Epiphany of the Lord Coloring Page: Free Printable

"When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
"Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage..."

Download entire coloring page here!

For the past two years, I volunteered at the Liturgy of the Word for Children at one of our Masses.

To help keep the children engaged, I always drew the Sunday Gospel reading on the enormous dry-erase board in our meeting place.

Recently, I've been thinking how much fun it'd be to have an actual printable to accompany the Sunday Gospel. And so, I drew up one for this Sunday: an Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ Coloring Page.

Feel free to download the complete printable (the above image is only part of it), and use* it as a:

• Conversation starter after Mass to discuss the Gospel with your kids
• A Mass journaling page 
• A printable for your Faith Formation class or homeschool study 
• And more!

I hope you enjoy it! (And if you're on Instagram, be sure to tag me at @paper_dali so I can see your coloring work. : ) )

* All rights reserved. You may use my Epiphany coloring page for your family, homeschool group, and Faith Formation program but not for your company, work, or financial gain of any sort. Questions? Email me at mypaperdali@gmail.com.

Happy Saint Nicholas Day: Free Printables About Saint Nicholas

When I was a child, the feast day of Saint Nicholas had a hazy, almost mythical quality to it. My parents spoke of putting out their shoes at night and receiving gifts by morning on December 6, but they did not carry the tradition for us children. The feast day was something from the homeland, not something to be celebrated in the United States, and it bore little importance to real life.

December 6 came and went for many years of my life without much attention except for a vague thought in the back of my mind that "oh, it's the feast day of the guy who became Santa."

Then, I became a mother and learned about this patron saint of children. The hazy outline of Saint Nicholas became stronger, and his personality boldly marked. This was not a soft, cozy sort of apparition from the past. Saint Nicholas was a brave and fiery bishop during turbulent times.

After reading Elizabeth Foss's brilliant "Real Learning: Education in the Heart of the Home" book, my husband and I made a conscious decision to celebrate the liturgical cycle, to learn and grow and pray about the meanings of the different days the Church sets aside for us to celebrate.

Saint Nicholas came into our life then ... and we've never let go. This bishop, with his generosity and kindness and steadfast spirit, inspired his community so long ago and continues to inspire so many, many others today.

He's far more than this vague prototype of Santa Claus. He's not just an old-timey version of Santa. He was fiery in his faith and defender of the Church's teachings.

You can learn more about him through this brief video:

 

(And if you subscribe to Formed.org, don't forget to watch the short animated movie "Nicholas: The Boy Who Became Santa.")

As our family learned more about this saint, I found myself drawing him often. Here are a few printables of Saint Nicholas that I'd like to share with you:

Download this Saint Nick coloring page!

I also drew this small printable St. Nicholas notecard to color up and share with your friends and family:

May this saintly bishop bless you and your family today and always.

xo
Vee

Free Saint Patrick Coloring Page [Printable]

March 17 is the feast day of Saint Patrick!

Enjoy a free coloring page. Here's a peek at it:

Download a free coloring page of the Catholic saint here.

If you have access to the Formed.org website, your kids and you can check out the Patrick: Brave Shepherd of the Emerald Isle video. You can also rent it from your local Catholic bookstore.

Bilingual Catholic Mass Playset [Printable]

To help children familiarize themselves with the different articles of the Catholic Mass (and to have fun while they do so), I drew up a printable Catholic Mass playset. Everything is labeled in both Spanish and English.

I call it a "playset" because it comes with two families and a priest to color and make-believe they are attending Mass. And because some kids will want to dive into the playing part first (and color afterwards), I also colored everything in the playset.

A photo posted by Vee Jarski (@paper_dali) on Dec 22, 2016 at 5:00pm PST

A photo posted by Vee Jarski (@paper_dali) on Dec 22, 2016 at 5:00pm PST

My kids used an empty Amazon box to serve as their church. They cut out and pasted the different elements (like the pews, stained glass windows, tabernacle, etc.) in it and played for a long while. (They later added the peg dolls from their collection for additional fun.)

A photo posted by Vee Jarski (@paper_dali) on Dec 9, 2016 at 11:13am PST

They also used another copy to decorate a wooden birdhouse and transform it into a church:

A photo posted by Vee Jarski (@paper_dali) on Jan 12, 2017 at 4:20pm PST

We also played around with the set and made a "construction paper church."

