creative jewish mom

Craft Schooling Sunday Is Taking A Break, Be Back August 8th!

Thanks for stopping by, taking a summer break from all things computer related, as I spend time with family for the first time in 2 years! Looking forward to reconnecting on August 8th, when the party will resume. Have a wonderfully creative summer!

DIY Birthday Centerpiece With Pink Apples!

For my daughter's 19th birthday on the last day of the Jewish month of Tammuz (fortunately just before the 9 day of mourning, during which time I could not throw a festive party no matter how simple.) I needed to make something new to shower her with a bit of love, and the painted apples that I made back in September 2020 for Rosh HaShana, are still looking just as cute as can be and make great party decor. Check out my tutorial here. Plus I made quite a large quantity in a few colors and just the pink ones alone filled this glass footed bowl, and of course looked right on he mark with the pink botanical birthday number centerpiece. But how to make the bowl of apples birthday specific? Ah yes, a little brush lettering sign, of course. So I got out my brush marker, and having practiced brush lettering a bit, I just winged it, and a perfect little birthday message appeared on the painted background, phew! Want to make something like this too? I highly recommend it, because once you've got festive apples, the whole mood is just downright happy!

IKEA Hack Birthday Centerpiece With Botanical Doodle

One of my greastest pleasures is DIY birthday decorations, and depending on how much time I happen to have, the decorations might be something altogether new, or possibly a mix of new and repurposed from previous birthdays or holidays. And of course, since IKEA is my personal go to for props, these birthday displays may very well include something from my favorite big box Swedish store, since we have one just an hour from our home in Northen Israel. I try not to go there unless absolutely necessary, as I end up buying a whole bunch of things that I just "need" and you know how that goes! I'm shopping deprived, and I love it, but can make the trip to IKEA a bit difficult. Lest I digress, back the the birthday decor!

My daughter's birthday which in on the last day of the Jewish month of Tammuz is during summer vacation, and we have often celebrated away from home.....2 years it was just my husband and daughter and I n a little cabin on the shores of Lake Siljan, with a wild flower bouquet that was beyond! I was scampering around the garden trying to cut flowers without her noticing! You can check out that wildflower birthday bouquet here. This year despite being incredibly busy I knew I had to put in a few hours at least to make something from the heart, so I figured I'd add a black and white botanical doodle number like the ones here, to the growing collection. But then I made a big smudge on one of the numbers and realized I had no choice but to try something new, like adding color! I do love the festive results, and am grateful for that smudge! (Keep reading, I documented it!) Want to try one too, keep on reading, you can do it!

Craft Schooling Sunday Is Taking A Break, Be Back August 8th!

Today is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, so while I could certainly have started this party with automatic post, it just wouldn't be respectful of this important day. This year the holiday called The Ninth of Av (T'Isha B'Av) falls on Sunday. From Saturday night just as soon as shabbat ended, until Sunday night, we are observing a 25 hour fast, and a day of mourning. There are many laws regarding this day, and the laws become increasingly lenient towards the end of the fast, though of course eating/drinking are not permitted unless one is ill, within a few days after birth, or under the age of 12girls/13boys.

So dear readers, I am taking a summer break with this wonderful party, and will be back on August 8th. Wishing everyone a creative summer!

Rembering Jerusalem Doodles

With Tisha B'Av, the Ninth of Av, quickly approaching, doing some crafting that is relevant to the time period is a must! it is true, there are all kinds of laws whose observance helps us not to forget, but the greatest reminder is to quite simply to get busy thinking about Jerusalem, and I'm here to help you with that! There is something about doodling that is just perfect for summer, and anyone can do it, so I thought that coming up with doodle patterns that depict Jerusalem would be perfect right about now. I've chosen to use Jerusalem domed houses and buildings, cypress trees and the stones of the Kotel as my doodling elements, though I'm sure you can some up with some more. So doodle a bunch of pages, and then color them, and/or set them aside to use for crafting. What crafting you may ask? Stay tuned for that one my dear readers!

