Coloring books are popular now, especially those for adults. You can find them everywhere. I even see them in the magazine rack at my grocery store. I have bought a couple, mostly for the images inside. They give me ideas for embroidery and appliqué. But I had never colored in them.
Until about a week ago when I was feeling restless but didn’t want to sew or embroider. So I pulled out a book and my colored pencils and started to color.
I immediately felt my body relax. It was a calming sensation to move the pencil along the paper. It also brought back some wonderful memories of coloring as a child. I really enjoyed coloring.
Looking back on the activity now, I also realized some other things. When deciding what picture to color, I found myself attracted to the ones in the book having to do with teacups (the coloring book had a theme of houses and homes). I found this interesting. I don’t drink tea, don’t own any flowery teacups, and probably would never go to a tea party. But I was wanting to color teacups. (I settled on a picture that said Give Love and had all kinds of hearts surrounding the words. As I have said before, what do you expect when one has a shop and a blog entitled Heartfully Cheryl).
I also noticed that I am attracted to landscapes particularly beach scenes. I think these pictures are providing me with a little bit of an escape. I can’t go to the beach so why not color one.
And while coloring I was able to play with color. I did one heart in one color scheme and then tried another heart in a totally different color. I mixed together colors I never would have done on fabric or with thread. But after doing it on paper, I might try playing with those colors combinations in my quilting and embroidery.
It was a nice activity to do. It was relaxing and playful and brought back memories I had forgotten. If some people think that coloring for adults is childish, then let them. I am going to do it again (maybe this time a teacup and maybe with crayons.)
Want to try something new (or if you colored as a child, something old)? Get a coloring book and some pencils and color. You just might have some fun.
©2018, 2020 – Cheryl Fillion
