creative jewish mom

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!

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!

DIY Watercolor Art Journal For Counting The Omer

Sharing this with you from last year, and whoops, should have shared it with you a good week plus ago, but there is still time to jump on the "counting the Omer with art" train, so do it!

I'm sharing this a bit on the late side to actually be inspired this year, that is to use my idea and make a loose-leaf watercolor counting the Omer art journal, but you could certainly make the journal anytime and save it for next year, or use it as a gift or for some other purpose. We are so blessed to have a new bride in the family, as one of my sons got engaged, and I was just thinking that an art journal like this one would be a great "count down to the wedding" gift, maybe for the last two months or so......So friends, check out my idea, and keep it in mind, whether for counting the Omer, or counting down to a big day, or even as a gift to a loved one to use as a journal.

And my biggest piece of advice? Keep it simple! The only reason that I actually have succeeded with this project is that I only allowed myself to use watercolors, and collage with watercolor painted elements, and then pens and paint pens for the lettering, that is it! Ah yes, and one more thing, the success of this project is also partially due to all the amazing instruction and inspiration that I soaked up from Wendy Solganik aka @willa.wanders via her huge hand lettering for art journaling course, called Love Your (Imperfect) Letters, which has just been so very perfect for this art journal. Of course I do need to go back and learn some more styles, but this journal was a great start and really the first time ever that I've been so lettering focused and so happy with the results! Want to see how I made this journal? Keep on reading!

DIY Simple Watercolor Butterflies Anyone Can Make!

If you love the look of watercolor butterflies with mixed media details and line work, then check out my doodle butterfly cutouts , though if you are looking for something just a bit simpler to make in quantities or as a craft to do with little ones, this simple watercolor butterfly cut-out craft might just be the one for you! I do love the calming look of these, and of course they would also be wonderful combined with the more detailed doodle detailed butterflies, if you so desire. And truthfully one big butterfly cut out from a page you've painted with watercolor clouds is oh so lovely, and maybe just the project to bring some joy into the world right about now. So take a look around for art that needs recycling, unfinished paintings that will never get finished or even some bits of paper that you can put to use by painting with simple watercolor patterns and then using for butterfly cutouts!

Watercolor Butterfly Cut-Outs For Collage, Art Journaling And Crafting

Now is a great time to paint loose watercolor butterflies and then add details with a fine line pen and some paint pens, and voila, some really great looking butterflies to use in so many ways are born! They'd be great as cake toppers, gift tags, collage elements, or as a wall hanging or mobile, the options are endless! While I plan to add antenae depending on how these butterflies will be used (if I use them in collage I'll draw the antennae, and if used as is I'll glue wire antennae to the back) you can decided what works for you, though of course cutting out very fine antennae is not recommended. What is recommended is to get out a bunch of watercolor paper, make some butterfly stencils of your own in a bunch of sizes, and make this a family project! LIttle ones can certainly enjoy adding color to the shapes using the wet on wet watercolor technique, and then even add details with tiny pom poms or other collage elements. Lets do it!

Watercolor Hyacinth Cut-Outs Look Amazing Anytime Of Year

It is true, here in the Northern Hemisphere we don't usually think about hyacinths right about now, but in Australia now is the time! And truthfully, hyacinths are such amazing flowers, whether planted (which one should start thinking about now) or forced (which could start happening around November) so why not give it a try with some watercolors? I painted these hyacinths to use in a watercolor art journal that I'm making, and I just love the results. And friends, when you cut out your watercolor florals you can of course make the stems thinner and shape the flowers!

How To Paint An Artful Watercolor Strawberry

Friends, this painted watercolor strawberry tutorial is from way back in 2015, but since I just used the strawberries for the last time (since I wrote my son's name and age on them) 7 years later and they still look great, I thought I'd revisit this fun craft. Make a bushel of strawberries, cut them out and use them as garlands or cake or cupcake toppers, gift tags, you name it! And best of all, they keep really well, you know in that box of little pieces of art that you can use in a pinch for party decor! Here is the text from the original post:

Isn't this watercolor strawberry portrait just the greatest? While I though at the time that she wasn't really putting her mind to this little painting session, in the end her unstudied strawberry turned out to be the best of all. Isn't it great when your kids out-do you?

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!

Simple Watercolor Ferns For Shavuot!

I shared these watercolor fern paintings with you last year for the Jewish holiday of Tu B''Shevat, though i just had to share them again as they are so simple and perfect for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, coming up this Saturday night. We fill our homes with greenery for Shavuot, which means flowers, plants, and often the kids go out into the fields and collect anything that seems appropriate. This year the holiday of Shavuot is back to back with Shabbat, meaning we will have to decorate the house on Friday afternoon, ruling out all that fresh greenery, and possibly even flowers, as they just won't look all that great once the holiday rolls around. And, for those outside of Israel, Shavuot is a 2 day holiday, meaning Shabbat, Shavuot, Shavuot, or Saturday, Sunday, Monday. So, I say, in addition to some lovely new houseplants, which is always great, go for some non-perishable decorations, like these watercolor fern paintings. And if you prefer you can always cut them out and make a garland, which could be quite lovely, so go for it and chag sameach!

Paint The Kotel In Rainbow Colors For The 17th Of Tammuz !

I have pulled this post from the archives, as it is truly a perfect one.

Today is the 17th of Tammuz, a solemn fast day on the Jewish calender which marks the beginning of a three week period of mourning for the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash, (The Holy Temple/King Soloman's Temple.) So with the boys home from school early, and my daughter just starting her summer vacation, there is no time like the present to try and get back into our crafting groove which I have missed greatly! So today I pulled out the watercolors, and grabbed a white corrugated cardboard box, and we all spent some time painting the stones of the kotel, and I just love the results!

Yes, my boys smirked when I told them to use bright and beautiful colors for the stones that they know as beige, but I explained to them that we were painting the stories that the stones had surely witnessed, and all the beautiful prayers whispered in front of these stones every day by countless individuals from both near and far.