creative jewish mom

Watercolor Blue And White Vases With Flowers

Summer is the perfect time to delve into something new, and if you can take it with you, all the better! So friends, consider starting a sketchbook, keeping in mind that it is about creative growth not perfection, and I can promise you, it is a very very worthwhile journey, and so very satisfying, trust me! This watercolor paper sketchbook of mine was started two years ago on a vacation in Sweden, and I have been slowly adding art to the pages, most recently, art created with watercolors, ahhhhh. And guess what friends, if you don't like the results, so paint an acrylic paint painting over it, and voila, that watercolor painting gone wrong is old news. The main thing is to use your sketchbook to tell the tale of your creative journey, which can be so many things! If you'd like to start but not sure where, how about some sweet blue and white vessels filled with flowers, or not? This is a perfect subject for beginners, because wonky vases and flowers with interesting shapes might be that much more interesting! Okay, lets get started!

Simple Watercolor Feathers To Paint Today, For Lag B'Omer!

Tonight we welcome the festive holiday of Lag B'Omer, so why not carve out a tiny window of time to paint some watercolor feathers? It is true Lag B'Omer generally brings to mind images of bonfires and bows and arrows, but I'd say feathers, which are used to write the Torah, and certainly the Zohar, originally, are a perfect symbol as well! Plus, feathers are just so fun to paint, and I ended up filling two pages in my watercolor journal with them, and can't wait to paint more, next time in a mix of rainbow colors or pastels, we'll just have to wait and see! If I had the time I'd paint some of these on watercolor paper and cut them out to hang anywhere, so lovely! Wishing everyone an amazing Lag B'Omer! Keep on reading for simple painting instructions!

A Peek In My Sketchbook

Summer is almost here, which means it is time to start a new creative practice, even if just for a few months. I suggest getting a sketchbook and working in it daily, whether it be drawing, painting, writing and drawing, collage, you name it. There is something about a sketchbook that just works for so many, and so while I am still quite new at it, I will take the advice of those much more experienced in the realm of art and illustration. Last summer I devoted three weeks or so to painting and drawing in this sketchbook everyday, and I saw progress. I'll admit once back to everyday life, I was not able to keep up sketchbook, but am looking forward to it once again. This time I've purchased some sketchbooks with thicker paper, so I'll be able to paint in them without having to glue the pages together, and I even bought a sketchbook for landscape sketching that i hope to use on my summer travels, yippee!

For a glimpse at one entry that I did do after arriving home, take a peek here, and for another entry where I felt I'd at last found a groove, peek here. And for a peek at the whole spread of this entry, keep on reading!

Vacation Crafts: Sidewalk Chalk

I was looking for the source of a photo for a Jewish newspaper and came across this post from 2010 that I never posted for some reason! My kids will now find it very funny that they are in their pyjamas drawing with chalk on Bubby's patio, my childhood home! But that in itself certainly sells the activity, namely they were so excited to get drawing with large chalk that getting dressed wasn't a priority. And I must say, that is certainly the best kind of vacation, crafts and pyjamas!

So next time you head out for a little trip near or far, do consider packing a nice new package of sidewalk chalk, it may just be a lifesaver! One word of caution, not everyone appreciates kid's art on their sidewalk, so do ask before getting creative where it might not be welcome. Enjoy!

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Rubber Band Fishtail Jewelry Crafts Are Perfect Summer Take Alongs!

Summer is here, and it is time to get crafting, us included! Things have been lacking in the creativity department around here, I'll admit, so it is time to get back to doing the things we love, like basic crafts with recycled materials, drawing, painting and other simple yet so satisfying creative endeavors!

My ten year old, who is one of our resident crafters, was also apparently feeling the lack of creativity and decided to secretly busy himself with making some simple jewelry with silicone rubber bands, you know the rainbow loom type of rubber bands, only you only need two fingers for this one! And we all had to laugh when he showed up at dinner the other night dressed up as a mafia type figure, wearing a track suit, dress shoes, his hair slicked back and the jewelry, too too funny!

So, whether your kids want to make some of this jewelry for play acting or even to wear, its a great little craft as the supplies fit in their pockets, or in your purse.  And perfect for car or airplane trips!

How To Make A Rubber Band Fishtail Bracelet, or Necklace:

Instructions: You will need small rubberbands and c clips or plastic jump rings

1. Place a rubber band around your two fingers. (My son actually uses three fingers.) Twist rubber band in the center to make a figure 8 around the fingers, such that rubber band crosses in the center.
2. Place a second rubber band over your two fingers. Do not twist.
3. Place a third rubber band over your two fingers. Again, do not twist.
4. From your first finger, lift the bottom band over the other two rubber bands, and over your finger, as if to take it off. Repeat this step on the second finger.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until desired length.
6. When you are finished, add two more rubber bands to the length. Slip the bracelet off your fingers and remove those two bands, this will leave loops for you to thread onto the jump ring.

