creative jewish mom

Cross-Stitch Mountain Scene Hoop Art

This past summer we stayed in a vacation rental on Kibbutz Harduf that was packed with crafts and creativity. One of the things that caught my eye was this sweet cross stitch mountain scene that looked really great hanging in one of the children's room. I would usually think about creating a scene like this in needlepoint, so I love the idea that it is cross stitch! Embroidery is such a wonderful craft to have on hand as a take-along project any time or to work on every day for just 10 minutes or so, love that idea! So while I don't have any resources for this project, you can certainly find them yourself, and of course any grid design that is meant to be used for needlepoint can certainly be used for cross stitch! Another wonderful thing that I discovered about this piece is how the back was treated (namely how to hide all the mess) so keep on reading to see that!

Recycled Cereal Box Gift Bag

It has been quite a while since I made gift bags from cereal boxes, but somehow after all the crafting I did this year for Tu B'Shevat and then Purim, it just seemed natural to go with the flow! So this year, rather than giving neighbors a nice selection of Morocan salads for our Mishloach Manot on Purim, I actually gave much less in the food department and more in the creativity department, including a large origami horse, which was the star of the show. I will share smaller versions of this horse shortly, but keeping him out of the public eye for the time being, because who knows, maybe just maybe that book of mine will happen and I'll need some projects that were never seen.......or maybe next year I'll be less into the crafts and will need something to share for Purim? Who knows the main thing is to fill life with creativity and bring joy to others! Okay, back to the idea of using a cereal box to make, in this case, two gift bags which are just great looking and all around wonderful in my book. Lets make some!

DIY Rustic Wooden Wedding Sign

When my dear nephew Rafi asked me to make a rustic welcome sign for his wedding in Israel (because the bride was dreaming of one) my first reaction was, hmmm, never done that maybe I'll just do it on the computer and make a mounted print? Except given the rustic wedding venue that might totally flop, yikes. Then I thought why not do a computer created decal and apply it to wood? A good option but ordering that decal, not so simple in my location, and potentially costly. Okay, then how about DIY decal sheets to print at home? An option but also needs to planned way ahead to account for shipping of those sheets. In the end, silly me I realized that designing the sign on the computer, and then transferring the design onto a piece of wood, and then painting it truly would be the best solution. And so, presenting to you my first ever DIY rustic welcome sign, with the artist's easel that I also happened to have, and which needed its own makeover as well.

Want to make one too, let's do it!

Braided DIY Dog Toy Gift, Or Gift Topper, Using T-Shirt Yarn!

Growing up we always made lanyard keychains at summer camp, from the simplest to the most complex spirals, and somewhere in my crafts stash I even have a bunch of lanyard lace that I bought as an adult, to do crafts with my kids. As you may know, I also happen to love t-shirt yarn, so I almost fell off my chair when I spotted this t-shirt yarn lanyard, made as a dog toy but surely great inspiration for other items as well! Curtain tiebacks? Handles? Key chains (with fewer strands) or maybe even trim for a round pillow? Just as soon as I finish this article I'm grabbing some of the t-shirt yarn that I bought for Chanukah crafting, and I will give it a try!

I am not a dog owner, but I always love looking at the dog toys that I happen upon, and there are certainly quite a few that can be easily made, and even better, made as gifts for your dog lover friends, or why not leave one at the dog park with a little note for someone to find! If you need a nice sized gift for a dog lover, (friend, family, boss, client?) consider making a dog toy gift topper (or two) to give together with an amazing pet portrait for example.

Add a large dog bone shaped gift tag, (A simple DIY project, using brown cardboard, or maybe jeans fabric glued to cardboard) or even attach the dog toy to the large gift tag, and your presentation will be over the top! That handmade touch makes your gift extra special and memorable! Do make sure to use neutral colored or solid colored paper if your dog toy is colorful like this one! Of course wrapping paper with a dog theme could be great, and maybe you'll decide to make your dog toys based on the wrapping paper that you find first? Either way, have fun with it! Okay, lets get crafting, you can make dog toys and I'll make some keychains!

DIY Waldorf Style Stand Up Doll

This past summer we rented a wonderful home on kibbut harduf (learn about it here) that was filled with homemade Waldorf-style toys and crafts, so I just had to photograph them to share with you. In the case of the felt dolls, I even found the book with the instructions next to the craft table, so you can actually make this wonderful felt king from this post. I think I'd love to make some too! Felt Waldorf-style dolls make wonderful creative gifts this holiday season, so why not give it a try?

