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Jello Gelt

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 17:28:56 -0500

Jello Gelt

Miracle - Matisyahu

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 09:44:09 -0500

Miracle - Matisyahu

funnyjews: We’re taking a trip back to the Borscht belt for...

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 16:17:13 -0500

funnyjews:

We’re taking a trip back to the Borscht belt for today’s Hanukkah vid…

Tom Lehrer - “Hanukkah in Santa Monica”

ilenetatro: Chocolate Dreidle (Taken with Instagram at Agency...

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 16:14:43 -0500

ilenetatro:

Chocolate Dreidle (Taken with Instagram at Agency For Jewish Education)

Happy Hanukkah! I have been working hard for the past two days...

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 08:36:00 -0500

Happy Hanukkah!

I have been working hard for the past two days to decorate the halls for Hanukkah! Here is a website I found with 8 Festive DIY Hanukkah Card Ideas.

Enjoy!

Happy Hanukkah! Hanukkah 2010 began last night and I celebrated...

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:02:27 -0500

Happy Hanukkah!

Hanukkah 2010 began last night and I celebrated the start of the holiday with my friends and a donut war (Dunkin’ Donuts vs Krispy Kreme). The photo above of me and my friends was taken post war last night. If you are presently wondering about the outcome of the war, Krispy Kreme sufganiyot, or jelly donuts, are FAR superior to the newly kosher Dunkin’ Donuts sufganiyot. Trust. I have done the delicious research.

This morning I received a message from jCraft follower, Isabela, telling me about a campaign she has started this year for the festival of lights.

Isabella asks: How will you shine your light this Hanukkah?

This Hanukkah I will shine my personal light by taking extra steps to help others, being there for members of my community who need a helping hand or someone to talk to who will not judge but simply listen. I will offer assistance more than usual and spend more time outside of my personal space and more time out in the community space where I can be available to lend a hand if needed.

You can respond to Isabella’s blog here.

Happy 2nd Night of Hanukkah!

Shalom :)
So the Hanukkah have started and I decided to create something new. I started a campaign called Shine Your Light. I'm asking people to answer the following question: How will you shine your light this Hanukkah? And some non-Jews are enjoying it a lot too! You can read more about it at http://thesilencethatremains.tumblr.com/post/2054743472/shine-your-light .
If you could take a look at it, or even promote it, I'd be very, very thankful :)
Thanks :)

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 15:43:55 -0500

Shalom,

This is a great idea! I will tie it into my Hanukkah posting today and link back to you.

Happy Hanukkah!

Craft the Season Craft has posted a very simple menorah project...

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 09:42:00 -0500

Craft the Season

Craft has posted a very simple menorah project on their blog.

Martha Stewart Sunday Martha’s fancy Glittered Sufganiyot,...

Sun, 28 Nov 2010 10:34:00 -0500

Martha Stewart Sunday

Martha’s fancy Glittered Sufganiyot, or jelly doughnuts, are topped with icing and edible blue glitter and wrapped for easy distribution. I love that each donut is nestled in a cupcake wrapper.

For a last minute party favor you could buy sufganiyot from your local bakery and decorate them at home. If you don’t want to use glitter you could swap it out for blue and white Star of David decorative sprinkles. I found mine at Michael’s.

Here are a few links to blogs, articles and pages (some Jewish...

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 08:50:00 -0500

Here are a few links to blogs, articles and pages (some Jewish and others not so Jewish) that I have found this past week to keep you busy over the weekend while I take a rest from blogging!

* Get inspired by the Mast Brothers by watching this video and this video. Amazing!

* Jewlicious writes about an American Thanksgiving celebration in Israel.

* My mom and I discovered The Virginia Peanut Company at a craft show last weekend. They make the best chocolate covered peanuts I have ever tasted!

* The Frisky offers some tips on how to deal with difficult relatives this holiday season.

* I get emails every day from Hungry Girl, Lisa Lillian, with great ideas. Here is her version of low fat cheese blintzes. I would add orange zest to mine. Yum!

* Mad Men seasons 1 through 3 are now on sale on Amazon for $9.99!

