I'll bet at some point you've thrown a rock into a pond and watched the ripples extend further and further out as a result of your casual toss. I've been thinking a lot about that metaphor this month. 
We never know which action of ours is going to have a ripple effect to touch someone else's ideas and actions, which in turn spark someone else.

Have you ever heard of Savonarola? Probably not. He was a monk and a fiery preacher during the Renaissance  who influenced Michelangelo. It is said Michelangelo heard his voice in his head while painting the Sistine Chapel.  What about Giuliano della Rovere? Ever heard of him? Thought not. He became Pope Julius II, who commissioned Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel. Because Michelangelo was a sculptor, it was definitely out of his comfort zone to paint a huge fresco. But the pope influenced him to do it…and we are the recipients of Michelangelo's willingness to change direction.
People and their stories matter. Yours. Your child's. And God...

Want to develop deeper bonds with your kids? Sometimes art can be a great springboard to conversation and a better understanding between parents and children, or to help build the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren.

Last week I had the privilege of one-on-one time with a Storygalorey friend whose grandma purchased a private art lesson for him. He was visiting from another area of the world, and one way they've connected is through Drawing for Kids online art and stories. What a wonderful time we had! It was fun to get to know him and his story a little bit. It was amazing to watch this child enjoy art plus special attention from his mom and grandma. It was a special art date with them.

As our kids were growing up, we tried to take them on dates on a fairly regular basis to give them individual attention. Back then, I wish I'd thought of taking them on a creativity date instead of the expedient McDonalds! We wanted them to feel seen and to know they were loved in our ...

It was the very first summer of Storygalorey. I was nervous, but as I opened the front door, I was greeted by a smiling friend who had kindly supported me by bringing her daughter. I relaxed and took a deep breath. Nothing to be anxious about here! I glanced at her T-shirt and quickly took in the words printed on them. It was a shirt from her church, and it read: 

Every name has a story. Every story matters to God.  

Those words grabbed me. "Wow!" I thought, "that's kind of what was in the back of my mind with starting this new business. Stories, art, loving people, pointing to God..."

All I said out loud was, "I love your shirt!" 

Imagine how I felt when she came to Storygalorey the next time, thrusting a small grey bundle of fabric into my hands. "It's the T-shirt you liked! I had an extra!" I felt so loved and seen. That feeling--of someone seeing you and recognizing you in the moment, is exactly the message the shirt meant to convey, and she had acted it out. 

Every name has a...

This month we’ve been talking about how to choose classic books to read aloud to different ages of kids. To finish up the month, I’m going to:

• answer the question, why read aloud to older kids, anyway?
• add one more list-this one is must read classic books for middle school and up

But first, please ✨add sparkle and fun✨ with art and stories to your school or after-school learning this year!

❇️ Online classes are ready whenever it fits your schedule and can add fun to your learning! Find out more here about quick and easy monthly Art Club, and here for our step- by-step Drawing For Kids course. 

Reading aloud is great, but why should you still read aloud to kids who can read it to themselves? By the way, when I mention reading aloud, listening to audiobooks counts, too! 

Reading aloud to middle school students and teens can:

-draw reluctant readers into a great story. Try reading the first few chapters aloud, and then leaving the book on a table for them to pick up and finish ...

Last week, I shared some “must read” classic picture books to read aloud to young children. (And I missed a few...Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things that Go was one of them!)

This week, I’d like to share some classic chapter book read alouds for kids and parents to enjoy.

Are you ready for a little longer reading aloud experience for your kids? Perhaps you love picture books but are interested in something with continuity that will keep your kids coming back for more every afternoon or for a bedtime routine. 

📚Before I share my favorite next step chapter books, I want to remind you that Storygalorey art Club is a wonderful way to do art at home, with a new exciting art project every month, reading suggestions, and a private community where your kids can share art and ask questions from a trusted teacher! Your kids can enjoy lots of story based art at your own schedule, with easy to find supplies like colored pencils, crayons, and watercolors. Take a second to Join the pri...

 Recently I was asked by a conscientious young mom what I would recommend for a “must read” list of children’s literature.  What are some classic books every child should read, and every family can enjoy reading aloud together?

I remember wanting a checklist  like that when I was a young mom. It is so frustrating to read something poorly written, boring, or questionable to my kids. Worse yet, it is gut-wrenching to read a book where you actually sense a message you don’t want your kids to absorb. 

Back in the pre-internet days, I primarily used three resources to choose good read alouds for my kids: The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease, the Rainbow Resource Catalog, and the Sonlight Curriculum read aloud lists. I also drew on my own favorites from childhood plus whatever my friends recommended. Libraries also had some lists I occasionally found helpful.

The internet has made the search more accessible, but also more overwhelming. My favorite resource besides Sonlight lists is the...

Want a fun way to inspire kids' imaginations this week? I can't wait to share...but, first, if you are interested in more art and stories in a fun, private online community, jump on the priority list for our Art Club which is coming soon! 

Back to inspiring your kids to draw a time machine...

Do you ever close your eyes and wish you were in your favorite spot? Like, say, a beach location or a place nearer to home that you love to visit? That exercise itself is valuable--it may help you relax and it reduces stress.
If you take it a step further and imagine yourself in a new, yet-to-be-discovered place, or a place you are inventing in your mind, then you begin to also involve your imagination and to work your brain in a new way. And maybe, imagining something and dreaming about it can also spark an adventure or even an invention.

Ask kids the questions, "Where in the world would you like to go?" and "When in time would you travel if you could go visit any time or place?"

Let’s spark y...

While I like cats and was very excited about this month’s theme, I actually don’t own one and never will. Both my husband and I are allergic to cats so our eyes and noses quickly alert us when one is in a closed room. However, I enjoy reading about them and drawing them. This week we will create a cute cat collage.

The first cat Mike and I found on our trip to Italy was sitting outside (thankfully!) on our balcony in the town of Assisi. It was a beautiful gray and white striped tabby cat with green eyes. Tabby is a kind of cat with distinctive stripes on its forehead, body, and tail. 

Another cat can be found in a tapestry in the Vatican. I don't remember seeing this tapestry, but I probably walked past it! It was woven between 1524 and 1531. The artist chose to put a cat and dog at the feet of the table in the story of Jesus at Emmaus.

This month it's been all about cat art--how to draw a cat, how to use that drawing to create a dot cat art piece, and today we’ll do one of my fav...

Most kids that come to Storygalorey tell me about their interesting pets-or the pets they wish they had. Kids especially love their cats and dogs. That’s why, when Mike and I were on a recent trip to Italy, I was on the lookout for cats. Amid the magnificent art, the ancient buildings, and the fascinating people, I had read that Italians like cats and protect them and that I might encounter lots of them. “Kids would love this,” I thought. So I brought cat photos back to you and we are going to read and do art with cats this month.

If you are new to Storygalorey, you need to know that we almost always start art creation with a good book. Reading to kids inspires creativity and comprehension skills, as well as increases the bond between reader and child. Just for fun, pick up this popular Caldecott Medal winning book and read it to your kids: They all Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel. 

You will want to read and reread this book to take in the intriguing way the book is illustrated and t...