The proximity of Yom Ha’atzma’ut to Pesach means that every year I either give up before I start, or am scrambling last minute to share all the ideas I have. This year, I was trying to get out 2-3 of them, and then smashed my hand (putting away Pesach stuff, of course).

But I was deep into illustrating a flag of Israel coloring page, and I really wanted to get this pretty page out to you – especially since last year, I shared simpler kid-friendly designs.

So the other crafts will have to wait for next year (I’m working on some better timeline and planning) and for now, I’m happy to share this flag of Israel coloring page with you – and check out previous years’ Yom Ha’atzma’ut crafts here.

About the flag of Israel coloring page

The design

My idea was to make a flat flag, but add doodles to the blue parts for you to color in shades of blue.

I focused on floral motifs and patterns but added a touch of Israel in, with grape-like clusters on the top stripe and pomegranates on the bottom one.

My favorite part is the star itself, which I made as a solid outline six-pointed star just to give more area for doodles. It look so pretty that I’m considering making it larger and offering it as a standalone star of David coloring page, maybe with some detail added (I illustrated this in Fresco using a Vector brush so that I can make it big without losing quality.) Definitely let me know what you think in the comments.

Coloring your flag of Israel Coloring Page

Coloring tips

I colored this page using Ohuhu’s double brush tip markers. I’m not gonna lie, while Ohuhu is a great non-major brand if you want something affordable, there definitely is a difference in quality between these and the major brands (such as Stabilo or Staedtler).

I do like, however, how I get a huge selection of shades for something like this that was designed to be monochromatic. You DEFINITELY need to swatch it if you’re doing it all in blue.

I decided to break away a bit from all-blue, but keep it mostly that so that it still looks like the Israeli flag.

I added bits of purple and green where called-for on the fruit and foliage. I did layer a bit. I had it printed on regular copy paper, which makes it harder to layer – especially water based markers that soak the paper. The page crumbles a bit.

For layering color with markers, ideally you’d print it on cardstock and color with alcohol markers (though they’re not quite as fine-tipped as you’ll need for this page). I did it anyway because I used colors in slightly the wrong tones.

I did not (yet) finish coloring it – it takes some time and I need to move on to the next holidays! I’ll share here if (when) I do.

You can definitely choose if you want to color in each little detail separately, focus on the broader areas and let my line art just be a pattern fill, or some and some.

Stick to just blues, blues and teals, or go crazy with color.

And you can even play with shading on the background.

Crafting ideas

Since it’s a basic rectangle, there are so many things you can do with this flag of Israel coloring page if you cut out your colored work!

• My favorite: Give one to each member of the family/class, and then string it up into a pennant-style banner for Yom Ha’atzma’ut decor.
• Use it as a cover for an Israel-related project or journal.
• Use it as a classroom bulletin board – again, have each classmate fill one in.
• Make cards for soldiers using the colored pages. The inner detail is quite small, so you won’t want to shrink it down, unless you’ll be coloring over the detail and not inside it. You can get double-size construction paper to make jumbo cards.
• Use Mod Podge and a spray sealer to glue it onto a wooden board, attach a string hanger for a durable flag sign.
• Or, you can even glue it onto colored cardstock for a simpler sign.
• And finally, you can turn it into a simple flag for a Yom Ha’atzma’ut parade by gluing on an 18 inch dowel (best done on paper, not cardstock).

Download your free printable flag of Israel coloring page

The free printable

Download your free coloring page! It’ll arrive right in your inbox. By downloading, you’re subscribing to our FREE newsletter with updates on cool printables like this, ideas to simplify Jewish life, and more. Unsubscribe at any time at the bottom my emails. I respect your privacy and the law, and won’t share or sell your email address.

More Israel-themed coloring pages

I have loads more coloring pages that are perfect for Yom Ha’atzma’ut in my Etsy shop. You can find them here.

Purchasing premium products from me enables me to keep doing what I do, to give more focus to my Jewish blog, creating authentically Jewish resources for homes, educators, and parents.

What will you be doing with this flag of Israel coloring page? Comment below!

The post Flag of Israel Coloring Page (free printable) appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

Put your Hebrew name on a bracelet for a splash of Jewish pride in our heritage. It’s also a great educational activity for home, Hebrew school, or camp! Kids will learn or practice how to identify or match Hebrew letters and spell their name. You can teach or reinforce phonics at the same time. Not to mention the fine motor workout kids will get while stringing the small beads!

You can also use a meaningful phrase instead of a name – on your own, use it to inspire yourself; in school or camp, use it to complement a lesson.

For example, I made one of my bracelets say “Am Yisrael Chai,” meaning the Jewish people are forever. I feel this expresses my optimism at a scary time, which would also make a great group discussion in a school, camp, or even party setting.

I chose to add beads in shades of blue to evoke the Israeli flag, then added complementing beads in silver, gold, and tan. Of course, you can choose any colors you like.

Aim for beads that are similar in size to your letter beads, to give your bracelet a smooth appearance. I found that 8mm worked well to give me a classy bracelet that works both as a single strand or stacked.

Bead bracelets are a super easy craft, but that doesn’t mean they need to be boring – this design looks elegant and sophisticated even though it took minutes to make and used simple, inexpensive supplies.

