creative jewish mom

Origami Fruit For Tu B'Shevat!

Tu B'Shevat, the Jewish New Year for fruit bearing trees is next Wednesday night, so now is a great time to get crafting with a fruit theme in mind! I've dusted off these origami fruit from the archives, as this is a favorite that I revisit year round, not just for Tu B'Shevat, but also for Rosh HaShana and Succot, in the form of apples! Of course, a cute centerpiece like this one, with origami fruit in a variety of festive colors will be just the theme to set a festive tone for this really special holiday, and of course if you'd prefer a mobile would be amazing as well. And then of course there's the idea of making giant origami fruit, which I have also done many times! So time is of the essence, so lets get started!

DIY Rope Or Twine Wrapped Plant Pot

Since I've been talking about gardening this week I thought I'd share a super simple way to turn a basic plant pot, even a plastic one straight from the nursery, into a show stopper! If you are like me and you love houseplants, keeping them all in nice pots can be costly not to mention downright inconvenient, especially when you start getting interested in propogating, which results in even more plants! So regardless of your budget, this simple DIY twine wrapped pot is a great little trick to pull out of your sleeve when you want to make rustic centerpieces, give a plant gift, (to someone who may plant it outdoors) or spread the joy with all the baby plants you've created from cuttings! There are so many ways to go when it comes to making your plant collection look great, and sometimes that means adding a pot or two that are quite different from the rest. So, lets learn how to transform a simple pot into an ethnic/rustic/boho inspired one!

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!

Garden Crafts: DIY Rustic Tomato Cage From Sticks

While I have never grown cherry tomatoes, I do know that tomato plants of all kinds generally need support as the tomatoes can get quite heavy, causing the plant to fall over or even break otherwise. So, while the organic tomato seedlings I bought from a local homesteader a month or so ago have yet to actually grow to their expected 1 meter height or provide us with cherry tomatoes just yet, I figured I'd get started on a DIY cherry tomato cage made from sticks, as then hopefully the plant will have more confidence to keep on growing! And even if I wanted to run to the garden supply store and simply buy one of those commercially made wire tomato cages that are everywhere in the USA, well no such luck (fortunately). Instead I get the pleasure of whipping up my own MUCH lovelier version, and I am very happy with the results. I collected a huge bunch of sticks and my husband nearly threw them all out, as it took me over a week to actually get to the this project, but in the end together with the rustic stick garden trellis, I actually used up everything and need to collect some more to make a second tomato cage!  Ah yes, and of course this structure, which isn't exactly a tomato cage, but more like a garden obelisk, can be used for any plant that needs support or something to climb on. This is such a simple project, and will add a nice touch to your container garden or actual garden, so collect those sticks and make a bunch, you'll be very happy that you took my advice, promise!

Garden Crafts: DIY Trellis From Sticks

This year with all the time spent at home as a family, I've had time for some simple upgrades to my container garden due in part to the help of a few teen aged boys! At long last I planted some seeds right before Passover, though the only ones that actually sprouted were the morning glory seeds. This is fortunate as my built in planter (that had to be emptied to deal with water leakage) was looking quite empty, despite returning two standard rose buses to their original spot. Morning glories are trailing vines that need something to grow on, so I collected some long sticks in the forest area near our home, and made several low rustic DIY trellises to encourage the morning glory vines to fill the space below the rose bushes, well initially anyway! Not sure how large the vines will get, so we'll just have to wait and see if additional trellises or vertical supports will be necessary. At the moment the stick trellises are a bit empty, but I suspect that in a few weeks they will be filled with leaves, and maybe even some flowers? In the mean time I'm enjoying their rustic design, and am dreaming of some ladders and other rustic stick structures for my container garden. Want to make some yourself, it is as simple as can be, so lets do it!

Summer Camp Crafts: Pine Cone Pineapples

 

I have taken this craft out of the archives and dusted it off as it is a great partner to my pine cone animals post. Plus it truly is one of the cutest nature crafts ever, right? And pineapples can be any color, not just yellow as long as you have a few yellow ones in the bunch. Best of all, you'll hopefully have to take a nature walk to collect the pinecones, so enjoy!

I have been wanting to make pinecone pineapples for a few months now, and even painted the pinecones yellow before Passover, and finally found the time to give this fantastic summer craft, that would be a perfect summer camp craft a try. And wow, the results are so adorable you'll want to make a whole bunch, I know I do! You can use your pineapple pinecones as decorations for part of a tropical party, or as whiimsical decorations any time. Line up a few on a shelf and you'll smile every time you see them, or hang some mobile style. And of course if you want to be a little bit different, how about hanging some pineapple pinecones in your succah? Succot is among other things, a fall harvest festival, and in Israel that means pomegranites and dates, but it could certainly mean pineapples as well, right?

Regardless of whether you have a plan for your pinecone pineapples, gather some pinecones and get crafting, I'm sure a great idea will come to you. If not simply display them on a little shelf which is where mine are sitting right now, looking as cute as ever! Best of all, once you get the hang of how to make these, you really could whip up quite a few, even as fun Bar or Bat Mitzvah, birthday or wedding centerpieces, so lets get crafting! (Note: If you do plan on making a large quantity, I would paint them by dipping them into a large container of paint, so much easier!)

