creative jewish mom

Geometric Watercolor Strawberries Garland To Enjoy All Summer!

Just last year I was painting up a storm, this year, I've been crafting with 20 students and making dollhouses, so the painting got pushed to the side, but I must get back to it! Dusted this one off to share, as it is just so much fun!

The festive Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which includes lots of cheese and milk dishes (not eaten at the same meal as meat) also might include strawberries and summer fruit, as it just goes together, and strawberries are just festive. Of course crafted watercolor mosaic strawberries are even more festive than the real thing, and you can whip up a fun holiday garland quite quickly. I can't tell you how this garland brightened up this door in my kitchen, so do give it a try! And if you don't have time today to make this garland, no problem, it is great for just about any summer occasion you can think of, or even just because! Okay, lets make a watercolor strawberry garland, or two?

Recycled Boxes Become Fun Fruity Art For Tu B'Shevat!

I am reposting this one since it is just too cute, and something that all levels of painting/drawing can truly do! Plus of course it is perfect for the upcoming Jewish holiday of Tu B'Shevat, so get to it!

Here is what I wrote a few years ago: Sometimes it is the DIY projects with just the simplest materials, and of course recyclables to boot, that are truly the most special! And these fun stackable doodle pear boxes are truly the proof in the pudding, right? It all started out because I'm doing an instagram challenge called #colormegrow at my @sara.rivka.dahan account, and this week we were working on a project using just red, black and white. The challenge will last for at least 3 months, and I'm planning to do boxes every week, so that at the end I'll have a nice tower! Each week, depending on which color or colors the challenge dictates, I'll be painting stripes on little recycled food boxes (like tea boxes and one sleeve cookie boxes, toothpaste boxes, etc.) and then turning that into something. Last week I made landscapes from my blue boxes, and this week, well, the challenge subject was pears and today is Tu B'Shevat, so a fun pattern with doodle pears was an obvious choice! Of course, if you like my pears, you can use this idea on canvas or paper, it would be fun art in any form.  Okay, lets do it, shall we?

Fun Mini Ugly Sweater Craft For Chanukah

Dusting this one off from the archives as it is a keeper, and I'll be pulling mine out from the chanukah decorations box shortly!

After turning a color swatching exercise into striped dreidels, here, I just had to keep on going with some cozy striped sweaters! Are they "ugly" holiday sweaters, not in my book, because friends, when you mix your own paint colors using any red, yellow and blue, no matter what, the resulting colors will go together, like magic! Truly a wonderful realization, and a great way to minimize thinking too much about what colors to use, whether painting a painting or painting stripes on a mini holiday sweater! Yes, it is true these sweaters might look great with a star of David, or a dreidel, or a jelly doughnut on the front, but I think I'm going to leave them plain so I can enjoy them all winter and it won't look like I've yet to pack up my Chanukah decor! (Same goes for all the white pom poms I'm planning on hanging!) So friends, these "ugly" holiday sweaters are just beyond cute, and so simple to make, so let's get started!

Rebuilding The Beit HaMikdash Recycling Craft For Kids

I have pulled this post from the archives, as it is one of my all-time favorites for crafts for The Nine Days and for The 9th of Av, coming up on Monday night. Previously, I published this at the beginning of the three week mourning period, and this is what I wrote:

Today is the 17th of Tammuz, a solemn fast day on the Jewish calender, and certainly a perfect time to work on my "Rebuilding the Beit HaMikdash" recycling craft with kids of all ages! Of course one could certainly use this idea to also learn about the Kotel (The Wailing Wall) which stands today and was one of the outer walls of the courtyard of the Beit HaMikdash.

Starting today, we enter a period of mourning for the next three weeks— mourning for the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem that was taken from us in 70 CE, (namely 1,943 years ago!) on the 9th of Av, the day which marks the end of this three week period of mourning. Of course our mourning has many facets, one of which is thinking about how each one of us can do his part to rebuild the temple.

