creative jewish mom

DIY Ladybug Mosaic Craft

There is just something about mosaics in general that is so very charming, or if ancient, inspiring! Here in Israel we have quite a few ancient mosaic that have been excavated, the most famous being from the floor of a synagogue, I believe, though, yikes, I have not been there.....yet! Sorry, lest I digress, I just really wanted to share with you this ladybug mosaic that I saw during our summer visit to Gita, Israel. It was on a wall outside a home, and of course caught my eye because it is quite simple to do, and yet so very sweet. So dear readers, before the weather gets cold, do think about trying out a mosaic, as they are best done outside due to the mess of for example, clipping your ceramic scraps into shapes! If you are interested in mosaic crafts in general, including pots and plaques, check out my entire mosaic crafts category right here.

A Beit HaMikdash Mosaic With Recycled Broken Tiles

I have pulled this one out of the archives as i have not yet and likely will not be doing any crafts for the "three weeks" this year, as I'm too busy trying to up my painting game.....not a simple thing to do at all. Of course if I were still crafting like I used to when my kids were young, or that I might do in the future if I had a art center for kids (dream or reality? time will tell!) or with hopefully grandchildren I would love to delve into mosaics once again, as they are so very satisfying, and especially wonderful when created by recycling broken tile and dishes! Here is what I wrote back in 2018:

Today is Rosh Chodesh Tammuz, so wishing every one a chodesh tov, a wonderful new month filled with blessings. Unfortunately for the Jewish people we are once again entering a month that is filled with great tragedy, though we have 17 days until the mourning period starts. I really don't know if there is any other People (Judiasm is both a religion and a People)  that continues to mourn events that happened thousands of years ago, and that in itself is one of the reasons that we have survived despite all attempts to wipe us out. We mourn and give great importance to past tragedies, while at the same time having great hope for a brighter future for ourselves and the entire world.

The main thing that the Jewish people mourn is the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, twice. The major events leading up to the destruction are minor fast days, and the last 9 days before the total destruction is the strictest mourning period on the Jewish calendar. So, mosaics which depict Jerusalem, and especially the Beit HaMikdash, are perfect projects to think about and start creating now!

I saw this Beit Hamikdash mosaic many years ago in a wedding hall somewhere near Beit Shemesh, I believe, and apologize to the creators for not being able to give them credit. To boot it was very dark and therefore my photos are not great quality, but the quality and creativity of the mosaic is so wonderful I just had to share it with you.

Simple DIY Broken Tile Mosaic

I love mosaics of all kinds, though the ones I've actually made have mostly been using broken ceramic tile and dishes. So this August when our airbnb's rooftop porch had lots of mosaic covered surfaces, I felt right at home! The mosaic portions are actually the top of the exterior walls of the home below, and beyond the railing (not to worry there is one!) and this crafty touch lends a really nice feeling to a vacation rental, not to mention that it pairs nicely with the artificial grass! Enjoy this look at broken tile mosaic, and think about where this might work for you?

Bird On A Branch Mosaic Craft

One of the highlights of our summer travels within Israel was spotting creative mosaics in just about every new location! While i have not done any mosaics in years, spotting them sure does warm my heart, and I do of course plan to do some again some day, as yes, I do have some boxes of broken dishes somewhere, they just need to scream louder to get my attention! This little bird mosaic is just as cute as can be, and would be great outdoors, or indoors as wall art. Of course, cutting or breaking your tiles or dishes into tiny pieces does make quite a mess, so I recommend doing that part at least outdoors, but one can certainly do the glueing/adhering indoors, unless of course your mosaic is for an outdoor wall! Then again, some folks assemble a mosaic on a piece of plastic netting or canvas indoors, and then affix that to the wall outdoors and then grout. So many ways to go, and really just sharing this to inspire you!

Simple Broken Tile Mosaic Mandala Craft For Summer!

Looking for the perfect summer craft to end vacation with some family creativity? My answer, (other than succah decorations) is yes, mosaics! Mosaics can be quite messy, and are thus best done outdoors, making them the perfect summer craft! Plus, intricate or larger mosaics will need to be created over a period of time, another great reason to start one to do with the family over the next two weeks or so. I saw this collection of simple yet lovely wall mosaics on the exterior walls of a health center on the Harduf Kibbutz, and just had to share them with you! I have done many mosaic crafts over the years, so if this has sparked your interest, do check out all the mosaic crafts in my archives, right here. And do take a look at the other wall mosaics in this collection, so much fun!

DIY Mosaic Planter Is The Perfect Summer Craft

Since it looks like there will be no summer adventures outside of Israel for us this year, I realized that I should take a closer look at all the amazing things happening practically outside my door, and photograph them to share with you! For starters I just noticed this lovely mosaic dove and chamsa planter that is just as sweet as can be and the perfect theme for the three weeks, because the dove is a Jewish symbol of peace, healing and hope for a better world. Given the size of the vines in the planter it has been there for several months, gasp! So I can't believe I just noticed it!