Kids, teens, and adults alike can enjoy both the process of making them as well as wearing the finished product! It’s a great craft to do in a group because it doesn’t require a lot of different steps or instructions, but can still keep the crafters engaged for a meaningful amount of time as they select beads and put them together. Fast crafters can make a few, slower ones can stick with one.

When you’re done making yours, you can easily make more to give as gifts. They’re so easy to make that you can even do them in larger quantities for fundraising or party favors. Make some in different color schemes for variety, or wear a few stacked up for extra oomph.
Most importantly, get creative and have fun!

What you’ll need

• Elastic cord (or bracelet string of your choice) – Note: the easiest kind is the kind that is made of a few strands twisted as it has more hold. Avoid the crystal clear kind as it is harder to knot (unless you’re a pro).
• Hebrew letter beads – this is incredibly hard to find, surprisingly, but I found an affordable set at Temu. I’m guessing if you’re in Israel you might have an easier time finding it!
• Decorative beads of your choice (I used 8mm wooden beads)
• Optional: clear tape, marker, glue

How to make Hebrew name bracelets

1. Start to plan your design by picking out the letter beads that spell your name (or the phrase you’ve chosen)

2. Cut a length of elastic about 2-3 times longer than you’d need to go around your wrist. If the cut end seems like it will start fraying, take a piece of tape and wrap it tightly around the end to make it easier to slide the beads on.

3. Slide on your letter beads

4. Decide what decorative beads to add – will you need a space between two words? Do you want a colored bead between each letter? Try out the arrangements on the table first. You can use the cut cord to help you estimate how many beads you’ll need to go around your wrist by marking on the cord the actual wrist diameter.

Start stringing on your beads – I like to work with symmetry, coming from each direction. Add the surrounding beads, alternating one on each side so your name stays centered.

5. Continue to slide the beads onto the cord until your design is complete. Keep an eye on the letters to make sure they’re getting strung right-side-up!

When you think you’re done, carefully test out the size by wrapping it around your wrist. You’ll want to leave just a drop of slack both for comfort and to make sure it will fit over your hand. Add more beads if necessary to fill in extra space – this bracelet will look best if it is full of beads.

Finish it off by knotting the ends of the cord together. Make a double or triple knot to secure it. Glue your knot if you’d like for added security.

Trim off any excess string that’s hanging off.

You’ve successfully made some fun Hebrew name bracelets! What will you be stacking it with?

The post Hebrew Name Bracelets appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

Just because of its proximity to so many other holidays, I tend to not really manage to create anything for Yom Ha’atzma’ut. But with all that is going on this year – in Israel and the rest of the world, the need for Jewish self-determination has never been clearer.

And while celebrations are extremely bitter this year (I don’t even think bittersweet does it), we still celebrate our ability to make sure that “never again” means just that. I knew that I just had to make some crafts happen this year.

I expedited two jewelry making crafts – a Star of David beading tutorial and a DIY clay Star of David bracelet. Both of these allow us to own our Jewish identity. Plus, they’re fun for all year round as well!

However, I wanted something simple that the kids can do, and that is more appropriate to actually entertain Yom Ha’atzma’ut celebrations, and supplement classroom lessons around the world.

I created two coloring pages, available as a free download at the end of this post:

• A page with kids dancing and celebrating Israel together, with a focus on unity and harmony.
• The Israeli flag waving strong and proud

These Yom Ha’atzma’ut coloring pages were majorly expedited and illustrated and published today, so that I can get it on time for at least some of you to still use it this year! So please forgive imperfections. I usually test color the pages but I had to skip that step to be able to get it out on time. If you notice any mistakes, please let me know so that I can fix it for next year!

Celebrating Together Yom Ha’atzma’ut Coloring Page

This page has kids of presumably different backgrounds (religious, secular, and can be colored as Mizrahi, Ashkenazi, Ethiopian, etc) all celebrating together.

Israel is our reunification from around the globe, and we all know we need unity. Yom Ha’atzma’ut occurs during sefirat ha’omer, a time when we learn that respect for each other is the key to preventing tragedy amongst us. I wanted the message of beyachad nenatze’ach (together we will win) to come through in our lessons to our children as well.

While we may live differently, we are each humans with a story. Our differences make us more special, and make our world so much brighter.

There are balloons, streamers, and confetti. The kids hold Israeli flags and a tambourine stick, as they hold hands, high five, and dance… together.

The words on the bottom that the kids are dancing on says “Am Yisrael Chai” in Hebrew – the people of Israel live.

Flag of Israel Coloring Page

This super simple coloring page features an Israeli flag waving. The star is cut at the fold to be a bit more realistic.

Kids can be encouraged to create their own doodles to fill in the spaces. I kept this simple, having in mind that it can make a fabulous bulletin board for classrooms, and be used to encourage a bit of creativity while remaining on theme as a Yom Ha’atzma’ut coloring page.

It also has enough white space to be used for kids to write things for bulletin boards, such as their favorite memory from Israel, their favorite thing about being Jewish, etc.

Download the Yom Ha’atzma’ut Coloring pages

Download your free coloring page! It’ll arrive right in your inbox. By downloading, you’re subscribing to our FREE newsletter with updates on cool printables like this, ideas to simplify Jewish life, and more. Unsubscribe at any time at the bottom my emails. I respect your privacy and the law, and won’t share or sell your email address.

