creative jewish mom

Hebrew Calligraphy 101: A DIY Guide To Dorm Decor With Ancient Lettering

Above: Art created by Michel D'Anastasio   Check out his amazing Hebrew calligraphy art: https://www.flickr.com/photos/maltin75/ 

Hebrew calligraphy, with its intricate and elegant script, offers a unique way to bring a piece of history and culture into your personal space. Whether you are studying in Israel or just fascinated by using the Hebrew language to create art, learning to write Hebrew calligraphy is not only an artistic endeavor but also a way to connect deeply with a rich linguistic heritage. This art form can transform your dorm room into a personalized sanctuary of peace and reflection. And even if you don't end up making something worthy of hanging on your walls, engaging in Hebrew calligraphy can be a meditative practice that complements the rigorous demands of school life. Truthfully, I've been meaning to give it a go myself, and with the extra large sign lettering calligraphy pens creating dust, so lets do it together!

Notes To Self For Passover Next Year!

Above: A look at the shelves in my kitchen this Passover, where the art is usually displayed, and will return shortly!

Phew we made it, Passover is over, and the complete Passover set of dishes and pots and kitchen items is safely packed away until next year! The holiday was wonderful, but simply put went way to fast! This year I decided to make things more practical by emptying out fewer cabinets and therefore there was not need to send my mixer and other food items down to the basement, they stayed in a locked cabinet in the kitchen. And, because of this more practical approach and the fact that I bought a new stove just before Passover, out Passover clean up and packing up was completed in just 1 1/2 hours. Now, generally speaking, we would then have made the traditional Mofleta (Moroccan flat bread) but since we didn't have the ingredients and husband didn't feel like going out at 10:30 pm, and because in any case celebrations like the traditional Mimouna have been cancelled due to the war situation in our country, I didn't push it. Hopefully there will be peace next year and we will remember to set aside ingredients like butter and jam, that my daughter felt were needed in order to make the effort. (Many Moroccans make a nice selection of jams just to serve with the Mofleta after Passover!)

Okay, back to my list of things to buy ahead of time for next Passover! And a note to self, shop in January when things are all on sale, especially frying pans!

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday Passover edition! The week is going so very fast, with just one more day of Passover for those of us in Israel, (Passover is 8 days outside of Israel) and a day which like shabbat will be spent unplugged and celebrating the splitting of the Red Sea which allowed the Jewish people deliverance from Egypt, way back when, and also within each one of us each and every year since!

We celebrate the 7th day of Passover with a festive meal at night, rising at sunrise for morning prayer in the synagogue, a light breakfast with matza of course, a good nap, and then a festive afternoon meal. For the nighttime meal we are hosting a young family with 5 kids (one is a newborn) so I'll be decorating the table with my silver corrugated cardboard waves and I'll be folding the napking like pyramids, but that is about it for the craftiness, as there is still more food to prepare and a nap before the holiday would be nice as well!

Okay friends, I'll admit I'm looking forward to starting a new counting the Omer project and getting some painting time in once Passover is complete, and the Passover dishes and kitchen stuff is packed away, namely on Tuesday! And I do think I'll include a few tp roll pinatas, just for fun! Okay, enjoy the features from last week's party!

Alternative Transportation For Busy Parents

As a involved and caring parent, you're likely always looking for ways to connect with your children and build your connection. Now that the weather permits, getting outdoors, even for just a few hours is one way to spend quality time together. While traditional bike riding is a great way to slow down a bit, and get some exercise, it might not be for everyone, so another option is long tail bikes, just do remember to include some exercise in your outing! Longtail bikes are an excellent form of alternative transportation that lessens your dependence on high-emission vehicles while promoting outdoor exploration. Spending time outdoors is one of the best things you can do for your children's physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Let's explore how switching to a long tail bicycle can benefit your family and help you spend more time together.

Sedum Adolphi Succulent Blooms In Northern Israel

We've just done some much needed painting and re-plastering on some of the exterior property walls of our home, which involved me moving a collection of succulents in window box planters. And since those said planters actually made a huge mess on the wall where they were perched I will not be returning them to that spot, rather they have moved to my upstairs porch, where truthfully I'll get to enjoy them so much more, as they are just outside my bedroom window, and on the porch where we sit to enjoy the view, have an occassional barbeque and hang laundry.