Remembering Jerusalem Crafts For The Nine Days

The period of mourning for Jerusalem that is referred to as "The Nine Days" on the Jewish calendar is well underway and this year The Ninth of Av, the culmination of this period, actually falls on shabbat but will be observed on Sunday. Lets add some meaning to this important time with some creative crafts! For those of us who live in Israel, and for whom the idea of Jerusalem is real, the crafts are a great reminder that while it is summer vacation (my boys are actually still in school until the end of this week ) and a time to unwind from the pressures of the school year, we mustn't forget that it still a time for reflection. For those living outside of Israel, I'd say filling the house with crafts for the nine days is crucial to stress its importance.......so let's get crafting. Below you'll find more than enough links to keep you busy for the few days, no problem!

DIY Magic Wand Birthday Cake (In A Pinch!)

Simple and cute birthday cakes are my trademark, and truly the only kind of birthday cake that fits into my schedule, and suits my cake decorating abilities! I prefer to spend time on decorations that we can enjoy long after the birthday celebration rather than on a cake that looks great on the table, but of course gets eaten! For my daughter's 19th birthday, I had thought of making a watermelon cake, but realized at the last minute, that although she is 19, she still wants the same feeling of Mommy making her a birthday cake, even if she doesn't eat any of it! So while Mommy has largely exited the realm of baking, she did whip up the family classic quick and great tasting chocolate cake, while her daughter was sleeping, and then hid he cake in her office to decorate later, with a combo of decorations she already had on hand (par for the course!) I used my floral sketch cake toppers, my paper cloud gouche illustration cake toppers and the mini origami stars, that have been sitting in a jar waiting to be enjoyed! The magic wand idea was a last minute thought, and I think was a nice element, not to mention new!

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, bzz bzz bzz! Summer is the perfect time to act like a bee, namely take time to smell the roses, but also get busy with all those creative projects you've been wanting to fit into your schedule! Craft outdoors, include nature crafts in your day, take a sketchbook and paint or draw on location, wow, so many possibilities! The main thing is to not spend too much time planning but rather doing! So lets take a look at those features and wishing everyone a wonderful summer!

DIY Boho Fringed Placemats For Summer Entertaining

I have pulled this post out of the archives because it is a keeper, and I'm still enjoying my DIY boho place mats, which are great indoors or outdoors, and perfect for that little extra something this summer! Enjoy! And I just had the thought that these could also be great for the Succah, so why not plan ahead!

I love t-shirt yarn, and have been thinking about using it for macrame and embroidery, not just crocheting! Industrial-waste t-shirt yarn also supports eco-consciousness, as it is made from odds and ends of fabric left after the pieces for making clothing is cut from the yardage. What I found after making these fringed and embroidered place mats/wall hangings is that t-shirt yarn is a great way to add color to a project that might have called for rope of some kind, and it works great for fringe, tassels (see my t-shirt yarn tassels) and more. So if you're looking for a simple and stylish summer project, this is it! These place mats work great placed on round side tables or outdoor tables or anywhere to add some flare our protect a wooden surface. Ah yes, and of course you can easily make some wall hangings, which I truly am going to do as I have a bunch more of these place mats to craft with!

Horses At The Top Of Mount Meron

Ever experienced something totally unexpected, and then an even more unexpected something comes along to completely blow your mind? That is exactly what happened this past Passover, on a family outing, as we first discovered this stunning rain pool on the top of Mount Meron, that had gone totally beneath our radar despite living not that far from it, and then, in this isolated mountaintop location with red soil, and breathtaking views, all to ourselves, a horse show? A very memorable afternoon for our family, and I also took some wonderful portraits of the kids, to boot.

I you are wondering about the boy in the photo, he is a Druze Israeli and lives in Beit Jaan, a Druze village not far from this location. He is wearing traditional Druze pants and a white skull cap. Religious Druze people have their own very specific dress code which distinguishes them from everyone else. There are around 150,000 Druze people in Israel, and they are citizens generally, and the boys serve in the army, and we work together. It is true that the greatest Druze populations live in Lebanon and Syria, with whom we are not at peace, so that can get sticky, but generally it's all good. Druze are not Muslim by the way, and their history is very interesting, look it up, I just did!

Okay, back to the story of the horses.......come along with me!