Get more fun Yom Ha’atzma’ut Coloring Pages

If you want more fun pages to color in the spirit of Israel and the Jewish people, you’ll love these two sets:

Shalom, Peace, & Unity

Color these beautiful Shalom (peace) and Israel coloring pages to celebrate Israel and Jewish heritage. They feature a variety of Israel themes and scenes of unity.
I designed these with plenty of opportunity for creativity and adding your own texture. The pages feature different styles, including scenes, typography, and doodles, to keep things interesting. They are medium level, making them accessible for a wide variety of age groups

Pages include:

• Am Yisrael Chai – the Nation of Israel lives. It features the text in Hebrew and English, written on a background of a banner, with a split star of David. The bird is the Hoopoe bird – doocheefat in Hebrew – the national bird of Israel. The flower is the national flower of Israel which is the red anemone (calanit).
• The Kotel (Western Wall)
• A dove flying above Jerusalem (not a very specific picture – it’s just inspired by the architectural details)
• Israelis of different strokes united (note the details)
• An intricate doodled Shalom (in Hebrew) page. The Shalom was illustrated by accident: I made those criss-crossing rectangles and found the space for the word “shalom” in the gaps. I defined it and brought it out in the design.

Chai & Star of David Coloring Set

A selection of fun intricate coloring pages featuring star of David and Chai motifs, to celebrate Jewish identity and life!

This is a really fun way to celebrate Yom Ha’atzma’ut, and fun for the older set!

The post Yom Ha’atzma’ut Coloring Pages appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

While it can be super easy to make a Star of David from polymer clay if you have a dedicated cutter to it, I wanted to share some ideas with a bit more personality, and that don’t require you to own such a specific cutter!

You will need other clay cutters. Primarily, you’ll need a hexagon, which is anyway a very versatile classic shape to own. For one of them, I also used a diamond cutter. A triangle would be a better option for this one, but I did not have one in the correct size.

This clay star of David craft is actually fabulous for beginner clay crafting or jewelry making workshops. It doesn’t really require pre-existing skills to craft, as long as the instructor can understand the process clearly.

Behind my method for making a clay Star of David

A while ago, I made some DIY kippah clips using polymer clay. I was much newer at using clay then, and while I definitely have more clay knowledge now, I do need to give fair warning that I am still not a pro. However, I am a creative and happy to share my ideas. I do recommend that if you want to create with polymer clay on a professional level, that you learn the basics.

These stars were made by creating two triangles and overlapping them. This is still a great way of doing it and gives you a fun modern look.

I did not use clay cutters – or really much of any tools for that matter – to make those and formed them with my fingers. It looks beautiful and organic – and has loads of fingerprints.

The main way around fingerprints is rolling it with an acrylic roller. This smooths out the surface. So while you can definitely use a printed template and craft knife to create your design, or even form shapes with your fingers, you’ll still want to roll things out.

I have also in the past used air dry clay to make Star of David necklaces. This is also a great tutorial and more forgiving texture-wise (you can even use water to smooth out fingerprints) however it creates a much larger, less delicate final piece. Air dry clay can be brittle by nature, so you don’t want to go too thin either.

This method for making a clay Star of David allows you to get a more consistent shape and size, and avoid fingerprints. You can go quite small and add loads of fun detail.

My stars are a teensy bit rough around the edges – mainly because I was working to get it to you on time and didn’t manage to sit and sand. I also didn’t finish off my clay for the same reason.

You can finish off your clay using a polymer clay glaze or UV resin.

Turning a clay Star of David into jewelry

I had originally planned to share a friendship bracelet craft for Yom Ha’atzma’ut but the design needed fine-tuning so I decided to shelve it for now. So I wanted to stick with the fun bracelet vibe.

I pierced holes on each end to turn it into a bracelet. On one, I used a silk cord to finish it off. On the other, I used a more traditional and classy chain.

You can also turn this into other jewelry. Pendants and dangle earrings can be made using a single hole. You can also turn them into charms, but you may want to make them even smaller.

And if you manage to go really tiny, you can even make clay Star of David stud earrings!

How to make clay Star of David jewelry

Clay Matters

The brand of clay you’ll be using matters. While it can be tempting to purchase a cheap no-name brand, when making something that gets some wear and tear like jewelry, you want to choose a quality clay.

Cheap clays can sometimes be brittle and break more easily.

The exact brand doesn’t matter, but some good options are brands like DAS, Sculpey, and Fimo. I used DAS for this tutorial.

What you need

Clay stuff

• Polymer clay
• Clay glue
• Acrylic Roller
• Tissue Blade
• Hexagon clay cutter
• Optional: diamond or triangle clay cutter
• Smooth work surface (a ceramic tile, a sheet of acetate or acrylic, etc)
• Clay tools – you’ll need a pointy thing and preferably also a silicone tipped tool
• Optional: texture sheets

Jewelry stuff

• Jump rings and clasp
• Chain or cord
• Cord ends if using cord
• Jewelry tools

How to make it

Raised center star

1. Roll out your main color.

2. Roll out your center color. I used a texture sheet to add some detail.

3. Cut a hexagon from your center color.

4. Apply a drop of clay glue to your background color.

5. Place the hexagon on the glue. Be very careful not to move it as you use the tissue blade to cut. Each triangle should continue the line of a side of the hexagon. But don’t cut alongside the hexagon itself.

