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This is my old blog - please check out my new updated blog at http://blog.lauracowan.com/

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See you there!

Laura

Less is more

I do feel proud of myself that I achieved one of my goals and I have created a collection of (almost) all the Judaica essentials. For Shabbat I already have made a Kiddush Cup and several types of candlesticks..

Shamayim Varetz Kiddush Cup

This year I decided to design a Matza plate to match the Dune Seder plate collection.

Dune Shiny Steel Seder Plate

I had several design ideas for the matza plate with square curved steel like the Dune Seder plate. But my instinct was to pare the design down, and use just my essential design elements – a combination of matt and polished metal and a laser cut word. Something about the design just worked better like this, I think because after a lot of trial and error I got the proportions exactly right. The more simple the design – the more “correct” the proportions need to be. And judging by the reaction (my most popular item this season) I think I got the aesthetics right

Steel Matza Plate

.

At the request of one of my Charoset loving collectors I also designed a Charoset plate, a simple square of highly polished steel, curved and engraved with the Hebrew word חרוסת and raised on protective silicon feet.

Haroset Plate

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy and Kosher Pesach. I will be celebrating here in Tel Aviv with my family. If you are in Israel please contact me if you'd like to pop in and say hello at my workshop in Neve Tsedek.

Not long till Hannukah - it's early this year - starts on the evening of Wednesday November 27th.

Buy any 2 Hannukah menorahs and get a FREE menorah of your choice! 
(Menorah must be of equal or lesser value to the least expensive menorah)

Offer good until December 16, 2013 while stocks last!

Simply order your two menorahs on my website www.lauracowan.com and write in the comments box which free menorah you would like.

See thumbnails of all the menorahs together here http://www.lauracowan.com/jewish-gifts/all-jewish-gifts.html

   

Shipping is by registered mail from Israel (1- 3 weeks depending on destination) is included in the prices displayed on my website. For faster shipping tick the Express Mail Box ($25)

Warm wishes,

Laura

Synagogues and My Mezuzahs

Several synagogues have been ordering my designs lately - one in San Francisco and one in Melbourne. I recently asked on Facebook if anyone had seen my mezuzahs at the Bowdon Synagogue in South Manchester, England. This is the delightful answer I received from one of my customers. 

Of course I have!  They are beautiful.  The shul is very contemporary, and there is a lot of light oak, on the doors and walls and door posts, where your mezuzahs sit.  There are large glass windows, with very good light. They fit in beautifully and are quite striking - architectural - which I guess is the aim.

From time to time we show groups of schoolchildren round the shul and always point them out, explaining what they are, and telling them that they're made by someone from South Manchester!  The teachers love them and the kids comment that they look like spaceships!  Job done!

We also love the ones we have in our small apartment in Tel Aviv.  We chose a variety of colours and finishes, and as we don't have a lot of artwork in there, they are really striking - as we intended.

It seems to me that you are going through a creative time at the moment - love the earrings, but I'm hoping you'll move on to bracelets and necklaces soon!

Hope you and your family are well. 

Warm wishes 

Diana Finn

New Saturn menorah and Dreidel Set

To quote an architect’s reaction about my new design; 
“Dreidels and Menorahs, they go together like bagel and lox.”

I used my signature theme of Saturn’s ring and created a Saturn menorah that you can use by itself or combine it with any of my four dreidel designs. I designed a transparent base to showcase the pieces together so that the dreidel magically looks like it is floating inside the menorah. I think it gives a fresh new look to my dreidels, which are one of my favorite designs. 

The magnetic candle holders can be moved so the menorah has a different look every night. 

See the design on my website http://www.lauracowan.com/jewish-gifts/menorah-dreidel-set.html

Best wishes for a bright and light Hannukah,

Laura

P.S. Want to hang out with me on Facebook? Like my page www.facebook.com/ModernJewishGifts

Saturn Menorah with Turquiose Dreidel

Saturn Menorah with Smart Dreidel

Steel Dreidel

Smart Dreidel

Lazy salad

Now you've got your pomegranate seeds, make my favorite lazy salad, that has very short prep time. 
Just throw in bowl;
1. Bought ready washed lettuce leaves. 
2. Bought ready grated carrot. 
3. Chopped avocado. 
4. Pomegranate seeds. 
5. Pine nuts ( lightly toast them in a dry saucepan first) 
6. Any slightly sweet dressing, I like balsamic vinegar and honey.