In previous years when the succulents bloomed I did notice, but didn't really get to enjoy the process as the plants were in an area that is a set up stairs up from the rest of my container garden, meaning I only see it when I leave the house and go in that direction by foot.  Truthfully I was trying to beautify that area, but now I'll be doing it with several large pots of Yucca and Oleander instead which won't harm the newly painted walls, and actually looks even better. So that said, now that the succulents are close by, I'm enjoying their spring flowering, and especially the lovely white flowers of my Sedum Adolphi plant. There is just something so wonderful about blooming succulents (and cacti, of course) so enjoy my photos and think about including some succulents in your life, they are so easy to care for, and can be started from cuttings from friends and family, and with some patience they can grow to be quite large! This sedum adolphi is actually the result of cuttings I took from the garden of a dear friend who passed away about ten years ago, and look at it now!

Great Looking Copper Colored Succulent Called Sedum Adolphi

While I just love this succulent pot of mine, I'll admit until just now I did not know what it was called! And friends, simply upload a photo of a plant to google images, which then finds similar images enabling you to identify the plant, so simple and such a time saver! Okay, now that i know that this beauty of a succulent is called Sedum Adolphi, I can sing its praises! What do I love about it? First of all the unique color and second of all because its growth, at least in my case is very compact and stays looking amazing with virtually no care!

Bougainvillea Now In Bloom In My Northern Israel Container Garden

One of my favorite plants, and one that makes a huge statement in my Northern Israel container garden is the Bougainvillea vine, which always pleases! Because we can get quite cold winters, the only Bougainvillea that really is hardy, especially in a container, without a doubt, is the magenta pink one, and that is just fine, because it is truly gorgeous! Here I've photographed for you the very first bloom of the year, which happens after a leafless winter of dormancy, and while these flowers will just keep on blooming for the next 6 months or so it is exciting to see them come back to life.

For those who live in snowy locations, Bougainvillea can be grown as a houseplant, or wintered in a greenhouse, or maybe just plan lots of trips to the Mediterranean, or Northern California (funny enough, where I'm from.....) where bougainvillea also does quite well. Ah yes, and Southern California as well and I'm guessing Arizona and New Mexico. What ever you decide to do, I do recommend including some Bougainvillea in your life, maybe in the form of a future painting of mine, hmmm?

DIY Passover Seder Ten Plagues Cards Craft

Our huge investment in the wonderful holiday of Passover is about to pay off when we sit down together at the Passover Seder table tomorrow night, phew! Almost there with of course lots of cooking left to do, but things are mostly under control with just last minute errands and household organizing to do. And of course, Passover wouldn't be Passover without a little something fun for the kids at the Passover Seder table, so this year I've created three sets of ten plagues cards that are just as cute as can be, and of course can be saved for years to come! And friends, this was also a recycling craft for me, as I used the metallic gold cardboard trays that were left at my door by an anonymous neighbor cleaning out their cabinets! Okay, ready to make some of your own cards, and yes maybe in the future there will be a printable, but for now you can simply download some clip art, right?

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, thanks so much for joining me here! With the Passover seder coming on Monday night, most folks have finished the major task of converting their kitchens into Passover kitchens and what remains, for those celebrating at home and possibly hosting a crowd, is the cooking! In Israel, phew, we only have one Passover Seder and one day of Yom Tov/Chag that involves unplugging, so that does mean a but less food prep, but I try to cook most of the meals for the second half of Passover as well and freeze them. I'm starting tonight with some of the Moroccan salad prep, some of which I can freeze, and hope to finish all the cooking, tomorrow, Sunday. With my daughter in charge of desserts, that means I can do some last minute cleaning/organizing, table decor, and of course a craft or two for the seder, hopefully, (and maybe a nap?) and then share on the blog, okay gotta run, enjoy the features from last week's party!

Your Guide to Booking the Perfect Fishing Charter

What does the subject of fishing charters have to do with creativity? Well my friends, not everyone who goes on a fishing charter in interested in fishing, maybe they'd rather sketch, or even crochet while the others fish? And of course, with the eight day (outside of Israel) Passover holiday quickly approaching, those who might be spending the holiday in exotic or beach locations might want to plan a special family outing, and I'd say chartering a boat could be an amazing way to spend a day together!

That said, welcome to a comprehensive guide on booking the perfect fishing charter for an unforgettable angling adventure. Whether you're an experienced angler or a beginner, we're here to help you navigate the process and choose the best fishing charter that matches your dream catch. Booking a fishing charter is the key to unlocking the thrill and excitement of a successful fishing trip. With the right charter, you'll have access to prime fishing locations, expert guidance, and the necessary equipment to maximize your chances of landing a trophy fish.

But with so many options available, how do you ensure you're making the right choice? That's where our guide comes in. We'll walk you through the factors to consider, the qualities to look for in a captain and crew, and everything else you need to know to make an informed decision. So, if you're ready to embark on an angling adventure that will leave you with lasting memories, let's learn how to book the perfect fishing charter.