A photo posted by Vee Jarski (@paper_dali) on Jan 5, 2017 at 8:39am PST

Check out all the details of the printable Catholic Mass playset in my Etsy shop.

Free Saint Nicholas Day Bookmarks [Printable]

Saint Nicholas's feast day is almost here! Much mystery and myth surround this kind-hearted fourth-century bishop of Myra. But we do know that fact and also that many miracles were attributed to him.

Because of his upcoming feast day, he's on my mind...

St. Nick freebie bookmarks coming to my blog super-soon!🎅 (Watching a movie + sketchpad on my lap = a coloring page 😋) #catholic #catholicfamilies #saints #saintnick #saintnicholas #advent2016 #advent

A photo posted by Vee (@paper_dali) on Nov 30, 2016 at 5:37pm PST

Want to make him be part of your Advent celebration, too?

Then enjoy these free St. Nicholas bookmarks! Just download the coloring page from this link (or click on the picture) and print them out. Make sure you print them in landscape mode and you may have to shrink them to the printable area (or not---it depends on how big you want your bookmarks).
I've colored one of the bookmarks in case you just want to print them out and use them as a surprise gift on the feast day of St. Nicholas or tuck them into whatever book you're reading this Advent season. But I'm also including a black-and-white version, so that you can use the bookmark-making as a craft activity.

If you do use the bookmarks, feel free to tag me on Instagram (I love the 'gram!) and let me see your fine coloring work.

May you have a blessed St. Nicholas Day and a holy, hope-filled Advent.
xo
Vee

Catholic Liturgical Calendar to Color: Advent 2016 to November 2017 [Printable]

The question seemed simple enough: "Can anyone recommend a Catholic liturgical calendar for kids?"

And the creative wheels in my head started turning swiftly... A Catholic liturgical calendar! I should draw one! Yes, it's a huge project. But it'll be so much fun to draw. I must tackle this project!

So, I did. (My Paperdali Instagram feed some photos from the process and a sneak peek collage of its contents.)

The published 26-page PDF covers Nov. 27 (the first Sunday of Advent 2016) through November 2017.

Each month features one full-size illustration to color and then a month-at-a-glance with miniature drawings of some favorite Catholic saints, special Sundays, and feast days.

A bonus page at the end includes small "stickers" of everyday meetings, events, and special appointments to print out, cut out, and paste or glue to whatever box you fancy.

You can print out all 26 pages and assemble it yourself as needed, either every month or all at one. (The calendar is black and white, so you don't need any special color ink for it.)

You can give the calendar a look (and grab yourself one) in my Paperdali Etsy shop.

The hardest part of putting together the calendar was limiting which saints to include in it! I wanted to write down all the names of every saint for every day and draw allllll the saints.

But I also wanted the calendar to be simple and not overwhelming for children (and adults).

So, every month features about 7-10 mini drawings of saints. The good variety can keep your child (and you!) attuned to the liturgical cycle but without anyone feeling overwhelmed by having to color every single day of the year. Coloring is to be a fun, relaxing, and gentle experience.

May this liturgical calendar be so for you and your family!

xo
Vee

Liturgical Calendar to Color Coming Soon!

Just a sneak peek at what I'm working on:

A photo posted by Vee Jarski (@paper_dali) on Oct 10, 2016 at 12:18pm PDT

It's a liturgical calendar from this Advent to next Advent, and it will feature a large coloring page for the month's main image as well as smaller stickers to color, cut, and paste into the calendar squares. Super-excited about sharing this with you very soon.

The Paper Dali Liturgical Calendar should be in the Etsy store this week. Stay tuned!

xo
Vee

The Gaucho Priest: Free Coloring Page of Saint Jose Gabriel del Rosario Brochero

As my family tree is rooted in Argentina, I was elated to hear of Argentina's first saint to be canonized, Blessed Jose Gabriel del Rosario Brochero.

This remarkably humble priest was known for traveling extensively on his mule throughout Argentina to serve the poor and ill of his enormous parish. Always, he carried with him an image of the Virgin Mary, his Mass kit, and a prayer book.

Today, Pope Francis will officially canonize this "gaucho priest" ("gaucho" is Argentina's variation of the cowboy).

And so, of course, we must have a free coloring page for San Jose Gabriel del Rosario Brochero!

Here you go. Download it from this link.

Celebrating Saint Maximilian Maria Kolbe: Free Coloring Page

From the Paper Dali archives.