6. Cut at angles to continue each line a bit until it meets the next cut. I recommend turning your work surface/base as you work and not the clay itself. As you work, you can remove the outline clay if you’d like.

Your clay star of David is ready to roll. Two steps that I didn’t photograph: Use a piercing tool to make holes as needed for your jewelry. I also did soften the points a little using that silicone pointed tool.

Making a flat polymer clay Star of David

1. The point of this is mainly to show you how to work with cutters you have. It can be hard to match precisely a triangle to a hexagon shape. For that reason, this trick can help you adapt a cutter for making a star of David.

Use this trick if you have a triangle that’s too large as well. However, keep in mind that the proportions of the shape still need to make sense. For example, I considered using a square cutter too, but that would have left me with triangles that are too flat and wide. For that reason, I chose an elongated diamond.

Place the diamond over the hexagon and mark the spot where you need your triangle to end.

2. Roll our your center center color. Add texture as you’d like. I used a ball-tipped tool to add a “hammered” look.

3. Roll our your triangle color. I used a texture sheet for this as well. Cut the edges so that they are straight.

4. Use your marked cutter. Place it so that the marking is flush with the straight edge and cut only the part that you need to use. Do this for six points of your clay Star of David.

5. Roll out a base color (it can be either color that you used, but I don’t recommend introducing a third color for this.) Glue the hexagon in the center.

6. Glue the points on each end of the hexagon so that the rounded corner points out. You can see here that my triangles were slightly large so my final result wasn’t perfect, but it’s perfect enough for me to use myself. If you’re selling these, you’ll want to practice a few times and allow for trial and error till you get it right.

7. If needed, use the silicone tool to nudge things where you want them.

8. Pierce holes as needed. VERY carefully so that things don’t shift, cut out your Star of David from the base clay.

9. Use the tissue blade to very carefully remove it from the surface and place it in your oven-safe dish. You can see my cut wasn’t perfect – I was able to fix it a bit after baking.

Making your Star of David bracelets

1. Bake your clay Star of David according to the clay package instructions. Seal it if you’d like.

2. Attach jumprings. The ones I used on the raised center bracelet were very thin and insecure, and since I don’t solder, I instead turned the jumprings into split rings by overlapping the sides a bit.

3. If attaching a silk cord: thread it through the two jump rings going across the back of your star.

4. Or just attach chains to the jump rings. Finish off with cord ends, a clasp, and a few links of chain, or a chain and a clasp.

What method will you use to make a clay Star of David? Comment below!

The post Clay Star Of David DIY appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

Yom Ha’atzma’ut is coming, and boy do we need it. Never has it been so obvious how strongly we need a place to call home, never have we felt the existential threat in our generation like we do now.

I wanted to create a few Yom Ha’atzma’ut crafts, but with its proximity to Pesach, it’s actually really hard to create content in time. A couple of crafts that I tried didn’t work our or needed fine-tuning, so I decided to hold off on those until I can work them out better.

Meanwhile, I decided to adapt this wooden beaded Star of David to make some beautiful pendants.

While the star of david beading pattern is essentially the same, the tutorial is adapted for the different materials. In fact, I tried this one as well a few times before I got the bead size, wire type and size, and all the tips and pointers right.

It’s a quite straightforward process, but I do recommend you read the details well.

I created my star of David pendants in fun but muted colors, both the traditional blues and greens because there’s really no law that the Star of David needs to be blue.

These can be fun to layer with more delicate chains, or to wear on its own as a statement necklace. You can definitely use simpler round beads for an all-silver (or gold) look. Go glamorous with crystals instead, or classy with pearls.

While this can be a fun workshop project, it’s a bit advanced for complete beginners, as you do need to work through some slight challenges in pulling it off.

A note about the correct beads for this Star of David beading tutorial

Most of my experimentation was built around the correct beads to use. They need to be small enough to create a pretty pendant. They work best if they’re smooth enough to sit nicely in place. They should be consistent in sizing.

And most importantly: the holes need to be large enough to fit the wire through 3 times.

The beads I used in the end are coated Czech glass beads that I have in my stash for over a decade. I also experimented with Swarovski bicone crystals, which worked out okay, but I snapped the wire towards the end. I would suggest rather using their round crystals if you want to go that route.

Wire and other stringing pointers

As this is a design that I usually make using string, my first instinct was to try Tigertail stringing wire. However, the tigertail was too wide for most beads – including those I preferred to use.

I did not want to use something like fishing line, as it’s a bit weaker.

I ended up using 28 guage permanently colored beading wire. While this can kink a little, it was the perfect solution.

When you go through your later beads, you’ll need to be careful not to pull too hard, or you can break your wire. However, once I got the hang of the right level of tension, it held up beautifully.

Star of David Pendant Beading Tutorial

I created this star of David beading tutorial using three different colors of bead just to make things clear for you. The beading tutorial has three layers that go in a circular pattern, and using different colors allows you to see clearly which beads belong to which layer. You can definitely make this monochromatic or make the points a separate color from the inside.