The good news is that mosaic projects like this one are really quite simple, I know because once upon a time I also covered ceramic pots and urns with tile, and two of those pots are still in my container garden, going strong 17 years later! You can see one of the pots here and check out all of the many varied and exciting mosaic projects and inspiration that I've posted over the years on m blog here.

Enjoy, and consider giving a mosaic of some kind a try! It is the perfect summer craft as it really should be done outdoors, and it is also the kind of project that could be done together as a family, so all the better! Keep on reading to see more photos of this mosaic planter, as well as nice photos of the stone and cobblestone alley where it resides!

Mosaic Crafts For Kids

Summer is the perfect time to get kids interested in crafts, and I recommend giving mosaic crafts a try. A mosaic project is something that one could do over the course of a few days or even a month, and it is so much fun. I'll admit I've been wanting to make mosaic garden stepping stones with kids and have yet to give that a try, though anything mosaic for the garden is a great project. Of course with kids I wouldn't recommend using broken plates or mugs etc. as the edges can get quite sharp, but broken tile is likely okay for older kids. That said there are so many ways to make mosaics, so check out the round up of projects from my very own archives, and enjoy!

How To Make A Mosaic Planter With Broken Dishes And Tiles

Making mosaics with broken tiles, left over tiles and broken dishes is so very satisfying, and the results always look amazing. I made this mosaic covered urn/planter 17 years ago, and it is still going strong, weathering the elements year round in my container garden! While I do recommend starting with covering a small plant pot, like the one on the left in the photo above, making a statement piece is totally doable, just certainly not in one sitting, and more likely over the course of several weekends or a few summer days. Now is the perfect time for a mosaic project like this one, as it is advisable to do it out of doors, or at the least in a space where you can make a mess! I did cut the squares and long rectangles with a manual tile cutter, but I only purchased that tool after making many mosaics, For starters all you really need is a hammer, goggles, tile/broken dishes, tile glue and grout. Give mosaic a try, it really is truly wonderful!

Beit HaMikdash Mosaic From Broken Tile And Findings

Today is Rosh Chodesh Tammuz, so wishing every one a chodesh tov, a wonderful new month filled with blessings. Unfortunately for the Jewish people we are once again entering a month that is filled with great tragedy, though we have 17 days until the mourning period starts. I really don't know if there is any other People (Judiasm is both a religion and a People)  that continues to mourn events that happened thousands of years ago, and that in itself is one of the reasons that we have survived despite all attempts to wipe us out. We mourn and give great importance to past tragedies, while at the same time having great hope for a brighter future for ourselves and the entire world.

The main thing that the Jewish people mourn is the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, twice. The major events leading up to the destruction are minor fast days, and the last 9 days before the total destruction is the strictest mourning period on the Jewish calendar. So, mosaics which depict Jerusalem, and especially the Beit HaMikdash, are perfect projects to think about and start creating now!

I saw this Beit Hamikdash mosaic many years ago in a wedding hall somewhere near Beit Shemesh, I believe, and apologize to the creators for not being able to give them credit. To boot it was very dark and therefore my photos are not great quality, but the quality and creativity of the mosaic is so wonderful I just had to share it with you.

How To Make A DIY Broken Dishes And Tiles Backsplash Mosaic

While I have boxes of broken dishes and tiles waiting to be transformed into a beautiful mosaics, (before my husband tosses the whole lot.....) I have not actually done any mosaic crafts for quite a few years. Fortunately, my good friend Raizel a creative Jewish mom who lives in Jerusalem and witnessed my mosaic madness once upon a time, has created, I believe, a bit of stir in the heavens with her beautiful broken tile and dishes backsplash mosaic. I have a feeling that mosaic is back, so mark my words and start saving bits and bobs to create with! Raizel planned this backsplash mosaic four years ago, and I do remember telling her to have the tile guy leave a blank space in the desired location in her new kitchen. And now, four years later, after staring at the blank space for a number of years, she finished her mosaic, yippee!I think this is a great example of not giving up on creative dreams, just having a bit of patience with yourself.

Mosaics, especially made with a variety of materials are so very satisfying and a great craft for summer, so this week I've climbed deep into the archives of this blog and fished out some great mosaci projects to get everyone inspired and geared up to mosaic! Of course, if a mosaic on a wall is right up your alley, keep on reading for the simple instructions!

Mosaic Stone Fridge Magnets Craft For Kids

After we finished making our mosaic star of david plaque, there were of course some leftover tiles, and being the resourceful crafter that I am, i came up with this cute little mini mosaic craft for kids and adults, and they even double as magnets! This was such a fun project I am even thinking about going out buying some more of these kid friendly mosaic tiles that one can actually cut with scissors, even though of course I have boxes of broken pottery waiting for a serious mosaic project some day.......sigh. And the other great thing about this project it that it is great for those who wouldn't or couldn't sit for a good few hours to finish a larger mosaic! So dig up some of those promotional magnets, especially the ones that are quite large, and lets get crafting!