How to remove the seeds from a pomegranate

How to get the seeds out of a pomegranate without staining your hands, clothes and  the whole kitchen?


First cut a very thin slice off the top of the pomegranate, thin enough that you do not cut the seeds. Using a spoon, remove a little of the center core.  Score 4 thin vertical lines around the pomegranate with a knife. 

Place the whole fruit in a large bowl of cold water. Put your thumbs in the center and gently pull apart the sections. Peel away some of the white skin. Now continue removing the white skin and pulling part small sections until all the seeds are free. The seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl and any white skin will float to the to of the bowl. With the sieve, remove the skin floating on top. Then pour the water and the seeds through the sieve, and there you have it. 

Jewish Mom in Denial

After 6 years of denial I have come to the realization that I am not just Laura Cowan, innovative contemporary designer, a determined Judaica artist who doesn't care what people think and always says what she means.

I am, in fact Laura Cowan Jewish Mom.

I'm a stressed out, over stretched, sleep deprived school run mom just like millions of others.

I have a dream that by the time my youngest is in school (I have three kids, 6, 3 and 1), I'll have more time for gallery openings and undisturbed designing and less preoccupied with how to occupy three little ones while I get the dinner on, supervise homework and make play dough monsters. 


Wonder if there's any future in Judaica made from play dough monsters?  Perhaps for the 10 plagues of Passover or the bad guys at Purim. Hmm....

Ashkenazi alert!

Yes, the only people that would think of making a jam out of a beetroot. One spoon of this sends me right back to my childhood.
My Grandma’s jam was legendary, and she used to make jars and jars. I would have thick layers of it on matza for breakfast and eat it out of the jar when no one was looking. If you haven’t tasted it before I can imagine your hesitation, but it’s amazing. Cinnamon, lemon and ginger give it this fantastic sweet and spicy kick. The secret is to slow cook it until all the redness is gone, and it becomes brown and sweet.
Here’s the recipe, courtesy of Jewish cooking heroine Evelyn Rose. You need to start the preparations a day in advance. Yes, it’s time consuming. And it stains your hands. And your clothes. It’s a labor of love.

Eingemachts
2.25 kg (5 lb) uncooked beetroot (beets)
1.8 kg (4 lb/9 cups) granulated sugar
3 large lemons, peeled and segmented like an orange
175 g (6oz/1.5 cups) split almonds (traditional, but I leave them out)
3- 4 tbsp ground ginger (I add loads more, but I like it SPICY!)
2 tsp cinnamon

This makes 7 jars; I usually halve the amount, because unfortunately my kids just don’t understand this delicacy!

1. Boil the uncooked beetroot in water to cover for 1 hours, then cool and skin.
2. Cut the cooked beetroot into 1 cm (3/8 inch) wide and 2.5 cm (1-2 inch) long, or use the julienne cutter on a food processor)
3. Put into a large bowl with the sugar. Mix well and leave overnight.
4. Next day, put the sugar/beetroot mixture into a very large, heavy pan, together with the lemon segments
5. Bring to the boil, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Then leave to bubble over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for at least 3 hours, until the mixture loses the redness and the beetroot becomes translucent and starts to turn brown.
6. Finally add the almonds and the ginger. Taste and add more ginger if you like.
7. Bubble for another 15 minutes
8. Sterilize 7 jam jars. The easiest way to do this is to run them through the dishwasher on the highest setting.
9. Fill with the jam and screw on the lids

Let me know how you got on!

How is this Seder different from all other Seders?

When I grew up we had a very traditional Seder night. It was the highlight of the year for my Grandpa and he read and sung every word of the Hagada with such intensity and vibrancy, that I’ve been looking for a Seder like it ever since then. Every year my Grandma used to say with a smile on her face, “David, not so loud, you’ll disturb the neighbours”. He also led a Seder night in the barracks during his service in the Second World War. I wish he could have seen my Pesach Seder Plates too.

I’m hosting this year so I asked around to find out how I can make it more interesting for my children. Roni, my creative and talented assistant told me that the highlight of their Seder is the 10 Plagues. Rather than just read them out and dip the finger in the wine, they actually recreate each one.

For example for Dam (blood) the kids squeeze ketchup on their plates, for Barad (hail) Roni throws hundreds of polystyrene balls up in the air. And, my favourite, for Hoshech (darkness) she turns all the lights off and gives all the children stick lights!