Supplies needed

• 4mm beads – 12 for the inner round, 12 for the middle, and 6 for the outer points.
• 28 gauge beading wire
• Jewelry pliers
• Optional: a pendant bail
• Finished chain

Instructions

1. Cut a length of wire about 3 feet long. Start by stringing 12 beads in the center.

2. String the end of wire back through the first bead that you strung, so that you have a ring, with a wire on each side of that first bead.

3. Starting on either side, string two beads.

4. You’re now going to string your wire through your inner ring of beads each time you add another two beads, skipping one from the last you strung through. So skip a bead, string your wire through the next bead on the inner circle. The two second-layer beads should rest on top of that skipped bead. Don’t worry if the inside is getting a bit distorted, but do gently pull it tight and try to avoid unnecessary gaps and exposed wire.

5. Continue stringing two beads, and threading it through every other center layer bead, until you reach your starting point – you should have six sets of two in your second layer, evenly spaced apart. Make sure to GENTLY pull each round tight enough that there are minimal gaps on the wire. Try to keep things straight to avoid kinking.

You may need to trim the tip of your wire as you go along if it gets too bent (you can also try straightening it with pliers as well, but you may need to trim it too.)

If you’re having trouble at any point stringing through a hole, bend the neighboring beads a bit back and pull that bead forward so that the hole is more accessible, then bend it right back once your wire is strung.

6. You’re ready for your final round. You’ll basically be running your wire around the perimeter of the entire Star of David, adding beads at the points – between your two second layer beads.

Run either side of your wire through the adjoining second layer bead. String on a single bead.

7. Run the wire through the next second layer bead, through the connecting first layer bead, and through the next second layer bead. Pull gently to secure.

8. Add another bead. Continue running the wire through the beads around the perimeter of the star, adding a bead between the two second layer beads to form a point, until you’ve completed all six.

9. You can finish this off one of two ways. Either, run it through the last bead as well, till both wires meet. Form a loop using both wires.

10. Wrap the wire’s “tails” through the star, then around itself to form a loop. Attach a pendant bail and a chain.

Alternatively, you can finish the star off “clean” by wrapping the wire tails a few times around the star itself, and trimming tight. Then, simply thread a chain through the slight gap between the outer and center beading layers on one of the star points.

Wear it with pride!

I hope you enjoyed this Star of David beading tutorial and DIY necklace! What do you want to see next in this space? Comment below!

The post Star Of David Pendant Beading Tutorial appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

My heart absolutely breaks every single day. It’s shattered every time I hold my own redhead baby. It’s aching every time I think of another mother and what her redhead baby’s plight might be, how she is herself, how her interactions with her baby might be…

One of the ways I’ve been trying to help is by using my Etsy shop to raise funds. While I haven’t announced it on my shop (Etsy has funny rules with putting these things on your shop, as bad actors sometimes use it to exploit tragedies) I’ve been quietly donating all my Etsy earnings to various Israel based causes, sharing my initiatives in my newsletter and on social media.

Since Etsy is a side gig for me, and it doesn’t cost me to send out digital products, I’m able to do this.

At the same time, I’ve been trying to express myself through art besides for that. When the attacks first happened, I found myself illustrating a coloring page featuring all different strokes of Jews and Israelis and thinking of the rallying cry of “beyachad nenatzeach – together we will win.”

As things progressed, I illustrated other coloring pages. And I’m adding them to my Etsy shop as I still donate earnings (through the end of Jan 2024 – beyond that TBD). My latest bundle is one that expresses my hopes for a LASTING and enduring peace for the Jews and all people on the land which we hold sacred.

An end to all wars.

Please.

Today.

We hurt enough. Enough is enough.

No more internal wars. No more NEED for existential wars.

I don’t want anyone to misunderstand me or misquote me. I don’t hold Israel responsible for this war. I’m not calling for a pretend ceasefire. I hate this war. We all do. We all pray for peace, for everyone. We all know how this war can end today.

Call these Israel coloring pages your reminder that the ultimate goal is a peace that can last, not another temporary faux truce. And that our strength is in our unity, in our heritage, in our truth.

About the free Dove of Peace Israel coloring page

I decided to also illustrate a freebie to share here for those who want a little “art therapy” in their life.

One of the “Shalom peace and unity” pages features a dove of peace, with an olive branch, flying high above Jerusalem in a gesture for peace.

I zoomed in on that and added lots of intricate detail to make a free coloring page so that EVERYONE can enjoy this.

I had fun coloring mine using artPOP! markers from Blick – I grouped them into color families for the larger areas and then tackled the fine spaces. This is a fun way to teach about color theory in art class – using this strategy to color complex coloring pages.

It shows how different shades of different colors can give a solid effect while adding depth and character.

The page itself is highly detailed in portions but with lots of white space. This gives it an “intricate” coloring experience, while also allowing for shading practice and creativity in others.

Download it here

About the full Shalom Peace & Unity Coloring Page Bundle

The bundle includes five pages, plus a sixth bonus page – the free one shared above.

I always choose my favorite to color (sometimes I finish, sometimes I don’t…)

This time, it’s the typography one: Am Yisrael Chai – the Nation of Israel lives. It features the text written on a background of a banner, with a split star of David. The bird is the Hoopoe bird – doocheefat in Hebrew. It’s the national bird of Israel and fun fact: it’s not Kosher!

