Norman Rockwell Exhibit

The Tacoma Art Museum is hosting "AMERICAN CHRONICLES: The Art of NORMAN ROCKWELL". This exhibition runs through May 30, 2011. For additional information, please visit:

http://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/Page.aspx?cid=6620 

Saint Coloring Pages

I uploaded the saint coloring pages that I made in 2003 for our Little Flowers group to Google Docs.  I am definitely not an artist, but my children don't seem to mind.  The pages are available via the following links:

• St. Therese
• St. Agnes
• St. Catherine of Siena
• St. Catherine Laboure
• St. Cecilia
• St. Monica

If you are looking for professional saint coloring pages, I recommend visiting Catholic Heritage Curricula and downloading their coloring pages.  Scroll down on this page for the links.  

The Little Flowers' member's guides also have some nice pictures of the saints.

Finally, a large collection of coloring pages of various saints can be found at Waltzing Matilda.

Crafts

Mary L. suggested a woven heart-shaped pocket that can be constructed using two contrasting colors of paper or fabric such as felt. A handle can be added at the top to convert the pocket into a basket for gift-giving. This is a great Valentine’s Day or Marian activity.
Peggy Gh. displayed a Christmas ornament or decoration that is made from a styrofoam ball and fabric. Various pieces of fabric are cut into miscellaneous sizes and shapes. The edges are then pressed 1/4 inch into the styrofoam ball using the end of a butter knife. The pressure of the styrofoam holds the fabric in place so no glue is needed. Tassels and other ornamentation can then be added. A loop of decorative cording can be added at the top of the ball for hanging.

Carol T. shared a Dover Book on the Twelve Days of Christmas with the group. The book is full of beautiful stained-glass like pictures displaying the Twelve Days of Christmas on a thick semi-transparent paper. Children or adults (because it did look like fun!) can color, paint or use markers to fill in the pictures which can then be hung in the windows of your home. She recommended another book to complement the Dover Book called The Real Twelve Days by Haidle which explains the origins and meaning of the 12 Days of Christmas.

Carol also shared a book published by Catholic Heritage Curricula called A Wreath of Flowers that contains many craft ideas focusing on Our Lady. It would be ideal for use during the month of May.

Donna Bisogno shared several of the traditions that her family uses to help keep the focus of the holidays on Christ and the Church rather than Santa:

* St. Lucia's Feast Day – She chooses one of her daughters to wake other family members by going from room to room dressed as St. Lucia and carrying a tray with danishes and candles. (They choose to have their daughter carry candles on the tray rather than wear them on a wreath around her head as St. Lucia did). When all are awake they gather in the living room to eat the danishes and enjoy warm drinks together.

* St. Nicholas’ Feast Day – The children put their shoes out by the front door (or fireplace). St. Nicholas fills the shoes with little treats and nutritious snacks while they are sleeping.

* Manger - Family members place a piece of raffia (makes less mess than hay) in an empty manger under the Christmas tree each time they do a good deed, make a sacrifice, or give some other gift to Jesus during Advent. When Jesus is laid in the manger on Christmas Eve, he has a soft full bed of "hay" on which to lie.

Another option - each time a family member gives a gift to Jesus, they write it down on a small hay colored slip of paper and place it in the manger.

The Ghigleri family celebrates Epiphany by processing through the house singing "We Three Kings". The children carry the three wise men, and gold coins, frankincense and myrrh (all purchased at Vercillos) to place in the family manger scene. Other than the Christmas tree and manger lights, the lights in the house are turned off and the adults carry candles.

Applesauce & Cinnamon Christmas Ornaments

Last year, my husband, children, and I enjoyed making Nativity ornaments, to hang on our tree, using the recipe below.

Need:

• 1 ½ cups ground cinnamon
• 1 cup applesauce
• ¼ cup white non-toxic school glue (optional; if you decide not to use glue, then increase the applesauce by ¼ cup)
• Bowl
• Plastic food wrap
• Rolling pins
• Wax paper
• Cookie cutters
• Ribbon, yarn, etc. for hanging
• Straws

How to Make:

1. Mix cinnamon, applesauce, and glue together in a bowl. The dough should be as thick as cookie dough. If the dough isn’t thick enough, add a little more cinnamon. If it is too stiff, add a little water.

2. Remove dough from bowl and knead. Put it back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for a half hour.

3. Remove the dough, knead again until it is smooth (the smoother the dough, the better the ornaments look). Roll the dough between wax paper so that it is ¼ to ⅛ inch thick.

4. Cut out desired shapes with cookie cutters. Use a straw to punch a hole for the ribbon to hang.

5. Carefully place the shapes on a piece of clean wax paper. Turn the ornaments over regularly in order to prevent the ends from curling up and help them dry evenly. They will take about 5 days to dry.

Notes:

• The ornaments will get smaller during the drying process.
• Once the ornaments are dry, acrylic or fabric paints may be applied, if desired. We left our ornaments plain.