Summer Camp Crafts: How To Make An Acrylic Pour Painting

Summer is here, which means whether or not summer camp is a part of your summer, you can still do messy, activity oriented crafts (outdoors?) that one might do in summer camp. Acrylic pour painting fits right into that category perfectly, so lets take a look at this trendy painting process.

If you are like me, you are slightly familiar with acrylic pour painting, but have not yet actually thought about trying it, as you've got so many other projects on your to-do list or a whole closet of craft supplies yet to be used? When I was asked to write an article about pour painting I was really excited to do the research and find out exactly how those dazzling multi-color paintings are made, and whether it would be something I'd consider trying. This article is a brief guide to help you determine whether indeed you'll spend the time and money to make some acrylic pour paintings or whether you'll pass. For a really great and in-depth article on acrylic pour paintings with how-to photos, and everything you need to know check out the post: Learn Everything About Acrylic Pouring. Just a guess, since I've discovered that one can actually make pour paintings with some inexpensive supplies, I think you'll be tempted to try, I know I am! Plus, one can do pour paintings on paper that has been coated with gesso, meaning you could even use those pour paintings as art journal backgrounds, or for something less precious than dictated by doing art on a canvas or wooden cradle board, not to mention that practicing on paper is a good idea. Ah yes, and since acrylic pour painting does not require any drawing or painting skills is it a fun craft/art activity that can be enjoyed by just about anyone over the age of around eight, so get a group together and enjoy! Okay, lets get into the specifics of acrylic pour painting.

Summer Camp Crafts: A Graffiti Logo Sweatshirt With Splashes Of Color

I am so grateful that my teen daughter loves crafting, as with no school for months now due to Covid-19, she has had lots of time to delve into creative activities that she loves, the latest being grafitti sweatshirts! Her friends are begging her to make some for them, and while I was just thinking she could do a class, maybe just buying an airbrush and semi-mass producing them would be a better idea? Just to be clear, my daughter isn't wearing this sweatshirt out and about, but she certainly has fun wearing it as pajamas! The graffit sweatshirt idea all started with a Purim costume which led to a black and white graffiti sweatshirt, which then led to this colorful creation, all done by aforementioned teen daughter on the floor of her tiny Israeli sized bedroom......of course the bedroom is a cute as can be, complete with tiny lights and dreamy decor, so it is actually a nice sanctuary for creativity. This project is perfect for summer as a whole family or group of kids could make them together and even make each shirt or sweatshirt together to reflect the group as a whole, which could be a really great memento of time spent creating together. The instructions for this project are quite loose, so you'll really have to rev up the creative gears, but if you start with a word or a logo in the middle and then go from there, you really can't go wrong. And if you do, just pour some paint over the areas that weren't so successful and keep on going! Okay, lets take a look at the supplies we used for this graffiti sweatshirt......

Summer Camp Crafts: A Simple Graffiti Sweatshirt In Black And White

Summer is here, and yet this summer is not like other summers, sigh. Here at CJM central we seem be in the middle of eternal vacation, well sort of, with the future of schooling this year very uncertain. Rather than dwell on that, and whether some of my kids will actually get "summer vacation" when and if school starts, lets get busy making summer camp crafts, as there is something about messy or process oriented or outdoor type crafts that just makes many of us happy, not to mention busy and creative! Speaking of busy, this graffiti sweatshirt project could keep someone busy for hours and hours, and when my daughter disappeared into her room for long periods it dawned on me that she must be working on a graffiti sweatshirt! This graffiti sweatshirt idea was born when my teen daughter wrote all over one of her brother's old white shirts as  Purim costume (keep on reading for photo) and realized that she'd like to create a sweatshirt in the same style to wear as pajamas......and voila, a graffiti sweatshirt was born. And then another for a friend, and then another, but with color added! So, if you love to doodle, and love lettering, and/or drawing little items, this is the project for you, or your kids, so get a cheap sweatshirt, some permanent and/or fabric markers and enjoy. If some areas don't turn out wonderfully, just get some dark fabric paint and pour splatters over the areas you'd like to cover, ah yes, this is where the outdoor crafting part comes into the picture! Enjoy this one, and actually if you want to keep yourself and/or the family really busy, you could do a comforter cover, or a set of sheets using this graffiti sweatshirt as inspiration...........

Simple Watercolor Poppy Wall Art

After sharing a few posts last week showing the watercolor poppies I used to make holiday decorations I decided to hold off and publish this watercolor poppy wall art separately so that it wouldn't get lost in all the gorgeousness of the watercolor poppy cut outs and the watercolor poppies centerpiece! After making those watercolor poppy cut-outs with straight stems, I realized that I could paint a panorama (two sheets of large watercolor paper used horizontally) of curved stem poppies to fill the width of my kitchen picture ledge for some more lovely decor! And yes indeed, simply painting a long row of poppies with no added background looks quite good, and can be done fairly quickly. Best of all, flat art like this is certainly simple to store until you need to add a festive touch once again. Of course these poppies are so great looking you'll likely leave them up for a while! I have 3 picture ledges in my kitchen that are used to display art generally, and I love to change them up, so these poppies have been a nice addition, and quite a bit more calming than my flower paintings hung clothesline style! The great thing about watercolor paper is that I was able to simply stand the sheets on the shelf, and with just a bit of masking tape to secure them, voila, lovely art was born. Okay, I did have to paint the poppies first, but that was pure joy! Want to make some painted poppies to decorate a spot in your home? Let's do it!