Watercolor Fruit Cut-Outs Birthday Bouquet

Looking for a cute fruit themed birthday centerpiece or artful bouquet for any occasion? How about painting some watercolor mosaic fruit, cutting them out and using them to make a festive bouquet? Really so simple with wonderful results, and you can certainly make quite a few for an event, and make each item two-sided so the watercolor fruit bouquet can sit in the middle of a table.

Are you convinced? Keep on reading for tips on how to make this fun bouquet, and one major benefit is that you can make it weeks ahead, and save most of the elements for future use, even as cake toppers!

Watercolor Mosaic Fruit Cut-Outs Are The Perfect Summer Craft

Yes it is true, watercolor mosaic fruit have stolen my heart, can you blame me? First it was watercolor mosaic strawberries, then watercolor pineapple cutouts, and now watercolor mosaic fruit, like grapes, oranges and lemons! Creating patterns with watercolor is so very relaxing, and when those patterns are random and fill fruit shapes such that they look like mosaic fruit, well I'm sold! And the best part is, you can keep the ones you like, and then simply turn over the paper and paint some more! Cut-outs are wonderful to have on hand for crafting and collaging and art journaling, not to mention to use as gift tags or even cake toppers! So grab an hour or so on a lazy summer afternoon (or burn the midnight oil like me....) and give mosaic watercolor fruit a try!

Watercolor Pineapple Cut-Outs For Summer Party Decor

Looking for a relaxing summer craft that you can use for summer decor, or set aside for some unknown future use? I'd recommend watercolor cut-outs, and in this case pineapples! I've already shared with you watercolor strawberry cutouts and of course, last year I made quite a few watercolor floral cutouts, that are just lovely. So friends, regardless of the quality of watercolor paint you might have on hand, get yourself something that is at the least mixed media paper or inexpensive watercolor paper, and have fun painting and then cutting out the best of the bunch to use in a variety of ways, or to put into an envelope or flat box to be saved and down the road used as gift toppers, collage fodder, you name it!

Watercolor Strawberries Festive Garland For Every Occasion!

The festive Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which includes lots of cheese and milk dishes (not eaten at the same meal as meat) also might include strawberries and summer fruit, as it just goes together, and strawberries are just festive. Of course crafted watercolor mosaic strawberries are even more festive than the real thing, and you can whip up a fun holiday garland quite quickly. I can't tell you how this garland brightened up this door in my kitchen, so do give it a try! And if you don't have time today to make this garland, no problem, it is great for just about any summer occasion you can think of, or even just because! Okay, lets make a watercolor strawberry garland, or two?

Watercolor Mosaic Strawberries To Cut Out For Crafting

One of the cutest things I've made lately, and so very simple......introducing watercolor mosaic strawberries, to whip up in basket's full, just in time for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot! These watercolor strawberries require only the simplest supplies, and the results are so fun. Use them on garlands, as cake toppers, as napkin rings or gift tags, or stick some into a houseplant for fun holiday or summer decor. And watercolors are truly a wonderful medium, that can be used for so many craft projects, so give it a try!

Mixed Media Watercolor Collage Gift Tags Craft

Looking for a fun craft that you could work on during tiny pockets of time, or do with a bunch of kids or friends? How about something that can be used in so many ways and be easily stored to be pulled out when needed. Love art journaling and the idea of putting things in pockets within an art journal? Friends, mixed media watercolor collage gift tags are THE thing, trust me! I started making the tags I'm sharing here last week, and have already made so many more, as they are not only fun, but a great way to use up watercolor art that doesn't quite cross the finish line for whatever reason. Of course an artful gift tag will bring any bottle of wine or gift to the next level as far as the personal touch, though I'm also planning on using these tags as place card holders, holiday garland elements and more. Add a work or a small message to the front, or write on the back, you decide, in any case, this is a winning craft that you can enjoy year round and for a special occassion, or just because! Lets do it!