I am going to adopt those traditions this year. Not sure what my Grandpa would make of it...If you have any interesting old or new traditions I'd love it hear about them, please comment in the box below.

Wishing you a great holiday whether you celebrate in a traditional or non-traditional manner.

Laura

Laura Cowan Group Buy Coupon!

Shalom,

I don't know about you but in the studio we are always checking out the group buy coupons that arrive in our inbox every morning.

So we have decided to offer our own Laura Cowan Group Buy Coupon!

Spend just $50 for $110 worth of Laura Cowan Judaica

Use it to buy my Moon Seder Plate in time for Pesach, or perhaps you have a wedding coming up this summer.

How to buy - just click on this link Laura Cowan Group Buy Coupon and follow the instructions!

Here's the small print;
1. One week to buy (ends April 7th 2011)
2. Coupon expires July 31st 2011
3. We need a minimum of 20 participants to make this offer happen - so dont forget to tell your friends!
4. Limit of 1 coupon per customer
5. Your coupon will be sent to you by email and regular mail

Let your friends know so we can get the full 20 participants to make this offer happen!

Hag Sameach,

Laura

How to clean the wax off your Chanukah Menorah

One of my favourite customers sent me this email, I thought I'd share it with you.

Hi Laura
Hope you are well. I have one of your lovely Cone Hanukka Menorahs that Greg bought me for my wedding. It's the one with all the colourful cones. I was wondering how to clean all the wax off it - any tips?
Thanks
Alexis
   
Hi Alexis.
Lovely to hear from you. The best way is to heat the wax with a hair dryer and clean it off with a kitchen towel and use Q-tips (ear buds) if you need to get into the candle bits. Or you can put it in the sink and pour boiling water over it, the wax should just pop out of the candle holders, but it can get a bit messy.
The most important thing is not to attack it with a knife! It could scratch the finish.
Laura

Hi Laura
That's brilliant - thanks. All done and looks like new!
Shabbat Shalom
Alexis
x


Quick note - If you have one of my stainless steel magnetic menorahs, the best way to shine up the base is with regular vinegar (this also works for fridge doors, and is much more efficient and cheaper than any special steel cleaner!)

How to make Chocolate Brownies

Just made really good chocolate brownies with Lia. The "secret" ingredient is raw tehina. This is a staple in the average Israeli fridge, not sure how easy it is to find elsewhere. Here's the recipe, it's really easy. Sorry for the grams and celsius dear Americans! Here's how to make chocolate brownies, with a taste of Israel.

Ingredients

100 g 60% dark chocolate
100 g butter
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
Splash of milk
1 tbsp tehina (more if you like it)
1 heaped tsp cocoa
Chocolate chips for decoration.

Method

Melt the chocolate with the butter in a bowl over a saucepan if hot water (bain marie) Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the rest of the ingredients.
Pour into a medium sized lined tin and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
Bake for 18 mins at 180 celcius

June 25% Jewish Wedding Gifts Discount!

June is for weddings and I’m experiencing wedding fever in the studio this month!
I know many of you buy my designs as jewish wedding gifts, and as a show of appreciation I’d like to offer you a 25% discount for the next 2 weeks.

In order to receive your discount just write “Wedding Discount” in the comment box that pops up when you follow the Buy Now buttons on my website http://www.lauracowan.com/
To complete my wedding offer I’d like to offer complementary gift wrapping and card.

I’ll also be delighted if you use the discount for any design you have had your eye on for a while for yourself!
Look forward to hearing from you!

Laura

These elegant and original Shabbat Candlesticks make a great Jewish wedding gift for a newly married Jewish couple

Mezuzahs in Space

You may remember that last year the American astronaut Greg Chamitoff took two of my rocket shaped mezuzahs, the Apollo and the Shuttle on a NASA expedition to the International Space Station. Since astronauts only get to travel with a small amount of possessions, I was flattered that 2 were my mezuzahs!

As the mezuzahs travelled to space, the story travelled round the world, appearing in newspapers from New York to Moscow, Israel to France, and of course on the web. I was interviewed on Israeli radio and a news crew from the Israeli/ Russian RTV news team even came and filmed me working in the studio.

I heard from Greg recently and he was kind enough to send me this picture of my Shuttle mezuzah (side view) floating in zero gravity!

