Day 6, 12 Days of Home for the Holidays

Welcome to Day 6 of 12 Days Home for the Holidays my guest blogger Ms. Suze Weinburg. You may know her as the Melt Art Lady!

Honestly, I’ve never been brave enough to introduce myself to Suze when I’ve seen her demo-ing at the Craft and Hobby Association. I have been in awe of her abundance of spirit and talent for some time. I would stand behind others and just watch in amazement at what she can do with wax, stamps, UTEE, etc. She will just work while she carries on a conversation with everyone around her. Next CHA I will certainly introduce myself!

Suze Blogz is her personal and crafty adventures which are no less artistic than Suze herself. I read her blog post yesterday. She is one adventure after another. I love the photos of her “altered” house.

Suze Weinberg is an internationally known rubber stamper who has been designing and creating with rubber stamps for over 18 years and while it all began as a hobby, Suze has spent the last several years developing products for the rubber stamp industry, writing books, producing videos, appearing on HGTV's Carol Duvall show and traveling the world over teaching techniques.

Suze began her career as a Calligrapher….giving it up to devote full time to teaching worldwide and managing her office in Ocean, New Jersey and her www.schmoozewithsuze.com online store.


Before crafting, Suze sang professionally for over 10 years as a cantor in her synagogue, a profession that had to take second place once she began traveling. She still remains an accomplished musician. Both singing and piano run in her family. You can find Suze via her

Blog SuzeBlogz 
Website Smooze with Suze
Yahoo Group

Ms. Suze Weinburg

What is one Family Holiday Tradition that was handed down to you from someone in your family that you continue to observe?

We're Jewish, as you may know. We observe Hanukkah with not only OUR whole immediate family but our synagogue families as well. We all gather at someones house and we all take out our menorahs (which is the 8 branched candelabra), sing the Hanukkah prayers and light the first candle. There are usually 20 or so menorahs burning including ones from the little kids (who all have their own). {{“Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Temple after the successful Jewish revolt against the Seleucid monarchy. The Jews found only enough ritually pure olive oil to light the menorah for one day, but the supply miraculously lasted eight days until a new supply could be obtained. In celebration of this miracle, the chanukkiyah has eight branches for eight candles or oil lamps, none higher than any other, except for one higher branch for the auxiliary candle, or shamash, which guards against secular use of the other lights and is also used to light them.” }}

And then we spin the Dreidel, a 4 sided spinning top and sing Hanukkah songs and give out presents.  For as long as I an remember Hanukkah in my family has been spent this way, even though, oddly enough, Hanukkah is not considered a major Jewish holiday the way Christmas is to Christians. It is actually, biblically speaking, a minor holiday.

How do you preserve those traditions?

I don't scrapbook or anything like that but I never go anywhere - not anywhere, without my camera...in fact I carry a few - and I'm always taking pictures or videos. Some are up on YouTube..so watch out. You never know!

In honor of Suze and her inspriation I (Debby) made a couple of items just for her. I made this Mommy and Me Craft candle holder from craft sticks, acrylic paint and Gold Paint Dabbers. It was one triangle on top of the other. I added candle.

The big project was so much fun and I’ll be cleaning Beeswax and Perfect Pearls off my desk (I needed to be where I could see YouTube), my floor, my clothes and my hair. LOL I made a beeswax college using Suze’s Melthing Pot, Hot Wax Art Stylus and watched her YouTube Video. She is a great instructor. I had so much fun.

This is a photo of my Chatty Cathy doll that I (Debby) received for Christmas when I was about 3 or 4. This doll is my first memory of a toy. I also remember her being my best friend.

Thank you and Chanukah Sameach Suze!

Tomorrow's Guest Nathalie Kalbach

I’m crafted. One layout, one Tim Tag, and one Suze BeesWax Canvas all in one day!

Gratitude List
1. miracles
2. for friends
3. new discoveries
4. understanding family right now
5. the fact that God never “hicups” and misses anything