This post is dedicated to my little Max in heaven. 

August 14 is the feast day of one of my favorite saints, Maximilian Kolbe. I first heard of him a long time ago. When I received the sacrament of Confirmation, the bishop gave a riveting homily about the recently canonized Saint Maximilian Kolbe, a martyr during World War II. After listening to the homily, I adopted St. Maximilian as my spiritual father, and Papa Kolbe has never let me down.

What drew me to him was his steadfast devotion to the Lord and how he used his gift of writing and editing to share the faith during a dark time in history. It is no coincidence, I think, that I became a writer and an editor, too. As the patron saint of editors, Maximilian holds a special place in my heart.

Saint Maximilian Kolbe for Young Children

Now, this year's post about Saint Maximilian Kolbe is dedicated to younger kids. The circumstances of his death are gritty, and so I want to offer a child-friendly version of his life. It is not a watered-down version of his life, but it does not have all the details that older children and teens may want to hear. (If they do want those details, they can find them in my older Saint Maximilian Kolbe post.)

Download the full-size version of the Maximilian Kolbe coloring page here. 

The story of Saint Maximilian Maria Kolbe ends with his greatest sacrifice, that of his laying down his life for a friend. It's an amazing story, one that people always remember about him. And when he is shown in paintings or in religious pictures, St. Maximilian Kolbe is almost always in a prison uniform.

However, heroic acts of love usually do not happen out of nowhere. They come from a life of choosing to show love in smaller, quieter ways.  Maximilian Kolbe was a martyr because his entire life had been spent in doing small things with great love.

The Child Raymond

He was born on January 8, 1894 in in Poland, which was part of the Russian Empire at the time. He was the second son of Julius and Maria Kolbe. He was not called Maximilian at that time ... he would choose that name later. He was baptized as Raymond.

Now, when Raymond was 10 years old, an event happened that changed his life and outlook forever.

In a letter many years later, after Max's death, his mother wrote the following to a friend:

"We had a small, hidden altar, where he often went to pray without letting anyone notice. As he prayed, he would cry. Generally, he acted in a manner older than his age, being always recollected and serious. He would pray with tears in his eyes. I was concerned that he might perhaps be sick, so I asked him, 'What is the matter with you?' And I began to insist, 'You must tell everything to your mother.'

"Trembling with emotion and with tears in his eyes, he told me: 'When you scolded me, Mama, I prayed very much to the Madonna to tell me what would become of me. And later, in church, I prayed to her again. Then the Madonna appeared to me, holding two crowns in her hands: one white and one red. She looked on me with affection and asked me if I wanted those two crowns. The white one meant that I would remain pure, and the red, that I would be a martyr. I told her I accepted both. Then the Madonna looked at me sweetly and disappeared.'"

Raymond's life changed forever. He prayed more, drew closer to the Blessed Mother, and was a loving, obedient son.

When he finished elementary school, he was not planning to go to high school. High school was very, very expensive and rarely attended in Poland during that time when Russia ruled over it. His family chose to educate his older brother; Raymond would stay home and help the family with their weaving business.

But one fateful day, his mother, who was a midwife, meaning she helped moms deliver their babies, needed some special medicinal powder from the pharmacy. and so, she asked Raymond to go get some for her. When he went, he spoke to the pharmacy about the powder, using some Latin words, and the pharmacist was suddenly aware of how bright the boy was. He offered to educate Raymond for free.

It was definitely a gift from God, a guiding to the next phase of his life. He was a bright student, quick to learn, and devout in his love for the Blessed Mother.

The Seminarian

In 1907, he entered the Franciscan junior seminary in Poland and did very well in mathematics and physics. Outraged at the spread of evil in the world during this time, he considered joining the military, but decided to answer the call to religious life instead. On Sept.4, 1910, he took the name Maximilian and became a novice. His final vows happened on Nov. 1, 1914.


He studied in Rome for years, though he was often sick. He got sick was tuburculosis, which weakened his lungs for the rest of his life.  But he kept dedicated to the spreading of the Gospel.

He started up the Immaculate Movement (also known as the Crusade of Mary Immaculate). The focus of it was to be a knight of the Virgin Mary. Just like a knight, the men would go and fight against evil and injustices. Armed with their weapons, which was the rosary,  Miraculous Medals, and prayers, these knights spread the word about the Miraculous Medals and devoted themselves to the conversion of sinners.

