creative jewish mom

A Simple Counting The Omer Journal Page

Today is day 22 of the Omer, and I might be behind on this journal page! It is true, I embarked on a counting the omer art journal project last year, which is wonderful and so interesting, but sometimes you might just want a really really simple way to count the omer, even if you are doing something else more complicate to boot. Or not? A very simple painted pattern that you then fill in with numbers as the 49 days progress is a first for me, but I plan to do this every year, as it is just simple and gets the job done, in a creative way! And when you do it in your sketchbook, maybe you'll be inclined to fill up some of the other pages as well? I can't recommend a sketchbook practice enough, whether it be watercolor, collage, doodling, lettering, pick one, or all of them and do it, you'll thank me!

How To Make A Simple Folder To Hold Your Pastel Drawings

If you follow me on instagram on my art account @sara.rivka.dahan, then you certainly know that I'm on a journey to make 100 5" x 7" oil pastel drawings/paintings. (If you don't follow me, please do, I need you!) More on that later, the big question is, what to do with them all, especially since pastel is gooey and sort of wet for years, unless sealed, which is another story. So, lets just say that all the pastel drawings are not sealed, because why invest in that (time, money and toxins) when you are learning right? Yes you could sandwich each piece in a piece of tracing or parchment paper, or tape something like that to the piece, but then what? I came up with this quick folder to store your work, using items you may even have on hand. Well if you live in Israel and have or had school age children, you certainly have this on hand, as this is made from school binder paper, and here that means half of an A4 sheet size, which is perfect for my 5" x 7' works of well, gulp, art?

Passover Pyramid Craft From A Cereal Box!

 
With Passover arriving this coming Saturday night, now is the time to fit in some last minute crafting in anticipation of this wonderful holiday, and possibly keep the kids busy with a crafting station so you can finish, or continue all the holiday preparations! The essence of the holiday is to tell the story of the Jews deliverance from Egypt to the children, so getting kids involved with decorations and hand made items to celebrate and absorb this game changing history of the Jewish people is really really important!

I have been wanting to make cardboard pyramids for a few years, and while I didn't quite realize my dreams this year, I did at least make one artful cereal box pyramid, which by the way depicts the plague of hail, which was both fire and ice, so hail can certainly be pink! I love the results (though it was questionable at first) and I wish I had time to make more. Next year I'll have to make them in January! Nothing says Egypt and slavery like the pyramids, so be sure to include them in your holiday decor. A line of pyramids running down the table would be stunning! Okay, time is of the essence, lets learn how to make some of these, pronto!

Whimsical Botanical Doodle With Color And Tiny Birds!

Right about now is a great time to take a minute and sketch or doodle something that says spring! And what could be more spring than botanicals and mama bird feeding her baby? My instagram followers (follow me here) loved this illustration, so I thought I'd share it with you, my dear blog readers! I am enjoying filling up my A4 sketchbook, though I'll admit I haven't added much lately as I've been working primarily with oil pastels that I'd have to then tape into the sketchbook and protect with a piece of tracing paper. And that sketchbook is already busting at the seams as I used many of the pages for acrylic painting, so for now I've got to stick to drawing and maybe gouche. Or something like this botanical doodle that does include paint, but just one layer. Want to delve into something like this yourself? It is always helpful to know what supplies were used, as that takes away the mystery, well sometimes! Okay, lets find out how I created this, shall we?

Whimsical Bear Portraits Make Perfect Party Decor!

As you may realize, I have been delving into drawing and painting and sketchbooking and art journaling more than actual crafts this past year, but that does not mean that our house is suddenly lacking festive decorations, infact just the opposite. Because dear friends, brightly colored or whimsical paintings, whether on paper or in my case milk cartons and boxes make really wonderful party decor, come on by and take a look! These fun bear portraits are now part of my kitchen gallery shelves display, and I even taped a few to boxes so they can stand up. They would make amazing gift tags (they work up quickly, and the quicker the better!) or adorable greating cards, or once you get the hang of it, why not a huge portrait on your front door for Purim? Yes, Purim is coming up in a week, yikes, and a painting session to create some whimsical bears is certainly in order! Give your bears some added accessories, like the ones I've shown or maybe even a crown, or a birthday cake or a little bird? To give credit where credit is due, this idea is from Cottonwood Artistry, on instagram here, who actually posted an amazing how-to video on a private Facebook group, and I'm hoping she'll share it with the world, in which case I'll let you know! Okay, lets take a closer look......

