FAMILY NIGHT FRIGHT?

Family night? Do you have a weekly family night? It's a fun night! It's a night to connect with each family member! It's a night to coordinate the calendars of all members of the family. If you have been "thinking" of having one, go ahead, jump right on in and try it. Make a snack, read stories or play games. Make a craft. Plan a short and inexpensive trip, go camping, or hiking. What ever you do try, make it age specific and interest specific to you and your family.

September 25, 2010 - KIDFEST in Clermont, FL from 9 am to 2 pm. was so much fun with so many things to do. How do I know? I was at the Storyhub, LLC booth introducing the parents and their children to our parenting tools. These tools could very easily be your first four weeks of your first attempt to create a family night. It is a wonderful way of spending those first four nights, once a week with your family. Once you have practiced with The Two Friends, Baby Bird, The Raccoon and Swampy for these four weeks you will love meeting together and find more things to do as each family night rolls around. With these tools you can get started right away. Also, for those of you who have never played with puppets. Go out to Storyhub.com and find the sock puppets. Crazy Horse, Maybelle the Cow, and Sweet Puppy. There you will find two scripts which could add two more family fun nights to your list of things to do. So a total of 6 weeks worth of fun. Two weeks are free. The books and cds we have created will become treasured items to pass down to your children for their children.


Family night is so important for families to establish a time to converse, to settle disagreements and to learn to work as a family team. Family-night time helps families to grow trust and respect for one another in a time that is less stressed and is a bonding time for all involved. Yes, Kidfest was fun. In asking parents if they were providing a family night for their children, many said they were "thinking" about it. I sensed fear about whether or not they had faith in family night working, or how it would work, and if it would work with their family. Some of the parents I asked this question of seemed to be concerned that it was too much time or money. Please keep it simple, and inexpensive. Assign, if the children are old enough, certain aspects of the family night to the children. Allow them to help in the planning. Help your children to believe in themselves by believing in them. They will grow so much more confident when they feel your confidence in them.

Try it. It's important because it's a valuable time you and your children will cherish for ever!

TIME MARCHES ON...

Some interesting changes. I am busy trying to finish a puppet that seems to be a lesson in life. A panda bear puppet for a proposed children's television show. Seems every time I pick it up to put in a stitch or two, something intervenes with the process of finishing this "one and only, solitary" project. It would be nice if it were a "one and only, solitary" project, life just doesn't seem to happen that way for adults. I believe for our children too. We are all just so very busy. I am beginning to call it the "trying to make the grade" syndrome.
Too many projects, and too little focus on the "one and only" can be a distraction in it's self. It's time for what Julia Cameron would call an artist date. Only this one is not like what she would call go away and be alone. No, that panda bear puppet and I need to spend some "quality" time together and get her finished. After all, she isn't the only puppet in the box that needs finishing and creating. I did her an honor though. When the creation of her mouth wasn't turning out right, I stopped and did more research and came back to her mouth after realizing I just needed more practice on building mouths. As a result of my "homework," I now have BUNNY! I stepped back created a smaller puppet and concentrated on the creation of a smaller mouth. Like magic, when I went back to the panda bear puppet, her redesigned mouth worked out just great! She has a beautiful smile now and will delight audiences near and far.
"Homework" like that is very important! Yes, even adults trying out new things need homework. School in real life, homework, it's a never done deal. Not in today's exciting new world!

April 17, 2010 - SATURDAY-StoryArtistry(tm)

What fun we all had at the April 17, StoryArtistry meeting in the Central Brevard Library in Cocoa, FL! I now know how to shorten the Little Red Hen and make it shorter and funnier than ever! (Supersonicized! is what we called it.) Everyone seemed to enjoy taking an old story and "fractionating" it to the point of hysteria! We all left lifted up and happy. Twelve brave souls entered the room to behave admirably and learn a little, if not a lot, about "playing" with story (and puppets). They were given several pieces of homework, both children and adults, and we'll see what happens when they return May 15 at 2 pm, in Conference room 3. If we keep adding people, we might need a bigger room soon! That would be very nice! Bebe, one of the librarians, at the circulation desk, was impressed by all the happy faces pouring out of room 3 after the event section of StoryArtistry was over. One adult stayed for the 2nd half which is dedicated to anyone wanting to be coached or to just talk about any aspect of storytelling. The event was a wonderful success! HOPE to see more people next time! Don't forget to bring a friend!
Well OMAR, our male cat, says it's time to say "Bye, Bye" until next time.
Thank you to everyone who showed up at the StoryArtisty Event!

StoryArtistry Adventures

I have been creating puppets for television for at least a year now. The first show is national and just went international. I have plans for a show of my own as I really enjoyed writing the scripts for the first show. So I have in the works puppets! Oh dear, just got a request for another puppet for the television show! So now my dear hearts who are awaiting creation sit in pieces, while I create one more puppet for the other show. I am on it and still having fun!

This morning my husband and I went to the First Health Arts in Medicine Showcase in the Avenues at Viera. My husband and I heard a harp player, singers, guitarists. We painted cookies, (and got to eat them), painted foam forms, wrote messages on ribbons for our loved ones, talked with special dogs and their handlers, hospice volunteers were everywhere and it certainly was a pleasant day as the weather was perfect for this event. It was a nice way to take our artist's date. My husband insisted I get my caricature drawn and it is up on our website!
Check it out at http://storyhub.me

Last month nine people joined us at StoryArtistry. We had so much fun with the puppets and stories. Two very vivacious little boys were entertained with stories and their mother is interested in coming back for coaching on her favorite story. Another little one found StoryArtistry after the break and brought in her mother and grandmother who both are interested in following the path of story adventures. I have been working on the craft for this month. StoryArtistry meets at 2:00 pm in the Central Brevard Library 308 Forrest Ave. Cocoa, every third Saturday, of each month. Come j0in us!