The flower is – you guessed it – the national flower of Israel which is the red anemone (calanit). This is particularly a tribute to the anemones of the Be’eri forest.

I colored it using Prismacolor Premiere alcohol markers.

The other coloring pages include the Kotel (Western Wall), the dove flying above Jerusalem (not a very specific picture – it’s just inspired by the architectural details), Israelis united, and an intricate Shalom (in Hebrew) page.

The Shalom was illustrated by accident: I made those criss-crossing rectangles and found the space for the word “shalom” in the gaps. I defined it and brought it out in the design.

The pages feature different styles to keep things interesting, and are medium level, making them accessible for a wide variety of age groups.

Which Israel coloring page is your favorite? Comment below!

The post Israel Coloring Page – Dove of Peace appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

Yom Ha’atzma’ut celebrations are already in the air, and I decided to drop everything and share a tutorial based on a reader request: a dollar bill origami Star of David.

The truth is, this craft works MUCH better for Hanukkah, when it makes for a fabulous cash gift. You can even incorporate it into “gelt night” if you do 8 nights of Hanukkah gifts. But it’s April, so we’re doing it for Yom Ha’atzma’ut.

As you can see, I also used shekels to make this origami Star of David. It works almost as well. The dollar bill lines up more neatly in the first steps. And therefore, the final result is slightly neater.

However, the shekel is pretty, and colorful, and I made the flowers show! You can of course still use the money when you’re done – there’s no cutting or anything like that happening!

This is also a really fun thing to do in the classroom, so if you don’t want to use bills, you can definitely substitute paper. The trick is to do a little math (hey, math teachers!)

The proportions of a dollar bill are about 1:2.35. Can you figure out how to cut your paper? I did share some suggestions for measurements in the materials list below.

So whether you’re making these as a Chanukah gelt gift, or from paper as Yom Ha’atzmaut decorations, I hope you have fun! You’ll find that the more you make the easier it gets – so practice on paper first if you’d like.

When you’re done, try making some clay Star of David jewelry too! Or, craft a wooden beaded Star of David.

What you’ll need

• A bill – any denomination works! Dollar bills do add up the best, but you’ll see it worked fabulously with a shekel note too.
• Or, cut a piece of origami paper to dollar bill proportions – a ratio of 1:2.35 (so for example, a paper that’s 3 inches high and about 7 inches wide would work. Or trim off about an inch from the width of an 8.5×11 sheet of paper to make it 8.5×10 inches.

How to make a dollar bill origami Star of David

Check out the full length video here!

1. Start by holding your bill horizontally. The side that’s face down will be the top triangle on the triangle side of the dollar bill origami Star of David.

2. Fold your bill in half the long way just to mark the center horizontal point. You’re going to need that for the next step of your origami. Unfold it.

3. Now, take the top left corner and fold it down to the center point, so that the bottom left corner is folded.

4. You’re then going to take the bottom left corner and fold up so that it meets the top side, and forms an equilateral triangle.

5. Now take your new top left and fold it all the way down so that the former left side is now the bottom of the triangle, aligning with the bottom side. You’ll have a little leftover flap (more so on the dollar bill.

6. There’s a little pocket that formed between the layers on the right side of your triangle.

Open that up and tuck in that extra little flap.

Flatten your triangle, creating a sharp crease.

7. Now you’re going to fold your triangle in half in each direction. First just fold it in half vertically. For the other two directions, pinpoint where the point is and the opposite side, and fold that in half. If it helps, rotate your triangle between each fold.

Fold and unfold each line to create an “asterisk”. The center of the asterisk is your triangle center.

8. Now fold each of your corners into that center point. Crease well – with a small origami like this, you need good creases.

That’s the top, the left, and the right corner each folded into the center point to form a hexagon.

9. Flip it over. Take each side and fold it down to the center. As you fold, let the point on the back layer pop up.

It’ll be pretty clear at this point what to do, because you’ll see the star of David actually forming. Fold all three sides to the center.

10. That last one you’re going to tuck under the next flap, so that each one is the top one on one side and is tucked underneath on the other side.

And there you go! Your Star of David is complete. Flip it over to see the overlapped triangle view of your dollar bill origami Star of David.

What will you be making this dollar bill origami Star of David for? Comment below!

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Hanukkah is one of my favorite holidays. While I love the cooking and hosting that comes with the major holidays, there’s something so fun about when it’s optional. There’s less pressure. There’s more room for doing things just because.

Today, I’m sharing a really pretty wooden beaded star of David craft.

This pretty craft was intended to be a coaster for starters. However, because of the large, open center it’s not so ideal for that.

It does, however, work as a smaller trivet, since flat bottomed dishes would cover more of it.

You can also make a wooden beaded star of David as part of a Hanukkah gallery wall. The open-endedness of it means that you can make it in the size you’d like for the project you need.

I used roughly 14mm beads for a coaster size. Go for 25 mm beads and you have more of a trivet. Work with 6mm beads and you can make a necklace. You can even turn it into a gorgeous boho-chic wall hanging as part of a gallery! Place it on your Menorah table as part of a Hanukkah display, prop it on a tiered tray or on an open book case.

My favorite part of the wooden star of David is that it is such a simple, classy piece of decor that’s seasonal but not overly so.