Paint And Doodle Heart Birds!

After filling many pages in my sketchbook with layered heart paintings, covering a cardboard box with graffiti hearts, and even making an actual layered hearts painting on canvas, the natural progression might be to start seeing things in those heart shapes, and what did I see? Why birds of course, because there are plenty of birds around here lately because of the #28featheredfriends instagram challenge I'm doing! I had hoped to have time to do an actual tutorial on this one with individual hearts, but there just isn't time for that right now, so I'm showing you the page in my sketchbook, now called "flash mob doodle birds" and I'm quite sure you can take it from there. These heart shaped birds would look great on a card, a gift tag, or even a tote bag or t-shirt, right? If you choose to create them on paper, why not do it on a large sheet that you can then cut up into smaller pieces? Okay, let's take a closer look!

Doodle Fish Gift Tags

Okay dear readers, it is time to face the facts, the Jewish holiday of Purim is coming up in exactly two 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, (more likely this year as Purim is on Friday!) 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!

Trees In Bloom On A Milk Carton Craft!

Tonight is the wonderful Jewish holiday of Tu B'Shevat, so it is time to get crafting, either to create decor for the holiday, or as an activity to honor the holiday. After all, whimical paintings of trees in bloom gracing milk cartons is something one can certainly enjoy for a good few months? I just love painting on milk cartons because the results are ready to display and honestly it is just so darn cute, and unexpected, a great combination! Last week I shared milk carton row houses with heart graffiti, and now I'm sharing almond trees in bloom painted on the rejects from the previous project, which is a perfect way to go! And the truth is I started painting whimsical almond trees in bloom on paper, check it out here, and then I started to explore the topic further on milk cartons. In case you are wondering, this painting on milk carton trend is not likely to disappear any time soon, I'm already thinking about Purim, the next Jewish holiday! Okay, but first things first, lets take a look at how to go about painting blooming fruit trees on milk cartons!

Folk Art Trees In Bloom Doodle Painting

Looking for a fun tree doodle, that is simple with great results, and that you could even use as a Tu B'Shevat craft? These folk art doodle trees are sweet as can be, and look great as is, on paper, but one could also draw them on cereal box cardboard and use them for a garland or napkin rings, or how about a grove of stand up folk art doodle trees? This was a first for me, and I have to admit, the last time I tried to doodle trees in my sketchbook, sometime last May, I failed completely, but I just had to get back up on the horse, and this time, yippee, I've already filled six pages in my sketchbook with doodle trees and I am thrilled! And after all the acrylic paintings I've been doing in the same sketchbook, I need to do a whole bunch of pages that aren't so paint laden, and this is a good start! I have actually taken photos of these doodles in progress in order to do a small tutorial, so lets get started!

Simple Doodle Trees Painting For Tu B'Shevat

Tu B'Shevat, the Jewish New Year for fruit bearing trees is this coming Wednesday night, so now is the time to make some simple tree-themed crafts to fill your home with joy! We are fortunate to live in Israel where we witness the blooming of the very first fruit tree, the almond tree, right around the holiday, so the holiday is especially anticipated. This first sign of spring in the dead of winter is something very special. and certainly brings great joy to those of us who are paying attention. Of course school children celebrate this event and there is a song in hebrew about the blooming of the almond trees, but it is something special for every age. I generally photography the blooming almond trees each year, so stay tuned for that. In the mean time, lets get started with tree themed crafts by making a simple doodle tree painting, that you can enjoy just for the sake of creating something, or use as a sign, or even cut out the trees to make a garland, or napkin rings, or place cards for your Tu B'Shevat seder! Okay, time is of the essence, lets get started!