The Wordsmith

Maximilian Kolbe is known as the patron saint of editors because of all the writing and publishing he did. In addition to the Knight of the Immaculate magazine, he also printed a daily Catholic newspaper, the Little Daily. Later, he also printed a Japanese version if the Knight. He wrote to wake people up, to get them excited about the faith, to care. And they did.

In 1939, the Nazis invaded Poland. They arested the priests but then let them return, thinking they would stop publishing their magazines ... or at least, stop talking about Jesus. But they didn't. Papa Kolbe kept publishing his newspapers and he even provided shelter to refugees from Greater Poland, including  2,000 Jews whom he hid in his own friary from Nazi persecution.

Angered over the Catholic message in Father Kolbe's work, the Nazis took over the area, and shut down the printing presses.

The Martyr

Papa Kolbe was arrested by the German Gestapo and imprisoned. On May 25, 1941, he was transferred to Auschwitz, one of the worst prison camps. He was given a number, he was prisoner 16670.

He suffered constantly there, for the Nazis hated everyone who wasn't a Nazi, and they especially hated priests. He didn't complain but whenever possible, he would hear confessions and would use the wine and bits of bread smuggled into the prison to celebrate mass. Even though the camp was a place of great suffering, Father Kolbe brought hope and peace to others.

Another prisoner said:

"During the stay of the servant of God in the camp, I never noticed that he nourished any hatred for the Germans. On the contrary, not only did he pray for them, but he also exhorted us to pray for their conversion. We were all amazed at the extraordinary virtue that we saw in that man: faith, the constant spirit of prayer, great humility, and the spirit of fellowship pushed to the point of sharing his own food rations with the other prisoners. He lived every day only for God. He drew us to God and desired that we live well and that we put up with the life of the camp. He really had within himself a kind of magnet, which drew us to him, to God, to the most holy mother. Often, he spoke to us of God, and inculcated in us the truth that God is good and merciful. He desired to convert the whole camp."

In July 1941, a prisoner escaped. The rule was that 10 people would be punished every time someone escaped. Because a man had disappeared, 10 other men would now receive punishment.

One prisoner shouted, "Goodbye, my dear wife! Goodbye, my dear children!"

Another prisoner stepped forward. It was Father Maximilian. "I want to go instead of this man who was selected," Papa Kolbe said. "He has a wife and family. I am alone. I am a Catholic priest."

The Nazi guard accepted the change.

The prisoners were led to an underground cell to be punished. During that time, Maximilian led them into songs and hymns. One guard (who was really another prisoner forced to stand guard) later told Church officials: "From the cells of the condemned men, every day, there were heard prayers in a loud voice, the rosary, and religious hymns, in which even prisoners in other cells sang ... The ardent prayers and hymns to the most Holy Virgin resounded through the whole subterranean area. It seemed to me that I was in church."

 For 10 days, he helped people to grow closer to the Lord and get ready to see him soon. Then on August 14, Maximilian died.

The Saint

On October 10, 1982, Pope John Paul II canonized St. Maximilian Kolbe.  The man whose place that Maximillian took was there. He himself lived to be 94 years old, having spent his life telling everyone about the great priest, the loving martyr, Maximilian Kolbe.

Now, let us pray and ask for the intercession of Saint Maximilian Kolbe:

O Lord Jesus Christ, who said, "Greater love than this no man has that a man lay down his life for his friends,"through the intercession of St. Maximilian Kolbe whose life illustrated such love, we beseech you to grant us our petitions . . . Through the Militia Immaculata movement, which Maximilian founded, he spread a fervent devotion to Our Lady throughout the world. He gave up his life for a total stranger and loved his persecutors, giving us an example of unselfish love for all men---a love that was inspired by true devotion to Mary.

Grant, O Lord Jesus, that we too may give ourselves entirely without reserve to the love and service of our Heavenly Queen in order to better love and serve our fellowman in imitation of your humble servant, Maximilian. Amen.

And in honor of the Blessed Mother whom Saint Maximilian Kolbe loves so much ... We pray: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners. Now and at the hour of our death. Amen."

Flower-Vase Label for the Virgin Mary: A Free Blessed Mother Printable Craft

Looking for a simple but sweet Blessed Mother craft for May? Here's a quick-and-easy craft: a Mama Mary label to color and cut, and use to decorate a Mason-jar vase.

