Miguel Pro makes another appearance on this blog. ♥

One of the sweetest pleasures of sharing my Paper Dali figures is getting emails (or reading posts) about how moms (and kids!) are incorporating the dolls into the liturgical year, studies ... or just having fun with them.

As I was reading Rosario's blog, Beads4Prayer, the other day, I kept thinking about her post regarding priestly vestments and the liturgical year. I wanted to do something for our own home altar and use what we have, but couldn't find anything.

Three days later, I look at her blog to see what's new. And to my surprise, Blessed Miguel Pro (in his Paper Dali form) was in the newest post.

I can do this now! Doesn't he look wonderful? It was sweet to see Paper Dali Miguel Pro out and about and doing the unexpected. How very like Miguel Pro.

I'd post more about this idea, but Rosario says it best. Be sure to drop by her blog and say hello. Special thanks for the mention and sharing the picture, Rosario.

Viva Cristo Rey!

Cards for Remembering Baby

Last night, as I thought about my friends who have recently miscarried, I felt compelled to put ink to paper and come up with this little remembrance card for them:

It seems like there are so many cards for babies ... for their announcements, for their arrival, for their first year .... but there seems to be nothing for those difficult--and alas, common---times when a family has a miscarriage. And so, I offer my little card. If you or someone you know has had a miscarriage and want a little remembrance card or even something to distribute at a Mass said for the little one, you can download this card.

I've left a space for the baby's name and also a reminder of when she/he was conceived and when she/he was returned to God. I've never liked those cards saying that the parents would storm heaven to bring back the baby or anything like that. My little one, my first son, is with God, and that's the best place to be. God willing, we'll meet again someday. Meanwhile, he prays for us ... and we remember him with love.

Blessings,

An Inspiring, Readable Blessed Miguel Pro Story

As the rainstorm continues pounding our area, I've been immerse in books, particularly ones about Blessed Miguel Pro. I have considered him my heavenly brother and friend ever since I first read about him in the marvelous book by Ann Ball called "Blessed Miguel Pro: 20th Century Saint and Martyr." I had never read about such a funny, brave, noble and charming saint until I read about him. When I became pregnant with my second boy, I had to give him the name Miguel, of course.

Now, my second son has practically memorized the stories of that Ann Ball book. So, we've found a new read. Much to my recent joy, I discovered another charming book by Ann Ball called "Jose Finds the King: a Blessed Miguel Pro Story". In this accessible, well-written yarn, a little Mexican boy named Jose celebrates his First Communion in the shadow of the Catholic persecution in Mexico. His life is sweet and wonderful despite the long shadows of the regime upon it. He spends time with his beloved brother, delights in his mother's fabulous cooking and hears stories about Blessed Miguel Pro. However, he ends up witnessing the martyrdom of his catechist. The choice becomes his whether to hold onto his anger or to forgive and pray for those who committed this crime. Learning about Blessed Miguel Pro brings him to a greater understanding of love and giving all to Christ, without bearing anger or hatred for one's enemies.

I'm researching this saint right now for a project, but I wanted to let ya'll know about this fabulous book. Ann Ball loved Miguel Pro deeply, and I'm sure they are swapping stories in heaven. ♥

Saint Sebastian

Download a black-and-white PDF/coloring page of Saint Sebastian. (I left his shield bare, so you can draw your own design.)

Tough. Strong. Brave. A fighter. Catholic, too. Saint Sebastian was the captain of the Praetorian Guard under Diocletian and Maximian, who didn't know about his faith. Diocletian was very surprised to find out that, during his persecution of Christians, his own guard was one! He ordered Sebastian put to death.

Sebastian is always shown shot with arrows. Actually, a search for images of him show a slightly effeminate guy tied to a tree and shot up with arrows. Alas, this is what people think when they consider Sebastian, thanks to the art of the Renaissance. But the story does not end there. Sebastian was not martyred by arrows. And the best part of the story actually happens after the arrow-shooting.

The widow of St. Castulus went to claim his body for burial but found him alive. And so she nursed him back to health. Yes, he survived all those arrows. And you know what he did once he was healthy? He intercepted the emperor and denounced him for the persecution of Christians. That takes some serious faith and moxie. This time, the emperor had him beaten to death and so Sebastian became a martyr for the Christian faith in 288 A.D. I'm in awe of someone who had the guts to survive a would-be execution than go to the person who ordered it in the first place and speak his mind.