It’s also a fantastic workshop or party craft and a great idea for older kids to make in the classroom. It doesn’t take too much time or space, but is enough of a skill-building lesson to occupy people and give a satisfied feeling. The take-away is a gorgeous, giftable end-product. And since it doesn’t require any special equipment, and only minimal, affordable supplies, it’s really inexpensive when creating it in bulk.

Which type of string to use for the wooden beaded Star of David

To make this, I used cotton twine. My main reason for choosing that was to make it very visible for the tutorial while keeping it classy.

You can also use fishing line. You may prefer to use fishing line as it will basically be invisible, just make sure it’s really strong.

While you can use wire, you may find it kinking too much to work well with. And finally, you can try matching up your string to your beads so that it camouflages, however, if you’re making a high-contrast two tone like I am that won’t work.

Supplies needed

• 30 round wooden beads (I used 14-16mm beads). 12 are for the center, 3 each for each point. Ideally they should be the same size, but in a larger size, a tiny variation won’t really matter. They can be the same color or not. I used separate colors for the inner circle and for the points to make the tutorial easier to follow
• String – I used cotton twine (see notes above for more recommendations)
• A large, strong needle that will fit your string (I used one from an upholstery kit)

How to make a wood star of David for Hanukkah

1. Thread your needle. String on your 12 center beads.

2. Thread your string back through the first bead. Pull it into a tight circle, with no extra space between beads.

3. Add two of your star point beads. skip over one bead in the circle, and thread through the next.

4. Your beads should sit flush over the next bead in the inner circle. Add your next two beads, skip over one, and thread your needle through the next.

Pull the string tight so that these two again sit right over the inner bead that you skipped. At this point, if that first circle came loose as you were working, tighten it again. You’ll still be able to move around the beads if you force it, and you won’t want that extra string.

5. Keep working with this pattern, adding two beads and then threading the needle through every other bead from the inner circle. When you have six sets, you should reach your starting point. Thread the needle through the next base layer bead and then through the first bead only of the first set of two.

6. Add a single bead that nestles between the pair below it. Thread your needle through the second of the pair below.

7. Bring your thread to the correct position to add your next point. Thread it through the center bead separating the two stars, and the first bead of the next point pair.

8. Thread on your point. Continue this process for all six points.

9. Thread your twine through beads to meet the other.

10. Tie together a few inches down-thread if you want a hook to hang it. Otherwise, thread your ends through a few beads in the back to make it more secure.

11. Knot in the back and trim. You can glue your knots for an extra level of security.

Your wooden beaded star of David is complete! What will you be making yours as? Comment below!

Star of David from Wood Beads

Craft a gorgeous star of david ffrom wood beads - perfect for Hanukkah or any time of year! Use it as a coaster or trivet, hang it form a wall, display it on a shelf...

Print

Materials

• 30 round wooden beads (I used 14-16mm beads)
• String - I used cotton twine
• A large, strong needle that will fit your string

Instructions

1. Thread your needle. String on your 12 center beads.
2. Thread your string back through the first bead. Pull it into a tight circle, with no extra space between beads.
3. Add two of your star point beads. skip over one bead in the circle, and thread through the next.
4. Your beads should sit flush over the next bead in the inner circle. Add your next two beads, skip over one, and thread your needle through the next. Pull the string tight so that these two again sit right over the inner bead that you skipped. At this point, if that first circle came loose as you were working, tighten it again. You'll still be able to move around the beads if you force it, and you won't want that extra string.
5. Keep working with this pattern, adding two beads and then threading the needle through every other bead from the inner circle. When you have six sets, you should reach your starting point. Thread the needle through the next base layer bead and then through the first bead only of the first set of two.
6. Add a single bead that nestles between the pair below it. Thread your needle through the second of the pair below.
7. Bring your thread to the correct position to add your next point. Thread it through the center bead separating the two stars, and the first bead of the next point pair.
8. Thread on your point. Continue this process for all six points.
9. Thread your twine through beads to meet the other.
10. Tie together a few inches down-thread if you want a hook to hang it. Otherwise, thread your ends through a few beads in the back to make it more secure.
11. Knot in the back and trim. You can glue your knots for an extra level of security.

Notes

Adapt your size to your finished project size. When used as a coaster, you may want to stabilize it further since the inside is open.

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

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You may remember the Star of David kippah clips and backpack pins I shared some time ago. This Star of David necklace craft was meant to follow shortly after, as it was created in the same crafting session.

But we met a few bumps keeping this blog going, and I am SO excited to inaugurate our return with this post.

It’s my favorite type of craft: deceptively simple, inexpensive, and it’s so pretty!

I made two types of modern Stars of David, and played with differentfaux metal finishes, similar to what I did with my DIY Mezuzahs craft.

On one, I used the back of a paintbrush to create a faux hammered look. I did this one on the silhouette of a traditional six-pointed star, leaving out the interior detail.

On the other, I played with clay shaping tools, brushing on some texture to enhanced the brushed metal look of the Folkart paints. I made it an asymmetrical star, ironically, by starting with symmetry. Creating this from a square helped maintain an balanced look without it actually being made from equilateral triangles. The slanted shape gives it a different kind of modern look.

