creative jewish mom

A DIY Birthday Crown For Every Age

In our home a birthday just isn't a birthday without a birthday crown! Well, except for my birthday, as I have yet to make one for myself! As it turns out, these colorful and very simply birthday crowns, that can truly be made in around ten minutes if need be, are great photo props, and of course you can always take a few photos after the party at some point, just as long as the birthday girl/boy/man/woman agrees to wear the crown! If you really want to go all out, you can also make crowns for everyone, with the birthday crown being just a big bigger and maybe more decorated, and by putting the crowns at every place setting at the table the party decor is also greatly enhanced. Plus, once everyone puts on their crown it really does feel like a party! I did this once with toilet paper tube crowns, and of course that was quite silly and lots of fun, so do give the idea of crowns all around a try, regardless of which crowns you choose. Okay, lets make a simple DIY birthday crown, shall we?

Simple DIY Polka Dot Balloons

Looking for a super simple way to transform inexpensive helium balloons in to something special for a party? Polka dot balloons are so simple to make and can be made with a wide variety of materials, so keep this in mind next time you are thinking about how to enhance the party decor you've just whipped up for a special someone! I made these pastel polka dot balloons for my daughter's 18th birthday a few weeks ago and they really did look amazing, especially given the minimal time investment. And just by the way, a few helium balloons tied to a base of some kind can make a wonderful and very cost conscious centerpiece for a wide variety of occassions, especially for example bar mitzvah centerpieces, bat mitzvah centerpieces, family reunion centerpieces, brit milah centerpieces and more of course. I was looking for an airy bright look so I choose white balloons, but you can certainly go with a dark colored balloon and white or metallic polka dots, which could look festive and sophisticated and downright amazing! Okay, lets delve into polka dot balloons just a bit deeper.....

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, thanks so much for joining me here! Here we are in the middle of August, and the vacation island is about to end, well at least for two of my teens, one is starting school on Sunday (this is not a weekend day for us here in Israel, waaah) and the second a week later at the beginning of the Jewish month of Elul. It looks like my daughter won't be starting back until after Succot, so likely in another 2 months or so, which means more time to work on photography (in addition to college entrance exams) and guitar, which she's just picked up after years of piano lessons. I have been trying to fit some web design work into my schedule as well as designing a nursery (so much fun!) in the midst of our quasi summer vacation, and truthfully looking forward to some kind of schedule once the boys go back to school, having been home for five months. Not complaining we are grateful for our health, and I really enjoyed this family time, which even included some pockets of creativity with the teens! Speaking of creativity, lets take a look at the features from last week's party:

How To Add A Dutch Door Cover Page To Your Sketchbook

In case anyone thought that filling a sketchbook was about page after page of blank canvases that are all the same, guess again, there are so many ways one can customize the pages of a sketchbook or journal by adding cutouts! Imagine that? I recently turned a page into a frame for the artwork underneath it, and one can do this in so many ways, with craft punches or simply using a craft knife and ruler, or, yes, quite simply scissors! Another way to customize a sketchbook or journal, and especially a bullet journal, is to work with the idea of the dutch door, namely cutting a page, or pages, in half horizontally, and possibly even removing one of the portions. There are many ways to go with this idea, and I have given the vertical dutch door (not really a thing, but hey we can get creative can't we?) botanical silhouette idea a try, and it is truly so simple and adds interest that is simply not achievable in any other way. A vertical dutch door makes a great title page if you are dividing your journal according to months, or is just a fun way to play with juxtaposition of sketches. I love how the strip of geometric doodles peeks out from the next page, and invites one to turn the page! So lets take a closer look at this fun way to add interest to your sketchbook or journal.....

How To Draw A Camelia And Keep On Drawing Them And Drawing Them......

Want to draw something really quite simple and totally relaxing? Give this camelia (if that is what it is?) flower sketch a try, and if you are like me, you will not be able to stop drawing this flower! I first saw this fun flower on a greeting card that I shared in the features on craft schooling sunday, here, and since it was unlike the other flowers I'd drawn in my sketchbook,  I thought I'd give it a try. And then I added a bunch of little leaves and branches, and voila, a whole page in my large sketchbook came to life! And then I drew more and more and more, and I even drew a large camelia in front of a mountain, which you can see if you keep on reading.....But first I must say, I suddenly feel like drawing this flower again, but I'll change that little thing in the middle to something that looks more like the stamens in the middle of a camelia, stay tuned, but first take a look at the rest of the pages I drew!

