Recent Posts:

  • 10 Benefits of Slow Cooking

    10 Benefits of Slow Cooking

    Above Left: A cast bronze cholent pot from Germany, circa 1708, with the name of the family embossed on the pot, from the collection of The Jewish Museum, Jerusalem, on loan from the Jewish Museum of New York  Above Right: Bialystock, Poland Nov 20,1932 Bringing pots of shabbos cholent to a baker’s oven on friday…

  • DIY Tree Of Life Wall Decor Nature Craft

    The tree of life is a universal Jewish symbol, and this year it is center stage in our succah, as a DIY tree of life nature craft! I'll admit, I didn't plan this at all, though husband had requested something new for the succah, for which my reply was a groan, NOW? Meaning a day…

  • A Quick Accordian Folded Paper Flower For The Succah!

    A Quick Accordian Folded Paper Flower For The Succah!

    If I am sharing succah crafts with you right now, namely decorations that are currently hanging in my succah, that must mean the Jewish holiday of Succot is quickly approaching. And yes indeed, one of my favorite holidays, that also happens to be seven days long, starts tomorrow night, so time is of the essence!…

  • Easy Garden Craft Projects For Kids

    Easy Garden Craft Projects For Kids

    Fall is here and with cooler temperatures, now is a great time to spend more time outdoors! We will be spending 7 days in our Succah, which is part of the Jewish holiday of Succot, starting this Friday night, so that certainly qualifies as "outdoors!" There are so many ways to develop crafting/art skills, as…

  • A Peek In My Sketchbook: Pomegranite Ink Drawing With Cross Hatching

    A Peek In My Sketchbook: Pomegranite Ink Drawing With Cross Hatching

    If you are having a hard time fitting an art practice of some kind into your busy schedule, a smallish sketchbook, might just be THE thing! After six months of a consistent sketchbook/art journal practice I am just thrilled by the concept in general, and have gotten over my fear of making mistakes or entries…

  • A Peek In My Sketchbook: Simple Glass Vases With Sprigs Doodle

    A Peek In My Sketchbook: Simple Glass Vases With Sprigs Doodle

    It is true, with the week long Jewish holiday of Succot coming up this Friday night, now is the time get to work on the Succah decorations! Truthfully, the little game going on in my head right now is whether to use existing decorations as much as possible (some of which haven't seen the succah…

  • A Mixed Media Rooster Painting For Yom Kippur!

    A Mixed Media Rooster Painting For Yom Kippur!

    Tonight we usher in the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, which includes a mandatory 25 hour fast for all those healthy and over the age of bar/bat mitzvah, and in my case a day spent in the synagogue with our community, which is the only place I'd want to be on this day of atonement.…

  • Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday

    Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday

    Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, thanks so much for joining me here! I am sneaking this party in just before the very important Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, which starts on Sunday night. The holiday is also a major fast, meaning a fast of 25 hours, and mandatory for all those over the age of…

  • A Colorful Mixed Media Vase Of Flowers Painted In My Sketchbook!

    A Colorful Mixed Media Vase Of Flowers Painted In My Sketchbook!

    I used to have a fear of creating in my sketchbook, and now suddenly I am just as happy as can be creating in a large 8 1/2 x 11" book, and being possibly more brave since I am telling a story about my creative journey within the pages. Every good story has its ups…

  • Oleander In Bloom In Israel

    Oleander In Bloom In Israel

    Right about now I should be working on Succah decorations (truthfully I have enough in boxes in the attic for a few succahs, as you can imagine….) but instead I've been painting in my art journal and looking at some of my own photos for inspiration. Up the hill from my house and within our…

  • Negative Shape Flower Painting Exercise In My Sketchbook

    Negative Shape Flower Painting Exercise In My Sketchbook

    Negative shape painting is a great art technique that every crafter out to have up their sleeve, as it is great for making art and illustrations of all kinds, and especially wonderful when introduced to kids! This technique would be perfect for making art for the Succah, (think pomegranates, fig leaves, apples, olive branches etc.)…

  • A Peek In My Sketchbook: Floral Sketch With Colored Pencils

    A Peek In My Sketchbook: Floral Sketch With Colored Pencils

    Today was the minor fast called the Fast of Gedaliah, which always takes place the day after Rosh HaShana, and whose timing is excellent after all those festive meals! While fasting and catching up on some computer work after 3 plus days of being unplugged, I came across a few photos of the oleander blooms…

  • Craft Schooling Sunday Will Resume Next Week

    Thanks so much for stopping by, today is the second day of the Jewish New Year, Rosh HaShana, and we are unplugged and celebrating the holiday, so Craft Schooling Sunday is postponed until next week. Wishing everyone a shanah tovah, a good year, and a gemar chatima tovah, may you be inscribed in the book…

  • Wishing You A Shanah Tovah And A Sweet As Honey New Year!

    Wishing You A Shanah Tovah And A Sweet As Honey New Year!

    Dear Readers, I had dreamed of taking photos of one of the pomegranate laden trees in the neighborhood in order to wish you a Shanah Tovah, a happy new year, but as is par for the course here at CJM central, we are going out town tonight, together with all the food I've cooked and…

  • Apple Cake Cards For Rosh HaShana, Or Someone’s Birthday, Or Both?

    Apple Cake Cards For Rosh HaShana, Or Someone’s Birthday, Or Both?

    One of my sweet sons has a 17th birthday tomorrow, just two days shy of Rosh HaShana, and this year, unlike previous years when the men and boys travel out of town for the holiday leaving us women to bask in the freedom of just being women, ahhhh, but never mind, that is not happening…

  • A New Category Just In Time For Rosh HaShana: Apples!

    Dear Readers: With Rosh HaShana coming up this Friday night, the crafting frenzy has begun, and I realized I could really help make your life so much easier if I put all the apple crafts together, as what says Rosh HaShana more than apples? So, I'm happy to say there are 29 posts (and counting)…

  • Festive Painted Apples For Rosh HaShana

    Festive Painted Apples For Rosh HaShana

    Let the Rosh HaShana crafting take over your dining room table, because what a great way to end the Jewish year! And with just a bit of forethought, whatever you make now can be used as decorations in the Succah (coming up 2 weeks after Rosh HaShana), or as little gifts or cards to wish…

  • Now Is The Time To Get Crafting For Rosh HaShana!

    Now Is The Time To Get Crafting For Rosh HaShana!

    Sometimes I feel like I might just be the only Jewish crafting coach in the world, and that dear readers is why I am posting some photos of what is going on right now on my kitchen table, namely to get you inspired to use this very last week of the Jewish year to engage…

WHY NOT START A NEW CROCHET PROJECT?

Or delve into relaxing watercolor, or a sketchbook practice? Just do it!