Sara Rivka

  • 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…

  • Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday

    Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday

    Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, thanks so much for joining me here! Wow, we are now entering the very last year of the Jewish year, and as I write this we are about to celebrate the very last shabbat of the year. The pressure is now on to do our very best in every area…

  • 8 Tips For Safely Using A Chainsaw On A DIY Project

    8 Tips For Safely Using A Chainsaw On A DIY Project

    We are in the middle of an extreme heat wave here in Israel, so it doesn't really feel like Fall, but with Rosh HaShana in less than two weeks, and the Jewish holiday season to follow, that means it is basically Fall, cool weather or not! So that said let's start thinking about bringing some…

  • Embroidered Geometric Stars On A Recycled Styrofoam Tray, Festive And Fun Anytime!

    Embroidered Geometric Stars On A Recycled Styrofoam Tray, Festive And Fun Anytime!

    After sharing the cross stitch apple styrofoam tray embroidery craft, I just couldn't resist dusting off this project to share with you, as it still looks great four years after I first shared it. The wonderful thing about these string stars is that they have a universal festive look so they would truly be great…