He's also the patron saint of soldiers and athletes, and we named our third son after him.

To learn more about Saint Sebastian, read this fascinating little bio at EWTN.





p.s. A very heartfelt thanks to Amazing Grace who helped me figure out my PDF trouble. Blessings to you! ♥

Daybook for Jan. 11, 2010

Outside my window... men climb a roof while the sky breaks into color behind them. (Our neighbor is having her roof repaired.)

I am thinking... that if you have a lot of plates spinning in your life, you might have one fall and break, but you've got to be grateful for the ones that are still spinning.

I am thankful for... children who enjoy being children.

I am wearing... blue running pants and a blue sweater. I am the smurfiest!

I am remembering... that I used to ditch school on cool, blue-skied mornings like this and how wonderful it'd be to ditch work and just escape to the movies and have a slice of pizza like back then.

I am going... to have a busy day of work, do some freelancing, continue sketching some ideas for an exciting new project ... oh, I'll just not post about that until it's for sure. And it's nice to build suspense, right?

I am currently reading...marketing materials for my full-time job.

I am hoping... that I can make exercise a priority in my life. The treadmill is ready for this wannabe runner. But I need to be consistent with my exercise. Right now, it's more like "This is a very special episode of Vee's life. Here's where she does some exercise." It's that rare.

On my mind... Greek mythologies.

Noticing that... the older kids are stretching upward at an alarming rate. They are growing so quickly, and I have such a short amount of time with these people before they are on their own. There is so much to do together still!

Pondering these words... "If you embrace all things in this life as coming from the hands of God, and even embrace death to fulfill His holy will, assuredly you will die a saint." (St. Alphonsus Liguori) I've had some major setbacks in, oh, everything lately, and it's good for me to ponder those words.

From the kitchen... the happy chirps of the four-year-old as his nine-year-old sister gets them bowls of cereal. (Wait. Why I am I not hearing the coffee-maker? Must. Go. Brew.)

Around the house... everything is shiny and clean from our hard work for the landlady's house inspection. The heater is humming. Books about Ancient Greece are piled up in our reading basket. Husband and two boys are still deeply asleep.

One of my favorite things ... crossing off items on my checklist. Because I'm cool like that.


Read more daybooks and learn about the Daybook here.

New at The Paper Dali Shop

I just wrapped up two lovely new sparkling-sweet items for your printing and playing pleasure at The Paper Dali Shop. You can click here to visit the site immediately...or first read a little more in this post before heading over there.

♥ The Winter Friends Playset (a sweet little set for those snowed-in days) ♥
With the days turning cold and gray, I've been hoping for snow...a funny hope, considering where we live. And so my thoughts turned to my snowy childhood and then The Winter Friends playset was drawn. It's a small set of paper dolls featuring Renee, Violet and Sunshine. One of my favorite friends was named Renee. She had golden hair, a voice to rival Lauren Bacall's and a lovely, colorful Polish family. At her house, the food was plentiful, the fabrics bright, and the air crackled merrily with the Polish language. Violet is Renee's best friend. She wishes for golden hair while Renee wishes for dark. She loves purple in all its shades, unicorns and dreaming of adventures for them to have. My ... I mean, Violet's, beloved golden retriever, Sunshine, also made it to the Paper Dali shop. Sweet, watchful and the best dog a child could have, Sunshine protects them on walks through the forests of Violet's Pennsylvanian home. And because my children mentioned the need for a boy figure in the set, Benjamin from the "Christmas in Sweden" set makes a guest appearance as a bonus page. Click here to see (and purchase) this set in my Etsy shop.


♥ Bati the Robot valentines set ♥
Inspired by watching too many sci-fi movies lately, the Bati-06 is a fun-loving little robot who loves to serve up strawberry milkshakes to his sweetheart (the Beti bot), tap dance, fly through space in his sleek bright-red rocket and spend time showing his skating moves to the Beti bot. The Bati is named for one of my sons...the one who loves all things shiny and robotic. This valentine set is unique and sweet. The Bati-06 stands apart from the crowd of regular store-bought robots because he's a Paper Dali creation.





p.s. "Vee" does not stand for Violet, but new friends and acquaintances always remember the "V" in my name and not the name. I've been called Valerie, Vanessa, Violet, Victoria, Veronica, Vivian ... only one of those is correct! :)