A Peek In My Sketchbook: Simple Geometric Doodles

Simple geometric doodles that might also be called, in some cases, origami doodles, are so sweet, and perfect to practice in your sketchbook. Once you've mastered a simple doodle, such as a geometric pineapple, you can use it in so many ways. I'm picturing geometric pineapple placecards, gift tags, notes to kids in lunch bags, you name it! A folded paper airplane doodle is also really fun and useful, and while the origami crane doodle is a bit more difficult, that too can be used time and time again. So delve into geometric doodles, and enjoy, Ah yes, they'd be perfect for wrapping paper or decorating plain gift boxes as well! Enjoy!

Tips for Boosting Your Child’s Self-Confidence

Above: Build self esteem with crafts! We did this project above here,for Rosh HaShana, but it could be done anytime to send a basket full of wishes to friends and family!

Building and nurturing a child's self esteem is an often overlooked aspect of early childhood parenting, and yet it is so incredibly important! Studies have shown that self esteem can be established as early as 5 years old, according to the Washington Post, and parents as well as care givers play a very important rule in helping every child build the self-confidence that will serve them well for a lifetime.

With just a bit of forethought, there are many simple ways to help your child feel confident and proud, especially in their day-to-day activities, which in turn influences their future. Sounds a bit scary, namely the crucial role we play as parents, but regarding self confidence, at least, it is really isn't difficult, and might be simpler than you think. The first step is awareness, and the second step is implementation, which you can start today. Of course many of the tips are things you are quite likely already doing, but it is great to do them with awareness. You can do it, and you'll kick yourself later if you don't make an effort now, so lets keep on reading.

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, thanks so much for joining me here! Summer is in full swing, and since we are usually in the USA during this period, there is something I've discovered for the first time this year with my kids, and that is that teens are perfectly capable of making their own plans with friends for outings and even overnight trips, (here in Israel the country is small and bus travel is safe, so kids get used to traveling from north to south to visit family at a fairly young age, often with someone keeping an eye on them) so the anxiousness regarding what we will be doing during this vacation period is simply non-exhistent, phew! I do hope we'll take some family trips, but without the pressure from the kids I can just calmly figure out where to go and when. Personally I'd rather stay home and paint or sketch, or try out my new gelli plate, since this is actually the worst time of year to go anywhere as the whole country is basically on vacation.

I've been delving into the idea of making succah decorations now, when there is time, and I've made a bunch of plastic bag pom poms, and I have a huge number of plastic techina bottles waiting for their turn in the spotlight. Washing out all the containers is a bit of a headache, but I'm gonna do it, as those containers have taken over an entire kitchen cabinet, with more in boxes in the basement! I also had fleeting thought about using the gelli plate to print some fabric panels for the succah, which would be wonderful, but then again I already have many options fabric wise, so maybe my time would be better spent elsewhere, like simply making some printed wall hangings to sell? Okay, we won't go there right now, instead lets get inspired by all the great features from last week's party, including one pumpkin themed recycling craft! (Because crafting ahead of time is the best......) Enjoy!

Woven Plastic Bottle Baskets Are Fun, Practical And Waterproof!

I am reposting this original craft idea that I posted four years ago, as it just seems like the perfect craft right about now, especially if you've followed my advice and started to make some plastic bag yarn! Okay, enjoy!

I am so excited to share with you this recycled craft that is made entirely of recycled materials, with the exception of hot glue! Let me introduce a fun craft project for all ages: woven plastic bottle baskets using plastic bags. These little baskets are perfect for Purim or any of your spring celebrations, and so much fun to make! I used 1.5 liter soda bottles as that is what we have on hand, but certainly one can make much larger baskets using much larger bottles. So gather up those plastic bags, and those recycled bottles and lets get started! Oh, and just by the way, I also made some 'grass" by cutting up plastic bags into tiny pieces!

How To Make Yarn From Recycled Plastic Bags

Summer is a great time to get the family interested in recycling crafts, and this week I've been teaching a few of my kids, as well as my husband (!!!) how to use recycled plastic bags to make yarn, otherwise know as "plarn." As you can likely imagine I've been hoarding colored and even white/clear bags for quite a while now, as one needs quite a few bags to make something like a plastic bag pom pom.

Unfortunately where I live some stores charge for bags, but that is about as far as we've gotten with plastic bag consciousness, which means using them for crafts is a very good thing to do, at least if they do make it to the garbage they'll already be much less harmful as little pieces, possibly? If you are fortunate to live in a place like my home state of California where I'm quite sure plastic bags are scarce, not to worry, there is still plenty of plastic lurking in those online deliverys, the bag that holds the toilet paper, and even frozen veggie bags. Just about any kind of plastic bag is fair game, and even the more crinkly ones like those that hold pretzels can be cut into strips (rather than making yarn) and used to make pom poms as well! Okay, I'll admit I've not yet tryed using a frozen veggie bag or the bag that holds the toilet paper, but I did just save one, so stay tuned for that!

Want to learn how to make "plarn", let's do it!