creative jewish mom

Try Skillshare, One Month Free!

Hi Friends, one of my favorite sources online for all kinds of amazing classes is Skillshare, I totally recommend it, and now you can give it a try for one month, free! Diving into something creative is always better when you have someone to teach you all the things you don't know, so whether you want to learn painting, drawing, digital art, procreate, adobe illustrator, social media marketing, photography, pattern design, painting with gouche or watercolor, and so much more, give Skillshare a try, you won't be disappointed, promise!

 

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, thanks for joining me here! Summer vacation is over, and back to school also means getting ready for the Jewish Holiday Season which includes Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur and Succot......This year I'm planning on Succah decor that is totally different from previous years, though involves creating art that will be printed on canvas and crafting lots of strings of leaves of all kinds......the main thing is that we've recently re-stuccoed our courtyard walls that are also succah walls, and I just can't bear to start making holes with nails and such, which in itself creates new parameters, I'll keep you posted. In the meantime I re-starting my crafting classes with school age boys who are anxious to get back to work, so very sweet, and with a huge bag of plastic bottles needing to be put to good use, we have our work cut out for us, making succah decorations and maybe some plastic bottle apples. Okay, so much to do! Enjoy the wonderful features from last week's party!

Stunning August Sunset Over Mount Meron, Northern Israel

A stunning fiery orange and very dramtic sunset over Mount Meron in Northern Israel was something that one had to be near a window to catch, as it passed quite quickly! I am so very blessed to have a stunning mountain view that never gets old, especially with sunsets and cloud formations like these! And yes, I do plan to paint all of this, even as a daily practice, but in the mean time I have photos to record some of the clouds that seem unreal, and really do belong in a painting!

14 Easy & Fun Brain Exercises for Kids

Brain development in children is a topic with which every parent should be familiar, as the minute a child is born, their rapidly developing brain influences their future in every way! Brain development is part of cognitive development, which describes how a child’s intellect forms, and includes thinking, learning and problem-solving skills. These skills affect all other areas of development, and in turn effect the child's entire life.

The first three years of a child’s life are critical for learning and development, and the brain is 90% developed by age 5, and 95% developed by age 6! Okay, don't stress out if your kids are over the age of 6 and you are just becoming aware of this info. The exposure kids get after age 6 is also very important and how kids spend their time greatly impacts every stage of development.

One of the main problems today is that kids are glued to screens rather than spending time reading or playing word and reasoning games that are important for their growth. Just about any activity that does not involve a screen is great for development and truly crucial. So put away the devices and help your kids invest their time wisely in order to have a bright future!

Here are fifteen fun brain exercises and activities to get you started. Time is of the essence, lets get to it!

Choosing the Perfect Mother-of-the-Bride Dress for a Summer Wedding

Summer weddings are magical, filled with the warmth of the season and the vibrant energy of nature in full bloom. For the mother of the bride, choosing the perfect dress for such an occasion is a task that combines personal style, comfort, and the desire to complement the wedding’s theme and color palette. And to successfully meet all of these requirements can be quite a challenge. Hopefully this guide will help simplify the process by offering practical advice and inspiration. With the right guidance, you can find a dress that looks stunning and feels great! And of course, if your wedding isn't planned for the summer, the tips can be applied to any season, so keep on reading, and then go look for that perfect dress!

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday! Thanks so much for joining me here. School has now started for most kids here in Israel, and tomorrow is Rosh Chodesh Elul, the first day of the Jewish month of Elul, a serious month spent preparing for Rosh HaShana by working on ourselves and by building exciting for the holidays with kids through crafting and creativity. The little boys with whom I've been crafting are anxious to get back to work and even knocked on my door to ask when we will be meeting again, so sweet! What can I say, with so much evil in the world the only answer is to bring joy to others where possible, and of course get crafting! Enjoy the features from last week's party!

Introduction to Drawing Hand Skeletons: A Beginner’s Guide

One of the most difficult things to draw when drawing people is the hands, and truthfully I always used to hide the hands somehow! Of course a much better idea is to really understand the structure of the hand, which will make drawing hands so much simpler. What is the structure, well the skeleton of course, but not studied in a spooky way, but rather in an anatomical way. Drawing skeleton hands might seem daunting, especially considering that each hand has 27 bones, which you must draw to be symmetrical and proportional.  However, even with little to no training, you can easily learn how to master this technique by following this simple beginner-friendly guide! And it just so happens that some children might not be interested in drawing typical subjects, but just might be very interested in learning to draw a skeleton hand, which is a win win, as working on drawing skills is a huge plus for any age. Okay, shall we learn some hand anatomy?

Recycle Plastic Bags and Make Yarn For Crafting!

Aren't these imperfect balls of "plarn" aka plastic bag yarn just the sweetest? They were made by a group of 8 to 9 year old boys, and truly it was a great activity for them, and nicely filled an hour plus crafting lesson. We secured the balls with a rubber band and each one added a tiny note with their name on it so as not to confuse them. Plastic bags are unfortunately used plentifully around here, as honestly we have more important issues as the moment, so at the very least I am trying to educate kids about re-use and not to just throw them away as they make great yarn for crafting!

I have often started a ball and added to it as the plastic bags came into our home, which is a great idea and satisfying to boot. Plus then no one can call me a bag lady, or accuse me of hoarding when all those bags are cut up and made into balls? Plastic bag yarn is a great activity for kids as young as even 6 or 7, with a bit of help, so make some today or use the tutorial to make yarn from loops of pantyhose or tights! Let's do it!

Recycled Icecream Cone Box Birthday Garland!

I hope you will never throw out another food box with photos on it again, as cut-outs make the most adorable garlands, especially when the kids cut out the items and decorate them! This ice cream cone birthday garland for a beloved five year old was made together with him, though admittedly I did most of the work, but he did a great job making some abstract cherries and cutting out the cones! The black and white striped t-shirt yarn adds to the whole look, though of course black and white polka dot ribbon would also be great. So friends, recycle those food boxes with photos on them and make fun crafts. Boxes of cereal with collage of pom poms  and sequins could be great, hmmm, gotta do that! Get creative with this one and enjoy!

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, thanks for joining me here! Fall is coming which means so is the Jewish holiday season, so time to get crafting before the rush begins! Because of the crafting classes I started for boys, I actually already made a nice number of succah decorations, though I have some very crafty dreams for this year's succah, something completely different but quite a bit of work, so I need to get started! The thing is now is summer vacation and I just want to do the things I'd usually do this time of year when on vacation in the USA. So if my stay cation means not making those Succah decorations but instead painting, so be it! Okay, let's take a look at the features from last week's party!

How To Prune A Yucca And Encourage New Growth

Drum roll please......the Yucca tree that I pruned roughly 11 months ago, right before Succot, has finally finally sprouted some tiny new growth on the pruned stump. The piece that we cut off that was too tall for our Succah and taller than the one we left, has long since rooted and is a nice sized Yucca plant in itself. I was expecting that the stump would produce babies in the spring, at the latest, and yet nothing happened. I started to doubt the success of the idea and thought that maybe I left the stump too high and it should really be shorter and closer to the soil for success, which might be the case, but for now I'll watch the tiny new babies grow and keep track of just how long it takes. Can't wait for this to fill out and for this lovely Yucca in our courtyard to really look amazing. As far as the uncut stalk, it may have to be pruned in the future as well. This Yucca started as a tiny baby 23 years ago, and my look how it has grown! Totally recommend Yucca, just keep them groomed so that you see the stalk, please! Keep on reading to see the tiny new shoots!