Embroidered Pomegranite On Cardboard Ornament Craft

There is something just so very fun about embroidery on recycled materials, whether it be embroidery on styrofoam trays, or in this case on recycled cereal box cardboard! And while I did use traditional embroidery floss here, meaning whatever I had on hand, one can use yarn, string, plastic bag yarn (note to self) or t-shirt yarn, or anything really than can go through the eye of a needle or be poked through a hole!  Large scale embroidery or cross stitch can be a great way to make decorations or wall hangings or in this case a Shanah Tovah card that can then be used as an ornament in the succah. Do keep in mind that embroidery, whether traditionally sized or larger does take time, so don't try to pull this one off at the last minute, rather enjoy the process.

And friends, with Succot coming up in 10 days, now would be the time to get crafting, as there is nothing like filling your succah with creativity! As you can guess, in our family that would be my domain, so note to self as well! Okay, lets get started with this one, shall we?

Tips For Finding Creative and Eco-Friendly Gifts For The Holidays

The holiday season is here, and regardless of what holiday you celebrate, that might mean some last-minute shopping for those who didn't already celebrate Chanukah! (Your boss, coworkers, neighbors, teachers, the mail person, household help, the sweet child that lives upstairs?) Buying gifts in a hurry that end up in the trash or clutter our houses for years only to be tossed out later, takes its toll on the planet. In fact, in every holiday season, Australians produce 30 percent more waste that includes food, unwanted presents, decorations, and single-use plastics for gift wrapping. Owing to this alarming rate of waste generation, lets consider switching to sustainable gifting that is useful and poses minimal threat to the environment!

If you are looking for gift ideas that help you make planet-friendly choices while reducing stress and saving money, you've come to the right place. Okay, time is of the essence, so lets get started!

DIY Boho Fringed Placemats For Summer Entertaining

I have pulled this post out of the archives because it is a keeper, and I'm still enjoying my DIY boho place mats, which are great indoors or outdoors, and perfect for that little extra something this summer! Enjoy! And I just had the thought that these could also be great for the Succah, so why not plan ahead!

I love t-shirt yarn, and have been thinking about using it for macrame and embroidery, not just crocheting! Industrial-waste t-shirt yarn also supports eco-consciousness, as it is made from odds and ends of fabric left after the pieces for making clothing is cut from the yardage. What I found after making these fringed and embroidered place mats/wall hangings is that t-shirt yarn is a great way to add color to a project that might have called for rope of some kind, and it works great for fringe, tassels (see my t-shirt yarn tassels) and more. So if you're looking for a simple and stylish summer project, this is it! These place mats work great placed on round side tables or outdoor tables or anywhere to add some flare our protect a wooden surface. Ah yes, and of course you can easily make some wall hangings, which I truly am going to do as I have a bunch more of these place mats to craft with!

DIY Cardboard Graffiti Vase For Spring!

Now that I have a few fun DIY cereal box vases which I think will be fun for Passover, maybe I can get started with the cleaning. Well, not just yet, I need to make some more! The idea of whipping up an artful vase using cereal box cardboard (or heavy weight paper) is just so delighful that you'll want to give this a try. This is a great idea for budget centerpieces, or for making a huge decorative vase for a desert table or buffet, and the possibilities are endless. Choose to do a cardboard vase with drips and splatters or go for a something simple and colorful, or even a few bold black brush strokes looks amazing. There is a product on the market which is really great printed paper vases, and I was reminded of this from a wonderful version that I featured on Craft Schooling Sunday in January, keep reading to see that version!

Personalized Gift Ideas To Give Your Sustainable Friend

Giving gifts is a wonderful way to show you care, and it is well worth the time and effort to get it right, as a gift that is truly personal is the very best way to go. It is true, sometimes it is the thought that has to count as we don't know the person well enough to be totally on target, but if that is the case I'd say go with sustainable and eco conscious gifts, as you really can't go too wrong with lovely wooden brushes and handmade soap, or an interesting market bag! Have some friends and family or even coworkers that would appreciate sustainable gifts? Keep on reading so that you'll have a bunch of good ideas up your sleeve when you need them!