*All of the cool kids are doing it. Cocofy your life.

Enjoy!

More Embroidery Here is another collection of Hanukkah themed...

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 08:00:00 -0500

More Embroidery

Here is another collection of Hanukkah themed embroidery patterns that I found on Etsy. The Hanukkah Helpers pattern collection by Mollie Johanson of Wild Olive.

Pattern includes Happy Hanukkah Menorah, Dizzy Dreidel, Celebrating Star of David, Joyful Jelly Donut, Gleeful Gifts, Golden Gelt, Lovable Latkes (with either sour cream or applesauce!), Festive Frying Pan, and decorative “Festival of Lights” text.

This listing comes as a 4-page PDF with instructions/tips, 1 page of color suggestions, 1 page of patterns and 1 page of patterns reversed.

Mollie offers free embroidery pattern downloads every month on her wonderful blog along with many other crafty projects and projects that help others in need. Her smiley faced creations always inspire me and brighten my day.

gespenster: thedailywhat: This Is Funny, You Should Watch It...

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:52:34 -0500

gespenster:

thedailywhat:

This Is Funny, You Should Watch It of the Day: Daniel Radcliffe reveals to Judd Apatow what many had already assumed: That he is, in actuality, Harry Potter.

Hanukkah Around the World: Mexico In Mexico Hanukkah is written ...

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 11:29:21 -0500

Hanukkah Around the World: Mexico

In Mexico Hanukkah is written “Januca”. The Jewish Hanukkah customs are very similar to those of Jews elsewhere except that the food may be a little different. Instead of latkes and sufganiot which are common among the Ashkenazic Jews of Russia and Eastern Europe the Sephardic Jews of Mexico tend to favor things like “buñuelos” which are fried fritters drenched in sugar syrup and also balls of corn dough with marmalade inside.

Like their Jewish counterparts around the world they play the game of “dreidel” which they call “toma todo” and they call the dreidel top a “pirinola”. To make their holiday really special and authentically Mexican the add a Mexican “piñata” in the shape of the dreidel top to the festivities.

This information came from CasaQ Please venture to this website to learn more about Mexican Hanukkah, or Januca, traditions. There is a recipe for delicious looking buñuelos at the bottom of the page.

Featured Artist - Miss Marci While researching Jewish inspired...

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 08:00:00 -0500

Featured Artist - Miss Marci

While researching Jewish inspired art on Etsy I came across this hand built stoneware bird shaped tray. I love everything about it! The simplicity of the pattern, the colors, the lettering and the symbol of the dove, which represents peace.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this piece was created by 16-year-old Marci of MarciG. Marci’s natural artistic talent was fostered by watching and learning from her mom, a professional potter of 30+ years. They work together to photograph her artwork and pick pieces to sell in her shop.

Marci specializes in creating flowers, birds and leaves. Her commitment to those three shapes can clearly be seen in the continued perfection of each piece. Her use of color and patterns represent her youthful creativity and her as an artist.

Her work was featured in the June 2010 issue of Seventeen magazine. Get it girl!

Marci’s shop features shalom bird trays as well as many other beautiful hand built bowls, trinket trays and ornaments.

Even though she is very busy, Marci answered two questions from jCraft.

jCraft: Where did the inspiration for your shalom bird tray come from?

Marci: In our house we celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas. There are so many Christmas decorations and gifts out there and we’ve enjoyed collecting and making some Judaica so that Hanukkah doesn’t get lost. All of my bird trays have words with special meanings to me and I love the word shalom because it is a greeting that also means peace. I think that we need reminders to keep peace in our hearts, and lighting our menorah always gives me that feeling.

jCraft: As an artist, what are some of your favorite ways to celebrate the holiday season?

Marci: I don’t think of myself as an artist yet since I’m still a student. I love making Star of David cookies, which is a creative thing we do with my mom. We pipe blue and white icing on them, and each one is one of a kind. We make a hundred cookies and mail them to my grandparents, brothers, ans cousins.