What a view!

Here's a closer view of the two mezuzahs

Pesach Give Away - Win an Image Mezuzah

Pesach Giveaway!



Take part in a lottery to win one of my latest designs - a modern Image Mezuzah.

I created this modern mezuzah range using my private collection of travel photographs and original graphic designs, including:


A stunning Bocas Del Toro seascape


An ancient Thai ceiling painting


An image of a mezuzah scroll


All you have to do is comment below telling me what is your favourite piece of Laura Cowan Judaica and send me an email to info@lauracowan.com (so that I will be able to notify you if you are the winner)


At the end of the week I'll pick all the names out of a hat and announce the winner.

Good luck everyone and Hag Sameach.

Splash Dreidels - a Hanukkah Dreidels craft project for kids

Splash Dreidels - a Hanukkah craft project for kids.
Not messy, just looks it, appeals to toddlers.

(Also called Jackson Pollack drip technique dreidels for the more sophisticated budding artist)

You’ll need;

A shoe box
Scotch tape
A dreidel (the flat type that looks like a disc with a handle)
Paint – any type as long as it’s runny. The best is gouache or poster paint in a squeezy tube.
Plain Paper
A compass
Small blob of modeling clay (plasticine)
Sharp pencil
Scissors
Glitter (optional)
Lots of newspaper
Sense of humor in case it goes wrong and does get messy (don’t blame me!)

Method

1. Cut a large window in the top of the shoe box lid (about 6 inch by 6 inch - big enough to get a dreidel in and out)
2. Tape the lid on to the bottom part of the box
3. Using a compass, mark out about 10 discs the same size as the dreidel‘s diameter on some plain paper. Mark the centre point too.
4. Cut out the discs.
5. Make a central hole. The best way to do this is to place the hanukkah dreidel on a piece of modeling clay and poke a sharp pencil through it.
6. Place the paper disc over the handle of the dreidel.
7. Put the dreidel in the shoe box.
8. Spin it.
9. Dribble paint onto the hanukkah dreidel while its spinning
10. Experiment with different speeds, colors and paints.
11. If you are using glitter, sprinkle it on while the paint is still wet.
12. Remove the disc and place it (out of the way of little hands) to dry, preferably over night.
13. What to do with the discs – We used them to make a centipede collage. If you are crafty, you can use thicker card and small pencils to make new dreidels. Try using a small marker pen as a handle with the tip pointing down and spin it with the lid off – it make s a lovely pattern on the paper.

Happy Crafty Hanukkah!

How I made my Modern Magnetic Hanukkah Menorahs

I’m proud and relieved that I finally got my new Magnetic Menorahs out before Hanukkah. I started designing them way back in January, but there were many stumbling blocks along the way.
Instead of my usual way of working - coming up with a visual concept and translating it into 3D materials that express a Jewish ritual function, my brief was “Design an affordable Judaica product that would succeed in this recession driven economy.”
I wanted to combine simple materials – tubes, steel and magnets.
It was one of those projects that was supposed to be really easy, or so I thought…
The first menorah I designed was a large wave of steel, with candleholders magnetized to the sides. But on testing it got boiling hot, the magnets kept jumping together and the wax melted into a big gloopy mass.
I was using super strong neodymium diametrically magnetized (side attraction) magnets which kept jumping together. So I adapted the menorah design, made two tracks of steel (also attached with magnets) with the candleholders on top, changed the magnets to axially magnetized (vertical attraction) and created the Modern Slide Menorah. The advantage it has over my original hanukkah menorah design, apart from all the practical concerns, is that the magnets glide really beautifully along the tracks.

The next channukah menorah design in the range was to be simple and compact, perfect for travelling. For the Modern Travel Menorah I wanted a steel base with magnetic candleholders. But the supposedly pre-polished bases had to be professionally polished to prevent sharp edges, and then at the request of several of the Judaica gift stores that I work with, I had to source protective stickers to put on the bases to prevent the bases from getting scratched. It should have also been easy, but when test driven, the first 5 samples didn’t stick, they slid around or left sticky snail trails on the menorah base. Roni (my silversmith and production assistant) and I took it in turns to rip out our hair.
Eventually I had a consultation with 2 manufacturing experts and one business advisor (as well as my other trusty advisers – husband and brother), found 3 specialist sticker manufacturers, tested 7 different types of stickers and finally found the right ones for my new menorahs.