I was sure I’d prefer the first, since I’m obsessed with that hammered look, but I actually preferred the second asymmetrical one! I’m a big fan of creative use of texture, and on this one, the contrast between the two metals, and the different textures on each triangle really got me!

I made these using Sculpey air dry clay, my current favorite for clay jewelry. I personally prefer air dry clay – there’s just one less step to think of. This particular brand is more lightweight than the Crayola stuff I’ve used in the past, and it’s really easy to work with.

These make a fantastic DIY gift for Chanukah or any time of year and are simple for anyone to make. You won’t want to make just one!

Supplies:

Materials:

• Air dry clay
• FolkArt Brushed Metal paints (I used bronze and dark gray colors)
• Mod Podge Super Gloss
• E6000 glue
• A glue-on pendant bail
• A finished chain
• Pen and paper to plot your design, scissors to cut it out

Tools:

• Clay shaping tools including a knife
• Self-healing cutting mat
• Paintbrushes – small and flat, as well as a finer round one

How to make a Star of David necklace:

For the symmetrical “hammered” star of David necklace craft:

1. Draw a star on paper and cut it out. Roll a ball of clay, flatten it to your desired thickness (about 4-6 mm). Mark the corners of your star.

2. Remove the paper and connect your dots. If some parts seem to need correction, fix them – there’s no harm in trusting your creative instincts!

3. Use a knife to cut out your star. Press in any rough edges with your fingers (alternatively, you’ll be able to sand them down after your clay dries).

4. Use the back of a paintbrush, or anything else that seems to be the right size, and press in dots to make a hammered look.

5. When your clay is dry, paint it thoroughly. You may want to do this in two coats. Use a small brush to get into all the grooves you made.

6. When your front is dry, paint the back as well.

7. When that’s dry, seal with your favorite sealer. I used Mod Podge super gloss for this one. Don’t let it pool too much in the dips, and do two layers if necessary.

For the slanted star with the brushed metal finish:

1. Cut a symmetrical square. I used the guides on my cutting mat to help me with this.

2. Split your square in half diagonally to create two triangles.

3. Layer them on top of each other. I did it with one cut edge vertically facing left, and the other vertically facing right. Gently press it down so that it actually connects with the other piece. If you don’t want it to have that “melted on” look that mine has, you can connect it using a little water.

4. Create this texture using a steel brush. Make sure not to pull up too much clay. Do it gently.

5. When your clay is dry, paint it! I made this star of david necklace two-toned. The bottom triangle is a metallic black (like gunmetal or heavily oxidized silver) and the top is brass. For the bottom

I used a small brush to get into all those lines, and to work around the two separate triangles.

6. When your front is dry, paint your back. Be consistent with which triangle is which!

7. When you’re satisfied, seal it with your favorite sealer, making sure to scoop it out of all those cracks and not let it pool. If you want, repeat with a second coat.

For both necklaces, once it’s dry, glue a flat-pad bail to the back and string your chain through. Tip: I couldn’t find the one that I bought ages ago anywhere, but if you want to hide it like I did, make sure you get one with a flush side. You can then glue it on backwards so that it sits behind the whole pendant.

Your Star of David necklace craft is complete!

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We are so excited as we plan Baby Y’s upsherin and third birthday party! OK, I may be crying just a little at the idea of cutting off his boingies… but hey, we’ll try a long-cut at first.

But meanwhile, we’re trying to sweeten the deal with some goodies for him.

M has such a huge collection of kippahs that it felt like a waste to buy many new ones. M’s are all in very good shape because he wears caps all the time, but I still picked up a couple special for Y.

I also picked up some cute clips because with the longer haircut we hope to nail down, we know those kippahs won’t be staying in place.

To supplement, I also tried some DIY kippah clips. Because why not? He had fun watching and actually agreed to try them on. Usually he’s a “no cliiiiiiiiiip!!!!” tantrum kind of guy.

I also made a larger version with a pin back and pinned it onto M’s backpack. It’s fun for Israel trips, Birthright tours, or just to show some pride in our heritage on any given day.

My favorites were the kippah  clips of course.

Not only are they adorable, they’re practical too AND I actually cut those out neatly so they came out much more polished looking.

What you need to make clay star of David kippah clips:

• Air dry clay
• Shaping tools and/or something to roll with and something to cut with
• Acrylic paint
• Fine flat paint brush
• Mod Podge super gloss
• Glue
• Flat pad clips (or try these) or pin
• Optional: sandpaper, nail file, or similar.

How to make clay stars of David and turn them into clips and pins:

1. Form a ball with your clay and flatten it. Cut out two equilateral triangles per clip in the same size.

2. Layer your triangles on top of each other and press firmly in place.

You can also skip the tools and form the triangles by hand if you prefer that kind of look. Allow your clay to dry.

3. Paint your star of David. You may want to paint a second layer. Allow it to dry completely.

4. You can sand down your clip or pin surface if you’d like to help it adhere better.

5. Apply a dot of glue to both the pin flat pad and the star back. Allow it to get a little tacky by leaving it for a few minutes.

6. Then glue down your star and allow it to dry completely before even thinking about attempting to use it (yep, I learned the hard way….)

When you’re done, go tackle a toddler and clip on a kippah! Or just put it on display because your three year old will just want to wear a baseball cap anyway….

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