Mindless Mindfulness - The Adult Colouring Book
I've been meaning to write a blog post for a few months about colouring books, not the boy at the beach with sandcastle ones that have gotten far too much attention this summer, but the grown up, stay inside the lines ones that I absolutely adore. My love affair with bubbles is almost (only almost) taken over by my love affair with a good colouring book - to my hubby's delight, Christmas sock gifts are always a colouring book and a new set of pencils. I love to colour!
Why you might ask?
I have no idea, maybe it's the artistic side of me trying to break free from the constraints of the hustle and bustle of everyday working mummy life or maybe it's just the mindless concentration it requires, the therapeutic emptiness of choosing a picture, picking the colours and just filling in the blanks. It requires concentration, but that focus allows all life's other worries to float blissfully away and allows you to get caught up in the picture. It's an escape for a few minutes. Actually that's a lie because I always say I'll do a few minutes, but it inevitably turns into half an hour or even an hour if I'm afforded the time, or the boys are in bed. Regardless of how long it is, it most certainly is an escape and when you're done there is a sense of accomplishment because you've finished an intricate picture and you've had a break from reality and recharged the batteries.
EVOKE.ie wrote this week that it's the new yoga. Can't say myself that physically I would feel as good colouring as I would doing yoga, but I must admit it is relaxing and clears the head, which can only be a healthy thing! Check out their article here!
At the moment I'm working on Millie Marotta's 'Animal Kingdom'. I bought it in early June from The Book People. (It's also available from Amazon). I am in love, but I'm so much of a perfectionist when it comes to the book, I don't want to colour on the pages, so I've taken to photocopying the page I want and colouring that. If I like the way it looks I'll copy into the book. (Over the top and a little OCD I know, but I take my colouring seriously!!!) Millie's website is a wonderland of sketches and a delight to browse. Definitely worth stopping by, even if it's just to admire.
Below is the Kingfisher I'm working on at the moment, loving the greens and blues!
Another book I would recommend is Geoff Grenham's The Book Of Kells. Got this a few years ago for Christmas and it was well worth the hours spent in mindless bliss. It's available in most good book stores and also on the Trinity web page here.
So tonight is going to be a short and sweet post, I have a very important Kingfisher to attend to (and of course a glass of something bubbly). If you haven't tried adult colouring books before, I would so recommend it, and if it's not for you there's bound to be a littlun somewhere that will happily draw outside the lines on it for you, so it won't go to waste.
Have a great weekend all.
Lots of love,
T
xxx
Why you might ask?
I have no idea, maybe it's the artistic side of me trying to break free from the constraints of the hustle and bustle of everyday working mummy life or maybe it's just the mindless concentration it requires, the therapeutic emptiness of choosing a picture, picking the colours and just filling in the blanks. It requires concentration, but that focus allows all life's other worries to float blissfully away and allows you to get caught up in the picture. It's an escape for a few minutes. Actually that's a lie because I always say I'll do a few minutes, but it inevitably turns into half an hour or even an hour if I'm afforded the time, or the boys are in bed. Regardless of how long it is, it most certainly is an escape and when you're done there is a sense of accomplishment because you've finished an intricate picture and you've had a break from reality and recharged the batteries.
EVOKE.ie wrote this week that it's the new yoga. Can't say myself that physically I would feel as good colouring as I would doing yoga, but I must admit it is relaxing and clears the head, which can only be a healthy thing! Check out their article here!
At the moment I'm working on Millie Marotta's 'Animal Kingdom'. I bought it in early June from The Book People. (It's also available from Amazon). I am in love, but I'm so much of a perfectionist when it comes to the book, I don't want to colour on the pages, so I've taken to photocopying the page I want and colouring that. If I like the way it looks I'll copy into the book. (Over the top and a little OCD I know, but I take my colouring seriously!!!) Millie's website is a wonderland of sketches and a delight to browse. Definitely worth stopping by, even if it's just to admire.
Below is the Kingfisher I'm working on at the moment, loving the greens and blues!
Another book I would recommend is Geoff Grenham's The Book Of Kells. Got this a few years ago for Christmas and it was well worth the hours spent in mindless bliss. It's available in most good book stores and also on the Trinity web page here.
So tonight is going to be a short and sweet post, I have a very important Kingfisher to attend to (and of course a glass of something bubbly). If you haven't tried adult colouring books before, I would so recommend it, and if it's not for you there's bound to be a littlun somewhere that will happily draw outside the lines on it for you, so it won't go to waste.
Have a great weekend all.
Lots of love,
T
xxx
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