imagined it was a bit difficult to carry home, and I had to keep stopping. At least I got in some extra exercise after being house bound with a respiratory illness of sorts for a month, sigh.

Large pieces of cardboard are certainly a great starting point when one needs to make a bit of a back drop for some Purim skits, right? And since the current plan is to make a "heaven on earth" colorful and playful garden of sorts, maybe those large pieces of cardboard could be trees......or giant peacocks? I won't know until I start to actually create which will have to happen after shabbat on Saturday night. In the mean time I grabbed some inspiration from some vintage Japanese paper and origami books I have, and am excited to create something new! If anything is photo-worthy I will of course share it with you, and here's hoping that I will have something to share! In the mean time, enjoy the features from last week's party!

Use Recycled Jars And Tissue Paper To Create Festive Lanterns!

There is nothing that quite compares to the results of simply applying tissue paper shapes to recycled jars with some glue! I have made many versions of this craft over the years, and I think this one is my all-time favorite, as it is just so happy! Speaking of happy we are now in the happiest month on the Jewish calendar, and the holiday of Purim is quickly approaching, so why not whip up some of these candle jars, or vases or you name it, now? Get yourself a nice selection of tissue paper, and enjoy. And if you find yourself requesting recycled jars from neighbors in order to craft to your heart's content, well you can find comfort in the fact that I have certainly done just that! Because quite simply a large number of these jars running down the center of your table would be fabulous! Okay, lets learn the very simple instructions for whipping up these beauties, shall we?

Simple DIY Crepe Paper Flowers To Make Now!

I was just thinking that I should make some tissue paper flowers like those that used to grace our Purim table years ago, but it turns out so much time has passed that I actually just realized that the most successful flowers were made from crepe paper! Yes, tissue paper is wonderful too, and I have used it numerous times for flowers, but there is something about the crepe paper and its texture that just makes the whole project that much lovelier. I mean really, look at the photo, who isn't running to the store to buy some basic crepe paper? Confession: this photo was taken 9 (gasp) years ago, and that blue table was a little kiddie table that is long gone, it took me a moment to figure out what that was exactly!

Ah yes, and the crepe paper is reminiscent of Mexican paper flowers, so all the better is you need a food theme for your festive occasion, go with tacos? Boy, I sure am happy I didn't buy those two packs of tissue paper that were in my cart today at the art supply store the $8.50 seemed a bit too steep considering I was already buying large sheets of watercolor paper and other supplies for my latest painting adventures.....Lest I digress, i will go back and buy some crepe paper, and revisit this project, but in the mean time, lets learn how to make them! And do read the instructions very carefully please or your flowers may be a flop literally, got it?

Cyclamen Blooms Non-Stop All Winter In Northern Israel

I bought two pots of cyclamen, a large white variety and a smaller variegated pink variety in October, and just as the nursery promised, they have been blooming non-stop! Cyclamen are native to Northern Israel, and I have seen them blooming out nature not far from our home, so they are especially beloved and a part of Israeli culture. Every year in the late fall the nurseries and flower shops put rows of cyclamen outside, and those who are in the know buy at least a few pots. I have had cyclamen in the past, but acquired them later in the season, so I wasn't nearly as impressed as I've been this year. It is truly amazing how a few little pots of flowers can bring so much joy, right? And while I had planned on photographing my plants, I saw more impressive plantings of cyclamen yesterday when I ventured out with my camera, so I'll be sharing that with you here. Enjoy! And keep this post in mind next October!

Almond Trees In Bloom In Northern Israel, Just Like In Van Gogh's Painting!

Here in Northern Israel where we are blessed to be living close to nature, the yearly blooming of the almond trees is something that brings great joy! The almond tree is the first tree to bloom, and as fruit bearing tree it is one of the trees whose New Year we celebrate on the Jewish holiday of Tu B'Shevat.

Every year we await the first blooms, the kids arrive home with reports on the status of the trees, and it is something mentioned among friends and neighbors. Why? because it is truly a joyful sight, in the middle of the winter, when all the other plants are still sleeping, to see white and light pink blossoms dotting the hills! While the first trees bloomed several weeks ago, there are still many with closed buds, so I was able to capture some of this loveliness today to share with you. Granted, the trees are more beautiful when the sky is blue, so I'll give it another try soon, but in the meantime, enjoy!

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, thanks so much for joining me here! The almond trees are now in bloom here in Northern Israel which means spring is on its way! I have started trying my hand at landscape painting (after a painting hiatus of a year, sigh) and it is truly amazing how one starts to really look out the window with much greater awareness. I never really noticed those tiny trees on the horizon, and the variety of clouds and colors in the sky, wow. I think I could easily spend the next 10 years just painting the view from our home, as it changes with every season and every hour! So, if you want to appreciate something, try to pain it! Regardless of the outcome it is an amazing exercise in appreciating how amazing the natural world truly is. While all I really want to do is try to get better at painting clouds, Purim is coming up, so rather than wait until the last minute I'm going to whip up some quick decorations this week just in time for Rosh Chodesh Adar (the first day of the month of Adar) which in itself is a festive day as it ushers in the most joyful month on the calender! So wishing everyone a joyful new month and lots of success in harnessing that creativity! And now, speaking of creativity, lets take a look at those features from last week's party!

