Summer break - mountain wood art crafting

The craftsmanship typical of the Alps has its roots in the rural culture of the Alps. The traditional way of life of mountain people involved for each of being both a farmer and rancher, in order to make the most of the limited resources of a territory avaricious, and to become in case of need also craftsman, as the city markets were distant and high prices in relation to the limited financial resources. From here the need to produce in their own home, as far as possible, the tools necessary for the work of the fields and home use.Countless generations of farmers-craftsmen so elaborate, through the centuries, various techniques to make the most of certain agricultural and livestock products: hemp, wool and leather, and to make better use of raw materials that nature offered in large quantities: the wood and stone.
The industry, being the tools of necessities now imported and mechanized agriculture, have been able to diversify in recent decades, to a craft art whose creations are continuing to diversify and refine.

Summer break - Hyssop

Hyssop is a small perennial plant about 0.5 metre (1.5 feet) high with slim woody quadrangular stems. The dotted narrow elliptical  leaves are about 2 to 3 cm long and grow in pairs on the stem. Long leafy half-whorled spikes of little flowers , usually violet-blue, pink, red, or white, blossom in summ (http://www.britannica.com/plant/hyssop)

"Purge me with hyssop," the Torah records, "and I will be clean." Hyssop has been used for millennia as a holy herb, consecrated for cleaning holy places. Its name comes from the Hebrew word adobe or ezob, which literally means "holy herb". Native to southern Europe, it is grown in gardens in cooler climates around the world. Hyssop has a mint-like taste (which is understandable as it is part of the mint family) that makes it a tasty addition to salads, provided it is used in small quantities.
The Torah mentions hyssop several times. In Vayikrà, G.d commanded His people to use hyssop in the ceremonial cleansing of people and houses. In one example, G.d tells the priests to use hyssop together with cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and the blood of a clean bird to sprinkle a person recently healed from a skin disease . This act would ceremonially cleanse the formerly diseased person and allow him to reenter the camp (Vayikrà 14:1–7). The same method was used to purify a house that had previously contained mold (Vayikrà 14:33–53).
Hyssop is also used symbolically in the Torah. When the Israelites marked their doorposts with lamb’s blood in order for the angel of death to pass over them, G.d instructed them to use a bunch of hyssop as a “paintbrush” (Shemot 12:22). This was probably because hyssop was sturdy and could withstand the brushing, but it also likely signified that G.d was marking His people as “pure” and not targets of the judgment G.d was about to deal out to the Egyptians.
David also mentions hyssop in Tehillim 51:7: “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” David does not refer to physical cleansing,rather, he is asking G.d to cleanse him spiritually as he confesses his sin.

Summer break - alpine flowers

When hiking in the late spring and summer it is impossible not to notice the alpine flowers. Before blooming crocuses and anemones; then gradually the mountain slopes are covered with every color tones. The nature is repeated every year and gives us a unique and priceless.
The idea to photograph the alpine flowers comes while hiking, admiring a beautiful gentian. I thought it would be nice to be able to call each flower by its name, but in the following days I realized how difficult this undertaking was. I began to look at their surroundings with different eyes, constantly seeing new flowers; but also individual specimens, observing better, were falling all my attempts to identify exactly.
However the difficulty, basically, make the game more beautiful; because the game is! A game that starts every spring and lasts all summer.

The  fascinating world of alpine flowers "admits the definition of alpine flowers and the second month of flowering color.  Playing to learn the names of flowers effortlessly . Almost every flower is accompanied by a small story in  biological, curious, mystical character ...

Summer break - Alps

Outdoor stones art 2

 

Outdoor creations give space to every kind of creature...including dinosaurs! Here we have the reproduction of a Spinosaurus made by a 7 years old. 

Outdoor stones art

The summer break, the holidays can also coincide with outdoor living and nature, mountains, rivers and streams, long walks on the trails or afternoons by the banks of a stream.
Take a few stones, pieces of wood, leaves and what nature offers because children express themselves and create

 

our little summer break

Our summer break will take place on the Alps....

