creative jewish mom

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Welcome back to Craft Schooling Sunday, and thanks so much for joining me here! I really needed that two month break as my art practice and instagram feed @sara.rivka.dahan has added more to my already full basket, and it is not always possible to do it all! That said, this party is near and dear to my heart, so the party must go on, and I appreciate each and every one of you. The features from last week's party are as always inspiration packed, so take advantage of those long winter nights and pick up a crochet hook, some knitting needles or take out that sewing machine, sketchbook, or even the resin! And now, for the features from last week's party, enjoy!

Welcome Back To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Phew, Craft Schooling Sunday is back after a 2 month vacation, and looking forward to reconnecting with everyone! I am opening the party right now, with no features as not quite sure what to feature, so welcome back and feel free to share up to 5 projects so we can see what you've been up to!

How To Get Smart With Our Smart Home Automation Guide!

Do you travel often and need to keep track of your home's security from afar? Or maybe you have an airbnb and you want to change the code to the front door after every guest? How about a watering system for the garden, that you can control with an app? A heating system that is outdoor temperature sensitive? It is true, a simple timer on your home's circuit board can turn lights on and off at set times, but a smart burglar might realize that that lights always go on at exactly the same minute, so maybe varying when the lights go on, from afar is the best way to go about it? These are just a few examples of ways to streamline your life with smart home automation! And just by the way, the terms "smart home", "home automation" and "home control system" are interchangeable terms that generally mean the same thing, namely a "smart" system that gives you automated and intuitive control of home amenities such as music, lighting, security, surveillance, climate, window treatments and more.

Okay, maybe I've peaked your interest regarding an automated home but don't know where to start? This Smart Home Automation Guide for Beginners is a great way to get started and up your knowledge and your game in just one article! Okay, let's get started, now is the time to get smart!

DIY Stand Up Cardboard Fish For The Jewish Month Of Adar!

It is now the Jewish month of Adar, the month in which we celebrate the festive holiday of Purim.......well sort of! This year is leap year, and because our Jewish calendar is lunar and gets off track quite quickly, we actually insert an entire month (not a day!) into our calendar, and that month is Adar, well, a second Adar, I know wacky, but it works! So, usually when the month of Adar arrives it means Passover is in just a month and a half, but this year, phew, it is in 2 1/2 months, so there is a bit of room to breathe. That said, now is a great time to start thinking about Purim, which we celebrate in the 2nd Adar, meaning there is time to get those creative gears turning! Lets start with some fun fish, since the fish is the symbol for the month of Adar! I have dusted this off from the archives, and here is what I wrote a few years back:

The cardboard fish centerpieces I made for our community Purim party were a hit, and now I get to use them to decorate our house for Purim, coming up quickly next week. I don't think I'll use all ten of them, then again, a school of fish swimming down my Purim table could be lots of fun, right? I'll get out the blue tablecloths and take it from there.....maybe I'll make some milk carton boats or use some plastic ones and do a whole ocean themed table.......I guess it all depends on how quickly the costumes go this year, and how many guests we'll be having. At this moment I'm so happy to have some new decorations and a theme to work with, and Purim  isn't for another nine days or so (next Wednesday night, with the festive meal happening on Thursday.) And so for once the holiday may just come in without having to loose any sleep, yippee! Want to make some quick cardboard fish centerpieces? Lets get started......

White Daisies That Fill Containers Year After Year!

I'll admit, my poor container garden, while quite large, does get neglected now and again, and I have mostly filled pots with large plants that perform well with low effort on my part! The lemon tree that I've had for a good ten years at least, generally looks good, though it looks even better when the bottom of the pot is filled with something in bloom. Hello daisies, look at them now! (Well actually in November.) While I don't know the name of these particular daisies, they are small and grow in rounded clusters, and in our climate, despite some near freezing temperatures, they reseed and come back every year! It does take quite a few months to get this full look, but who can complain? So friends, next time you decide you need some flowers in your life, say to fill the bottom of a pot holding a tall tree of some kind, give daisies a try! If you go for daisies that stay relatively small like these, you can always up root them, and overwinter them indoors or in a green house. There were years when my pot was filled with pink daisies, that reseeded themselves, but somehow the white ones took over, and of course I can't complain as long as there are flowers!

Here in Israel, we are not planting as it is the shemittah year, the year in which we let the fields rest (and so too our gardens) but right after Rosh HaShana, I'll be running to the nursery! Mostly to replace a lemon verbena bush the husband drowned a few months ago, sadly, and one that I left out when it was way too cold for it......and such is life! Keep on reading for another photo of my daisies!