A photo posted by Vee (@paper_dali) on May 6, 2016 at 10:44pm PDT

First, download the printable here. (Make sure your printer settings doesn't include margins and that the page orientation is horizontal.)

Then color it up however you want. (I colored the background of Mary's alcove yellow... then realized the yellow crown didn't pop, so I changed the background to orange. Remember you can always fix "mistakes" in art and that those "mistakes" can even give your work a unique look.) You can use the little crown pattern to create one for Mary and glue it on.

 Cut out the label, wrap it around a Mason jar (which will serve as a flower vase), and glue it on or tape it. (I taped because I've a deep and abiding love for Scotch tape.)

Then just add a little water to the vase and some fresh flowers then place it wherever you like! We've placed ours on the dining room table as a reminder to say the Hail Mary during our meal prayers in May.

Have a blessed and lovely Marian month!

xo
Vee

Little Doodles Can Do Big Things, Too

I recently received a lovely photo from a quilting wonder named Rose Castanon. She and her friend created a pretty Our Lady of Guadalupe quilt for a raffle at church. (The proceeds benefit the religious education program at her parish.)

After they finished the quilt, they used a Paper Dali doodle for the label and prayer to put on the quilt. She emailed me asking permission for the use of the doodle... and, of course, I said yes! Just send me a picture.

And she did:

One of the sweetest joys of creating art for Paper Dali is seeing how some of my free doodles and drawings get used by craft-loving folks. So, thanks for sending this, Rose.

And here's a look at the quilt she finished with her friend:

Lovely work, Rose!

xo
Vee

Free Pro-Life Coloring Page and Prayer Log From Paper Dali

Despite the snowstorm blasting Washington, D.C., the March for Life marches on. Though I cannot attend, my thoughts and prayers are with all those attending as well as the unborn and their parents.

To help our family (and yours!) continue praying for the unborn, I put together this pro-life coloring page and prayer log.


Clicking on the widget above should take you to the download page. You can also download the coloring page by clicking this link.

Onward and upward! Vee

Free Saint Francis Xavier Coloring Page

In the whirl of activity characterizing the start of Advent, the feast day of Saint Francis Xavier may get overlooked. But this amazing missionary priest, who converted more than 50,000 people, definitely merits special attention on Dec. 3, his feast day.

Click picture to get the free printable

This helpful super-short video gives a glimpse into Saint Francis Xavier's life... and can help nurture your curiosity to find out more!


Download your free Saint Francis Xavier coloring page, and have fun learning about this saint.

Happy Advent season!
xo
Vee

Free Blessed Miguel Pro Coloring Page Activity

Need a Blessed Miguel Pro coloring page for his upcoming feast day? I have one for you!

Just print out the downloadable free Bl. Miguel Pro triptych here or by clicking the box below.


Next, you'll need to color the page and embellish it if you like.

Then cut the coloring page out and paste/glue it onto thicker paper. (I used red construction paper because red reminds me of Miguel's martyrdom.)

After the glue is dry, just cut around the triptych shape, leaving some space so your colored paper shows.

Ta-da! You've a lovely, colorful Blessed Miguel Pro triptych to display on his feast day... and every day. (And if you do make one, feel free to tag me at paper_dali on Instagram or share your picture via email at mypaperdali[at]gmail.com.)

Get the free Blessed Miguel Pro coloring page here. And read on for more details about his life and reasons why he's a favorite at Paper Dali.

A Brief Overview of His Life

(from a classic Paper Dali post)

The story of Blessed Miguel Pro begins just like it does for so many little boys. He loves his family, he likes to play and sing and goof around. He even gets into trouble ... quite regularly.

Miguel, however, ends up becoming deathly sick at some point, and through the prayers of his family, God's goodness and the intercession of Mary, he miraculously pulls through it. His first words? "I want some cocol." Cocol became his nickname as a child and then later on, his code name during his clandestine minisry.

Blessed Miguel is such a lively person. He has this gift for storytelling, for being just funny and sweet. He plays tricks on his friends, gets involved in wordplay, dances, puts on plays, and even goes through a rough period in school (which isn't kind to Catholics).

But his life isn't ideal. His family is involved in the mines, so he knows first-hand about the hardship of the poor and struggling. His parents teach him about charity. So often does Miguel go to help out that the miners themselves start using his nickname, the Little Miner.