I immediately knew that Marci’s piece was the perfect photo to accompany my first post because it’s simple design, beautiful symbolism and handmade nature represent exactly what I want to highlight on this blog.

Interested in learning more? Marci’s story is featured in an Etsy Storque article found here.

Thank you to both Marci and her mother! Good luck in all of your artistic endeavors!

Martha Stewart Sunday Martha’s Menorah Antimacassar will...

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 07:38:00 -0500

Martha Stewart Sunday

Martha’s Menorah Antimacassar will protect your window sill, mantle or table from messy candle drippings. This simple project can be complete in under 5 minutes with items that are most likely already in your kitchen, wax paper and scissors.

Here are a few links to blogs, articles and pages (some Jewish...

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 10:00:00 -0500

Here are a few links to blogs, articles and pages (some Jewish and others not so Jewish) that I have found this past week to keep you busy over the weekend while I take a rest from blogging!

* Read about an adventure to POM world Part 1 and Part 2 at Mango and Tomato.

* One of my most favorite weekend hobbies is reading Elizabeth’s blog Delightfully Tacky and following her adventures with the Brave down the west coast.

* AMAZING! Not one but TWO before and after projects that resulted in the best play kitchens ever!

* Want writing advice from Don Draper and Peggy Olson? Jonathan Morrow will help you out.

* Not a Jewish holiday, but still a beautifully celebrated one by Miss Gala Darling.

* Is keeping kosher the secret to cut out late night snacking?

* Check out the latest issue of Thread Magazine created by Ohio University students. Go bobcats!

* Living in: sense and sensibility by Design*Sponge

* Sustainable Kosher Turkeys for Thanksgiving

Enjoy!

Hanukkah Treasuries on Etsy * Holiday Shopping Gift Guide from...

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 19:00:00 -0500

Hanukkah Treasuries on Etsy

* Holiday Shopping Gift Guide from the Etsy Chai Team

* Hurry hurry Hanukkah is early treasury (pictured above)

* Chag Sameach by Mershel

Pom Perfect I truly love this handmade porcelain pomegranate...

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 23:54:31 -0500

Pom Perfect

I truly love this handmade porcelain pomegranate vase made by New Moon Studio. The featured red is my favorite color glaze but the pomegranate vase is also available in white, blue and green.

The vases are made to order and take 3 - 4 weeks to ship so it is too late to give it as a Hanukkah gift this year, but I think it would be a perfect house warming gift or baby shower gift.

Gelt Sugar Cookies These cookies are a super fast and tasty way...

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 08:00:00 -0500

Gelt Sugar Cookies

These cookies are a super fast and tasty way to bring Hanukkah icons and dessert together. Make a batch of chewy/soft sugar cookies. You can make the from scratch or from a prepackaged mix (that is what I did) and bake as directed. While the cookies are in the oven unwrap 1 piece of fresh, I repeat, FRESH (not last years left overs that spent the year in the candy basket above the fridge) gelt for each cookie. When the cookies are finished baking press 1 piece of gelt into the top of each cookie before it cool.

You can serve these warm when your friends and family come over to celebrate, or wrap them in festive packaging and give out as gifts or party favors.

Enjoy!

Hanukkah Card Roundup With only 15 days left until the start of...

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 15:00:00 -0500

Hanukkah Card Roundup

With only 15 days left until the start of Hanukkah it is the perfect time to order, write and send out Hanukkah cards to let your loved ones know that you are thinking of them this holiday season. My family members are very fond of sending e-cards (especially my mom) but if you are a postal paramour here is a list of my 8 favorite paper Hanukkah cards created by Etsy sellers.

* Happy Hanukkah Photo Card by Abigail Wilder Stationery

* Dreidels Card by Winifred studios

* Chanuctopus by Paper Doll (pictured above)

* Warmth and Love Letterpress card by Cardamom Press

* Hanukkah Architecture Cards: Dreidel and Menorah by architette studios

* Triangle Pattern Holiday Cards by Design des Troy

* Peace, Love, Joy Die Cut Cards by Scoop of Sugar

* 10 Op Art Pattern Hanukkah Card by Two Poodle Press