...while trying to spend the most of the time enjoying nature and outside activities we will surely do our best to find something nice to do, to create, to share

Soaps...

During the summer holidays the soaps can always be useful ...
If then they have to portre traveling better if they are small and already packaged, they will appeal to children.
Use 100% natural soaps, coconut oil, honey or olive oil, for example, cut them in half and invent how to package them and label them (labels: www.evermine.com). 
Use jute, recycled wrapping paper, brow paper bags...

Tips: uses for brown paper bags

• To ripen peaches, avocados, pears, apples or tomatoes, put them in a brown paper bag. The paper helps retain the natural gases that ripen the fruit. Remember, as soon as you refrigerate the fruit or vegetables, the ripening process stops. Store mushrooms in a brown paper bag to keep them fresh.
  
• To keep onions on hand for two or three months without sprouting, remove them from their mesh or plastic sack and put them in a brown paper bag on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
  
• Tie a large brown paper bag over the head of your dust mop to shake off the dirt and dust inside the house.
  
• Drain fried foods or cool cookies on brown paper bags
  
• Cut or tear a 10-inch strip along the back seam of a brown paper bag and slip it over your car steering wheel to keep the wheel cool and touchable during hot weather.
  
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Summer lanterns

Create small lanterns or candle holders for summer dinners, cheerful and colorful.  
Recycle jars of baby food, apply strips of tape paper at a distance of about 1cm. 
Paint with acrylic colours. Once dry, remove the tape paper, fill halfway with durum wheat and cut strips of jute to tie them around the jar.  
Decorate your tables summer with something completely recycled ...

...trusting the magic of summer to provide us with a world of infinite possibilities.

Lavender Time

Lavender is ready to be harvested. 
If you have a corner of the garden or a balcony take the opportunity to plant some lavender plant. In early summer, you can make your first crop, then make the flowers dry and perfume your home..or make small gifts to friends.  
Create small bags of cotton where to put lavender flowers dry and dry, the result will be long-lasting and pleasant.

Add a few drops of lavender essential oil in bags and you have the perfect Havdalah besamim.
In the course of the havdalah ceremony, we sniff at besamim -- aromatic herbs, spices, or fruit (whole cloves are very popular). With the entry of each Shabbat, the soul of every Jew is uplifted by the presence of a neshamah yeteira, an additional spiritual dimension, a "Shabbat Soul." With the departure of Shabbat and the arrival of another mundane work week, this neshama yeteira departs, leaving behind a gloomy soul. According to kabbalah, of all the five senses, smell is the only one which impacts the soul. The fragrant smell of the besamim comforts and soothes the soul at its most difficult juncture of the week.

Tisha b'Av - Jerusalem painted bricks

The saddest day on the Jewish calendar is the Ninth of Av, “Tisha B’Av.” It is the date when both our Holy Temples were destroyed, and exile, persecution and spiritual blackness began.
Tisha B’Av starts at sundown of the eighth of Av and lasts till the following nightfall.
From the ashes of the destroyed Temple will rise an incomparably magnificent edifice. Exile will give birth to redemption. It is a tradition that our redeemer will be born on Tisha B’Av. It is a day of anticipation and hope, for “One who mourns Jerusalem will merit seeing her happiness.

With some dry air clay create with children some fake bricks, with small brushes and acrylic colours paint on them a picture you like of Yersushalayim. Let the paintings "unfinished" and the edges of the fake bricks inaccurate as if they had been removed or fallen. Create fractures along the bricks and then arrange it with glue.

Chag Sameach!

Sweet Torah Treats for Shavuot

Torah candies

This is very simple. Simply wrap a  piece of scrapbooking paper around 2 roll shaped sweets and tie with a ribbon.

Aseret Adiberot on Mount Sinay

Floral border on Mount Sinay for Shavuot

Shavuot greetings

Shavuot laminated greetings cards