And when President Calles in 1917 begins his anti-Catholic provisions, the Catholic people in Mexico become deeply persecuted. Bl. Miguel Pro continues, however, in his vocation. He undergoes tests (both spiritual, physical and intellectual) to become a priest. He has the reputation for being funny ... to the point that the priests at the seminary wonder if he can take his vocation seriously.

 While he waits to discuss his vocation with the head of the seminary, he is already being put through a test. First, they make him wait.

And wait. And wait. And wait. And, oh, yes, wait some more.

And then, as he waits, he gets to "overhear" from other students about how hard and grueling the entire seminary is. He is given every opportunity to flee, but he doesn't. He knows his calling. It's this same mix of perseverance, single-mindedness and even humor that make Miguel such a favorite here.

Though he is constantly in danger of being caught for the crime of being a Catholic priest, he continues to celebrate Mass, administer the sacraments, and reach out to help the poor and hungry and lonely. If he had to dress like an old lady, a fancy-pants gentleman, a mechanic or, in one case, even as a policeman, so be it.

He seems to thrive in the circumstances.

One of our favorite stories is when Miguel was heading to celebrate Mass at a "secret" location. Apparently, it wasn't a very good secret, for the police officers were there, waiting for this renagade priest to show up. Somehow, Miguel had gotten a police uniform, which he wore to the house. He told the police officer outside the door, "I heard that there's a priest going inside. I'm going to check it out!" And then, he went in, performed his priestly duties, and then came outside once more. When asked about the priest, he answered, "There was a priest inside the house. But now, he's not there!"

His encounter with a communist is recounted in Ann Ball's book. It's funny and wise, just as Blessed Miguel Pro was. When the communist tells Miguel that he believes in sharing, Miguel says he does, too. When the communist describes the urge to help the poor, Miguel chimes in that he feels the same way. And when he is shown a threatening weapon, Miguel says he has the greatest weapon of all ... and he takes his rosary from his pocket to show the man.

When Miguel Pro is eventually caught and sentenced to death, he shows the same clarity and poise that marks every story about him. He forgives those who are about to kill him, he says a prayer, and he does not remain silent but cries out a triumphant, "Viva Cristo Rey!"

This final cry has been an inspiration to countless people. And in my own life, I find myself often referring to that shout amid the strange, upside-down world we live in. He was a radical and a rebel because he cared about the poor, the homeless, abandoned children, because he lived his life to the fullest in service of others.

Why He's a Favorite of Mine

Every now and then, a saint will befriend you. Either you start noticing that the same saint keeps being mentioned to you in conversations or showing up in the books and movies and statues around you. And you think, "Maybe I should look more closely into the life of this saint."

And then other saints burst into your life with such energy and noise that you can't help but fall in love with them immediately.

One of the saints who broke open my life with his vitality is Blessed Miguel Pro. I'd been perusing books at a Catholic shop in Los Angeles and felt compelled to buy Ann Ball's book "Blessed Miguel Pro: 20th Century Martyr."

Now, the book cover is some Very Serious Business:

It looks like the other 3048232984023339482043424 books about saints. And he's a martyr, which is uber-serious. And I already have St. Maximilian Kolbe as my go-to martyr heavenly friend.

But what got me was the whole "20th century martyr" and a blurb on the back that described the anti-Catholicism of the Mexican persecution. "What?" I asked aloud. "I didn't know Mexico had persecuted Catholics recently."

And so history geek that I am, I bought the book.

Life's been different ever since I read it.

Meeting Bl. Miguel Pro was like meeting the big brother I'd always wanted. Stories about his mischievous youth, hilarious antics, love of music and drawing, the scrapes he got into... these all introduced me to a saint who was so interesting, energetic, hilarious, and faithful. Even during the trials of his life, he was unflagging in his enthusiasm and bravery.

I read, in this book and others, about how he would disguise himself as a mechanic, a "dapper" gentleman, a worker, etc. to sneak through the city and celebrate the sacraments with Catholics, who were forced to practice the faith in secret. He had brushes with police officers, who actively sought him, and even had a few salute him when he pretended to be a police officer. Despite the hostile environment around him, Miguel kept his spirits and that of others strengthened through prayer and the Eucharist. Even in his stints in prison, for being a priest, he spread the Gospel and brought fellow prisoners closer to Christ.

