Advent Coloring and Activity Book 2016 [Printable]

Advent begins on Nov. 27 this year, and my heart has already begun the journey of expectation and hope. As I illustrated and created my new Advent coloring book, I found my mind reflecting on the beauty of the upcoming liturgical season.

In drawing wise men, I was reminded of how they sought him, how they saw the brilliant heavenly sign beaming from on high, and how they left all that they knew to go and encounter Christ.

A photo posted by Vee (@paper_dali) on Nov 14, 2016 at 1:44pm PST

In drawing St. Nicholas, I thought of how closely he followed Christ and sought to live a holy life, despite persecution. He thought of others, risked so much for the lives of people he didn't even know because his life was a testimony to Christ.

A photo posted by Vee (@paper_dali) on Nov 5, 2016 at 8:16am PDT

And as always, in drawing Mama Mary, I asked her to pray for all of us. She loves us so much, and she wants us to know how much the Lord loves us. Like a good mother, she prays for us and checks in on us. So, I thoroughly enjoyed drawing a brand-new Our Lady of Guadalupe for my coloring book.

A photo posted by Vee (@paper_dali) on Nov 11, 2016 at 7:02am PST

All those Instagram pictures are a behind-the-scenes look at my creating the Advent Coloring and Activity Book 2016.

The 31-page PDF features all new illustrations and almost all-new activities. You can find out more about it by visiting my Etsy shop.

May this upcoming liturgical season fill you with hope, peace, love, and joy.

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

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