Now as far as that ring, the make the "diamond" my son just described to me how he added extra rubber bands, but I'll have to get back to you on that one, enjoy!

Painting With Modeling Clay - Creative Craft For Kids

Doesn't this sweet work of modeling clay art, created by my 8 year old daughter, look like an oil painting of sorts? Well, I can assure you that it is not, rather it was made using a technique which I've told you about previously here, and here, namely sculpting pictures with modeling clay. The modeling clay is smeared with the fingers onto a piece of bristol board (namely a piece of cardboard that isn't totally smooth) and layers are built. Once the picture is finished, a coating of white glue is brushed over the top of the picture to preserve it.

Explore the links above to learn about some more ways to use this technique for kids who might need something a little more structured for their first experience, or for toddlers who might enjoy smearing the modeling clay onto a picture of some kind.

This is a great way to combine painting and sculpting, and with modeling clay one can apply layers of bright color quite easily. One can draw a picture and then apply the modeling clay to the picture, but the most creative use of this crafting technique would be to simply create a picture without employing any traditional drawing tools— let the little fingers work with the modeling clay and enjoy!

 

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Vacation Crafts- Nature Crafts With Rosebuds

Here's another super simple vacation or any time craft, courtesy of my eight year old daughter! I'll have to admit, I was eyeing the plate of rose petals that my mother had put aside to add to her "organic" recycling bin, as they were just so lovely. And sure enough, when I got up the next morning, my daughter had already figured out that with just a stapler and some rose petals and leaves, one can make some beautiful artful roses! So my friends, add a stapler and some staples to your traveling craft kit and let the kids go to town stapling leaves and petals, either to paper or just to themselves, and sit back and watch what they come up with! And on the afternoon just before the holiday of Shavuos when many children love to decorate the house with leaves and flowers collected in nearby fields (if you are fortunate to have some....) well, a stapler might just come in handy this year!

Vacation Crafts: Paper Lunch Bag Bird's Nests

Lunch bag bird's nests with modeling clay eggs are really fantastic and a great project to do on the road, since there's minimal mess and the supplies are certainly simple. I was so inspired by this original idea by Camilla over at family chic that I sat down with my kids just as soon as I spied some brown lunch bags taking up cabinet space at my mother's house. To make the project just a bit more interesting for the kids, I came up with the idea of making modeling clay eggs for our paper bag bird's nests and I just love the results.

My five year old had a great time filling his paper bag nest to the brim with eggs, while my eight year old daughter added a sweet modeling clay chic to her lunch bag nest. Gotta love the little worm she added too!

 
While I recommend following the link above for the tutorial, do note that for modeling clay eggs, which are probably much smaller than the plastic ones used in the tutorial, you should cut the bag down at a point just above the bottom crease, or your nests will be too big. And, do save the part of the bag that you cut off, because tomorrow I'll be posting a project that will use those leftovers!

 

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Vacation Crafts- Rubber Band Balls

Rubber band balls are great vacation crafts since they're not messy, require very few supplies and could even be made in the car! Plus rubber band balls double as a science experiment of sorts, and could be a fun gift to leave behind if you're visiting friends or family. I would love a bowl of these on my desk! And funny enough the merchandisers over at Target seem to agree with me, as after we made ours I saw some very neat looking ones for sale in their office supply section! But I'd say go for the homemade kind, especially if your brothers had paper routes and there are still bags of rubber bands hanging around your mom's house!

You'll Need:

• a small ball of some kind, or even a very tight ball made from a wad of newspaper
• rubber bands in a nice assortment of colors
• a sense of humor for when the kids realize that rubber bands are great for shooting too!

Enjoy!

Vacation Crafts....Fun With Sidewalk Chalk

What are vacation crafts exactly? My definition of vacation crafts would be crafts or activities that are easy to transport, require minimal setup and can be enjoyed by a range of ages without adult supervision, such that the adults can catch up with the relatives they're visiting, or have a little bit of down time themselves. With summer vacation just around the corner for many, now is a great time to start planning some fun summer craft acitivities for the kids, and I think that sidewalk chalk is a great one! (Though do check with those you may be visiting to make sure it's okay with them.)

And while the kids are out there in their pyjamas and the sun is overhead, (which in case you're paying attention means that it's at least noon and they're still in their pyjamas?) so why not have some fun with silhouettes? And come to think of it, it would also be fun to trace shadows with chalk for the starting point of a fun sidewalk chalk activity, don't you think?