What also drew me to this saint is that he feels like someone I could have over for dinner and talk and laugh and listen to his playing the guitar. As much as I love other saints (I have coloring pages of myriad saints, after all!), many seem rather serious and quiet, and I think some might either give me the stink-eye over my noisiness or barely suffer through my loudness (sorry, Teresa of Avila, but I'd probably give you a headache).

But Miguel and me? I think we could hang out, draw together, sing, tell stories, and celebrate Christ with song and dance.

* * *

Want a good book about Blessed Miguel to read with your kids? I highly recommend Ann Ball's book about Bl. Miguel Pro for kids, "Jose Finds the King: a Blessed Miguel Pro Story."

And because Miguel Pro is a favorite here, you can find some very early super-rough drawings (but still color-able) I did of him here.

Viva Cristo Rey!
Vee

Free All Saints' Day Coloring Page [Downloadable PDF]

Ever since I was a little girl, the saint have been very dear to me. The idea of having heavenly friends, these companions in the faith journey, amazed me... and continues to do so.

As I thought about All Saints' Day this year, I wondered how whether Bl. Miguel Pro gets to play his guitar. Amid all his crazy adventures as an "undercover priest" in Mexico during the Catholic persecution, he once said, "I  see God’s hand so palpably in everything that almost—almost I fear they won’t kill me in these adventures. That will be a fiasco for me who sighs to go to heaven and start tossing off arpeggios on the guitar with my guardian angel."
 
So, I had to draw my favorite saint with a guitar in hand. And then, I imagined St. Therese flinging roses as promised: "After my death I shall let fall from heaven a shower of roses.  I will spend my heaven doing good upon the earth."
 
After Bl. Miguel Pro and St. Therese showed up behind the celebratory cake, the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph (with the Child Jesus on his shoulders) showed up. Naturally, St. Michael the Archangel (or is that Gabriel? He seemed to hang around St. Joseph more) showed up. And then St. Maximilian Kolbe, who is always pictured so seriously, smiled in happiness when he saw the scene. St. Francis had a little birdy tell him about the party. And St. Peter had the keys to the church. Finally, St. Elizabeth of Hungary brought some freshly baked bread because, well, she's known for it.

The party hats and balloons are needed because it's a celebration! What's a feast day without some delicious eats, music, and balloons? (OK, the balloons may just be me...)

If you'd like to celebrate, too, feel free to print out my free All Saints' Day coloring page in this downloadable PDF.

(Also, you might want to check out this free feast day planning page for today and all upcoming holy days.)

xo
Vee

Free Catholic Feast Day Planning Worksheet [Downloadable PDF]

Some of my favorite feast days are on the liturgical horizon. (St. Elizabeth of Hungary! Blessed Miguel Pro! Juan Diego! Our Lady of Guadalupe! Etc.! Etc.!) Because of the sheer amount of favorite feast days ahead, I decided to keep my planning stress-free and simple this year.

And that's where my free liturgical feast day planning worksheet comes in:



I'll be printing out a few copies of this Catholic feast day planning sheet and filling them out to make sure I don't miss some of the big feast days.

However, I may not fill in each spot for each feast day. Or I may. That depends on the feast day, how much is out there, and, honestly, my energy level.

That's the biggest thing to keep in mind when planning your celebration for a Catholic feast day: Keep your feast day simple, keep it stress-free, keep it centered on Christ.

The main idea is to do something special on this day to mark it as standing out for us Catholics. Whether you bake a cake as a special treat after dinner or do a movie, books, crafts, and websites, the main focus is that we enjoy as a family learning more about the feast day and growing closer to Christ.

So, enjoy this free downloadable Catholic feast day planning sheet. Make your planning be joyful!

(If you'd like to show me what you've planned or how you've colored or used the planner, make sure to tag me on Instagram with #paperdali.)


Vee

Free Saint Pope John Paul II Printable Triptych

Excited about tomorrow's feast day of Saint Pope John Paul II? (Say YES!)

To celebrate this hugely popular pope-now-saint, I created a Saint Pope John Paul II tripych (a fancy word for three-panel painting) craft activity.

Want to put yours together for the Saint JP2 feast day? It's easy-peasy.

You'll need my favorite tools for a crafting project:

• Markers and colored pencils
• Childproof scissors (because I'm a scissors amateur)
• A glue stick
• Manila folder (because card stock is spendy)

1. Download and print the free Saint Pope John Paul II triptych printable

Super-important: Make sure your printer settings are "landscape mode" and "fit to printable area." If you don't, you end up with a mini triptych.