Thoughtful Gift Gifting: How To Choose The Perfect Gift For Every Occasion

With the Jewish holiday of Purim coming up, I am certainly thinking about gift giving, as an important part of the Purim celebration includes giving food gift baskets (mishloach manot) to friends, neighbors, teachers and those whom we want to honor or thank. Basically, the holiday gives us a chance to show our love and appreciation at a time when gift giving is the accepted thing to do!

Of course this gift giving does have a price tag, so when it comes to giving gifts, whether it be for Purim or any special occasion, putting thought into it can ensure that your money, no matter how much you spend, is truly well spent. Lets take a closer look at what makes a great gift and how you can choose (or make) the perfect one — every time!

Creative Gift Boxes From Recycled Food Packaging

With Purim coming up on the evening of March 10th (March 11th for those in Jerusalem) now is truly the time to start preparing for the holiday, right? I don't have any costumes to make this year, (as of right now) which means more time to think about everything else, meaning the gifts of food we give to a gazillion people (in my case really just about 15 neighbors and some important folks), the decorations for the house and the Purim meal for a crowd. In most families the kids give mishloach manot to their friends as well, which is where this post might come truly in handy. Start collecting food packaging that can be upcycled into creative containers and let the kids go to town. Or if you are like me, go to town yourself!

Okay, lets take a look at the possibilities, shall we?

Now Is The Time To Make Gift Tags For Purim, How About Fish?

Okay dear readers, it is time to face the facts, the Jewish holiday of Purim is coming up in less than three weeks, so now is the time to get started with the preparations! This year I think I'll start with the thing that I generally run out of time for at the end, gift tags! Yes indeed, start with the seemingly simplest thing, and believe me you will not regret it. In the flurry of preparing the mishloach manot (gifts of food), whether you do it on Purim or a few days ahead of time, having adorable gift tags on hand that you made yourself will be fantastic. And of course there are always last minute things to put together when someone arrives at your door with a gift for you and you need to quickly make one for them, right?

So check out my previous post how to make fish gift tags,  and whether you choose to actually make fish or maybe hamentaschen, or clown's hats, or little bottles of wine, or ..........just do it, and enjoy! And if none of the aforementioned ideas suit you, how about little house shapes, and you can write " from our home to yours." Again, just do it!

How To Make A Stunning River Table Without Investment Using Recycled Materials

Photo Credit: Boulder Wood Works on Etsy.com has reasonably prices tables and has received great reviews for those who are not DIY inclined!

River tables are all the rage, but what is a river table exactly? A river table consists of two basic materials: wood and epoxy resin, together with a base and/or legs of some kind. Wooden planks, and in this case recycled wooden planks, are laid lengthwise on each outer edge of the table, such that the space between the two pieces of wood is filled with epoxy resin, either colored or clear. The wood planks can be shaped on their inner edges to look more organic, and thus the section of resin looks like a river, hence the name. Epoxy resin river tables have gained popularity because of the variety of unique designs you can create when making a one-of-a-kind piece. The exotic beauty of the finished product attracts the interest of all those who see it, and it is both artful and useful!

There are many ways to design an epoxy resin river table: you can go conservative, sleek, natural, or choose to add color or even sparkle. Generally, creating an epoxy resin river table
without any color is attractive enough. But adding color to epoxy makes the furniture more aesthetically pleasing. So, if you want a more artistic and colorful resin table for your home,
you should start looking for the best way to color it. Also, it’s important to know that there are various methods to make your table eye-catching. These can include alcohol-based ink dye, resin
dye, acrylic paint and even glitters. However, if you don’t know what to do, you can check some reliable websites and other platforms to obtain information about how to colour epoxy resin.

On the other hand, you need to understand that making a stunning river table doesn’t always have to be challenging. According to River Table Guide by Resin-Expert.com you don’t have to be a professional to create your own river table. With materials readily available online, you really can create a river table in keeping with your own concept and personal style. And why not make use of materials that you’d thought about throwing out by including them in your river table?

If you are actually looking for a resin project that is an epoxy ocean coffee table, complete with a beach, I have a great source for you, that includes a great chart showing the 3 day process involved to make a gorgeous epoxy resin table. I'm a visual learner so the chart really spells it all out and makes the project easy to understand. You might even want to print the chart and include the whole family in the process. After each step is done you can cross it off. Epoxy projects do require patience though the results are worth the wait. Once you have mastered the new technique of creating an ocean epoxy resin table top, you can certainly opt to use various ocean embellishments such as: natural sand, rocks, shells, and much more. One-of-a-kind absolutely amazing resin artwork is a DIY that you can make in multiples to give as gifts or even sell! Of course if you fall in love with this idea, but don't have the time to DIY at the moment, you might consider purchasing an inexpensive ocean theme epoxy resin table from IntoResin.

Okay, epoxy resin is so exciting it is hard to stay on track, but lets get back to the subject of this post, which is how to make an epoxy river table. Let's do it!