I was almost ready to release the two new modern menorah designs, when I looked at my desk and realized that my sample pieces were holding my Post-its, paper clips, pens, stamps and business cards - in fact anything and everything that was on my desk. I thought it would be a perfect gift idea for a Chanukiah that could be in use all year round and so the Modern Transformer Menorah was created.

The whole process (which I had to fit in with running the rest of my Jewish gifts business as usual) took almost a year, and I was worried I wouldn’t get the pieces out in time for Hannukah 2009. But by what must have been my own personal miracle of Hannukah, all the technical problems were resolved 2 weeks ago, and I’ve been blessed with a great response, even selling out and having to quickly restock after the first week. Happy Chanukah!


P.S. I’ve made commenting on this page easier and there’s no need to give your email address, so I’d love to hear from you! Click here to see the new Chanukah menorah designs!

Looking back at the year - תשס"ט

Things I am grateful for ;

Knowing what I want
I feel blessed that I know what I want and that I love to create, so much that it can make me laugh out loud, dance for joy or hug my staff.

My kids
Fortunate to have two funny, smart, silly, driving me crazy half the time, loving, healthy children (that now let me sleep at night, hurrah!)

My new staff
Kandi, my office manager and Roni, my silversmith have taken all the pressure off my work, so I am able to dedicate my time to my favourite parts - design, creation and contact with clients. So if you are in the Neve Tsedek neighbourhood come in and say hello!

My iphone
If you have one then I don’t need to describe the joy. If you don’t, go and get one!

My business advisor - Haim
Haim has the answer to every question I ask. Sometimes a direct answer, sometimes spiritual and sometimes he makes me find the answer, but there is always an answer. It’s like therapy.

My family
I am lucky to have a close and supportive family –husband, brothers, mum as well as great in laws, whom always have my back.


Things I wish I could have changed

Mobile phone bill
In the thousands, after foolishly surfing the internet abroad on my iphone

Waiting at home…
…. for my husband Mickey to return from the war in Gaza

Recession
Like the whole business world, the Judaica field has slowed down this year, so I have been forced to change my design strategies to create less expensive products (Hannukah Menorahs and Mezuzot that should be ready in a couple of weeks)

Wish
Gilad Shalit could be at home with his family for Rosh Hashanah

Here’s to a happy, healthy, creative and inspiring תש"ע

Something I didn't know about mezuzah scrolls

I am currently researching a new design for a mezuzah, where I will put an image of the scroll on the outside of the mezuzah.

As usual, I surf the Chabad, Aish and “Ask the Rabbi” websites looking for information to make sure that all my designs follow halachic rules and respect unwritten traditions. I'm sure they're all experts in their knowledge of mezuzah scrolls.

It always amuses me when I click the "Ask the Rabbi" button. I envision a crack team of top Rabbi’s twirling their payot, waiting for a message to ping up on the computer.

This reminds me of the haredi men on bicycles (this seems to be a popular occurrence in the Sheinkin area of Tel Aviv, one of the few areas where ultra religious and ultra secular Jews seem to happily coexist.

This time I am asking if there are any restrictions on displaying an image of a mezuzah scroll on the outside of the case, and I am waiting to hear back.

I always have a quick look to see what other people are asking –

Q. Is it ok for a Rabbi to buy a German car when many of his congregation are shoah survivors?
A. Best not
Q. Do I need a mezuzah on a nanny’s room?
A. Yes and No (classic Jewish answer)
Q. Is one permitted to study a Hebrew textbook that does not contain Torah in the bathroom if ones primary intention in for the sake of learning Torah?
A. As long as it is not Torah you can learn it in the Bathroom.

And something that in my line of work I really should have known…

Q. What is the meaning of the words on back of Mezuzah scrolls?

A. The three words at the bottom of the Mezuzah on the outer side of the parchment are "Cuzu B'mucsz Cuzu" -- an altered form of the phrase "Hashem Elokeinu Hashem." It is actually a form of Gematria (Numerology) where each letter is "raised" to its next letter. Thus, an Alef becomes a Bet, and a Bet becomes Gimel, etc. Rav Moshe Isserlis quotes the Hagahot Maimoni as the source for this custom. It is "only" a custom -- a Mezuzah without these words is still considered valid.