2. Cut out the printable along the dark outer line

3. Color with your favorite markers, colored pencils, drawing pens, etc.

4. Add doodles, squiggles, and whatever you'd like to make it extra-special

5. Glue to the manila folder (or card stock)

6. Cut out the tripytch again and the fold the outside panels towards the middle like so:

7. Decorate the outside panels, then place your beautiful work of art in a thoughtful spot

A photo posted by Vee Jarski (@paper_dali) on Oct 21, 2015 at 4:15pm PDT

* * *

Hope you had fun making your own Saint John Paul II triptych! If you do use it, feel free to share pics of your work. If you're on Instagram, use the hashtag #paperdali or tag me (I'm @paper_dali), so I can see your triptych.

xo
Vee

Happy to Return to This Creative Space

A photo posted by Vee Jarski (@paper_dali) on Oct 3, 2015 at 1:54pm PDT

For the past few years, I've been illustrating slideshows and creating sketchnotes for the company where I work. So, by the time my workday was done, I wasn't reaching for my art supplies and sketchpad.

My Paper Dali website became like that room in your house that's packed with old, beloved projects; half-completed ones; and endless bits of scraps and papers with ideas scrawled onto them. Every now and then, I'd peek into this creative space, muse over previous work, and very rarely add another little coloring page to the pile.

But this past year, I've had my job go to 100% editorial work, meaning all I do is edit, coach writers, and write... with only one illustration project all this time.

That shift in my workload has created the exact opposite of what I anticipated. I had thought that no longer drawing for work meant that I'd lose my enthusiasm for drawing, that I'd shove my art supplies in a bin, that I'd resign myself to being that gal who used to draw.

The opposite has happened.

Organizing This Creative Space

With my work being strictly with words, I find myself once again reaching for my markers, pencils, and paper in the evening.

Instead of drawing being something I must do, drawing is something that I want to do. The freedom of choosing what to draw and when to draw has given new life to my drawing... and a renewed desire to blog once more on Paper Dali.

Coming back to Paper Dali is like coming back to a little shop I loved but didn't visit for a long time.

I've been looking through the archives to see what is here (goodness, did I really launch Paper Dali when my daughter was 9? She's 15 now!), to compare drawing styles (my early drawings look so primitive and hesitant compared to the more elaborate patterns I favor now), to look at where my thoughts once were (Annie Oakley, how we loved you)...

Moreover, I noticed cracks in the ceilings and dull paint, so I've repatched some links and brightened this creative space with more pops of orange and blue, even a new header.

In rummaging through Paper Dali, I realized just how very difficult locating my free coloring pages are. And so, you can now find them all in one easy-to-see tab.

I also updated the About Me section because readers and old friends may want to see what I've been up to these last few years. (Or not. But if they do, the info is there!)

 

What I'll Be Sharing

 

As the new header says, Paper Dali will not just be a place for free coloring pages but also a place where I'll share doodles, drawings, ideas, and musings about creativity, art, and the creative process, all from a Catholic worldview.

I plan on blogging regularly once more as well. I've missed writing about these things I love so well and sharing my work with you. I also look forward to seeing what everyone else has been up to and looking at your creative projects and going-ons as well.

Blessings galore,
Vee

A photo posted by Vee Jarski (@paper_dali) on Sep 27, 2015 at 9:51am PDT

Feast Day of the Guardian Angels [Free Coloring Page]

Today's feast day of the guardian angels is one of my favorites! The idea of being appointed an angel from God to guard us and guide us throughout our lives leaves me awestruck.

"From infancy to death human life is surrounded 

by their (the angels) watchful care and intercession. 

Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd 

leading him to life. 

Already here on earth

 the Christian life shares by faith in 

the blessed company of angels and men united to God."

 - from the Catechism of the Catholic Church; 336.

Here's a free guardian angel coloring page for you to download for personal (nonprofit) use. The image below is a preview. Click on it to download the PDF.)

Blessed Junipero Serra's Canonization Day [Free Coloring Page]

In just a few short hours, Pope Francis will celebrate the canonization of Blessed Junipero Serra.

To mark this day, I doodled a free Junipero Serra coloring page for you:

You can click or tap on the image to get to the free download page.

Peace be with you,
Vee