Sparkle Stories Blog
A home for Sparkle audio stories, crafts, recipes, and kind words!
Lanterns and Lights
There might not be much light coming from your lantern, but it could make all the difference for someone experiencing the many darknesses around us.
Friday's Kind Words: Loving and Kind
Thank you for talking about hard topics in ways that are loving and kind. ~ Bonnie Schmidt
Sparkle Kitchen: Homemade Pretzels
If you would like to try your hand at homemade pretzels for a Martinmas lantern walk, give this recipe below a try.
FIFTY Study Page: North Dakota — "Snow Dancing"
This story from the FIFTY collection uses historical fiction to explore the history of Immigration to North Dakota ad in particular the Norwegian Community.
November Tips for a Day of Rest
What can we learn from Martin and Sylvia’s November Day of Rest? Here are a few ways to follow their example.
Storybox Playlist: Lanterns and Lights
As the autumn days dim and nights get darker and longer, we enter the season of lighting lanterns. Lanterns are symbolic of many things - service, wisdom, revelation and nurturing warmth. Here are some stories for the season.
Friday's Kind Words: Tales of Courage, Innovation, and Friendship
My kids, now seven and three, end their days with a Sparkle Story at bedtime. We love the characters and their adventures. ~ Christy Tidd
Sparkle Halloween Crafts Round Up
We love Halloween treats and healthy meals, but Halloween doesn't just mean good food. It also means festive costumes and decorations. Here are some of our Sparkly and not-so-spooky ideas.
Sparkle Halloween Treats Round Up
Halloween is almost here! We're excited to share a few fun and not-so-spooky Halloween treats with you. Make a few at once and you've got a Halloween party!
FIFTY Study Page: New Jersey — "Miss Barton’s Free School"
This story from the FIFTY collection uses historical fiction to explore the history of Public Education in America, and of the American Red Cross.
Storybox Playlist: Stories of Halloween
We have so many stories about Halloween because it is one of our favorite festivals of the year. There are stories about costumes, about sweets, about pumpkins and about fairies - but these stories all focus on one thing: wonder.
Friday's Kind Words: A Treasured Part of Childhood
My son has been listening to Sparkle Stories since he was five (he is now nine) and they have become a treasured part of his childhood. ~ Molly Baver Goodall
Sparkle Craft: Quick, Low-Sew Wings
These wings take just the tiniest bit of very basic sewing — hence the “low-sew” designation — and most of the heavy lifting is done by the one big knot you'll tie in the center of the fabric. If you can tie your shoes, you can do this!
Sparkle Kitchen: Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
As it so happens, butternut squash — which is in season this time of year and so very good for you — has a trick that's quite similar to Sylvia's. Because of its golden color and creamy texture, butternut squash is very skilled at camouflaging itself as cheese sauce for macaroni and cheese.
FIFTY Study Page: West Virginia "Follow Your Own Noon"
This story from the FIFTY collection uses historical fiction to explore the history of Coal and Electric Power in the Appalachian part of the country.
Marigold Garlands
Strung into a garland, a bucket of marigolds can make a pretty offrenda into a truly beautiful one. In addition to being a common courtesy for receiving honored guests, the flowers represent the fleetingness of life to help celebrate Dia de los Muertos.
Storybox Playlist: On Costumes
Here are some stories about dress-up that takes place all year long.
Friday's Kind Words: Giggles and Inspiration
They are sweet stories that help my children slow down a bit. We are happy to be part of the Sparkle family and happy to support this family enterprise. ~Marygold
Sparkle Craft: DIY Microscope
This week’s craft project is very easy to put together, but — as with Martin’s microscope — getting it to work well will take a little bit of inventive tinkering. If you stick with it, however, it’s really neat to see how common objects and creatures look at a microscopic level.
Sparkle Kitchen: Elephant Snack Mix
Sending snacks to school can be so hard. I absolutely want to be supportive of my children's friends who have allergies, but that can get complicated fast when you're trying to provide a snack for 20 kids — many of whom have different sets of concerns. This snack mix is my answer to that problem!
