Colouring

[Chalet School Fan]

I tried colouring in on the communal sheets in the staff room at school today. I found it very stressful as my colouring wasn't as good as other people and I had as much difficulty staying inside the lines as I did when I was a child. I'm just off for a de-stressing aromatherapy massage - my treat for finishing my reports, which is a lot of time hunched up over a computer. :)

[RozMinis]

My colouring in was rubbish too. I used to like to paint, received a huge box every C********. What I didn't realise at the time was that watercolour paint isn't supposed to cover the black lines as it isn't thick enough. I used to get really frustrated about it, as in chucking the book across the floor in a temper. I was getting over a nasty illness at the time, so maybe that was the reason I was crosser than normal.

Of course I now know what watercolour and other paints can and can't do. I also appreciate colour mixing and stuff like that. I can spend an age mixing a particular green with other colours, especially brown or red, to see what other shades of green I can come up with. Johnny Cash and his 40 shades of green, more like 400.

Colour pencils were a dead loss when I was a child, but I suspect that could have had something to do with the sharpener as much as the pencils themselves. A dull blade is as much use as no blade at all as all it does is break the wood, which in turns breaks the colour bit in the middle. :(

Roz

[PinkPig]

It will be a secret vice for me as I am not good at colouring in either. Here is another article about how it can help de-stress you.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/201...ss-mindfulness

[Lioness]

I was in WHS today and there were about 6 different colouring in books on the shelf. I looked through them but sadly the images did not appeal to me

[RozMinis]

I was in WHS today and there were about 6 different colouring in books on the shelf. I looked through them but sadly the images did not appeal to me

Must be honest most of them aren't my cup of tea either. I find cross stitching, knitting, etc helps me to relax. All are proven to help reduce blood pressure, well so the 'experts' say anyway. :)

Roz

[Chalet School Fan]

When my children were small and I was working full-time I used to refer to my cross stitch as my "Valium" as it provided me with therapeutic "me time" and meant I could make a lot of presents for Christmas and birthdays in the days when money was very tight. Like you Roz I think I'll stick with that rather than colouring in. I'm working on a new quilt using a Dutch Dick Bruna alphabet I bought on ebug and knew I'd never make as a sampler as the basis for my squares. Having to juggle the pictures round a bit and add some extras, copied from the knitted Dick Bruna blankets I made years ago from a pattern in Family Circle. But it's an easy sew with lots of big colour blocks so VERY relaxing. :)

[Chalet School Fan]

Thinking about it while cross stitching in bed this morning, ..... I suppose cross stitch is colouring in with threads, rather than with pencils. And I am known to go outside the lines with those as well. But in Islam you are supposed to make a mistake in your work because perfection only belongs to God. I see it as doing my bit for Muslim-Christian relations!

[RozMinis]

Good one CSF, I like it. I have heard the saying before, but didn't realise it was Islamic. One lives and learns, thank goodness. A day without learning something is a wasted day. No idea where I heard or read that, but tiz definitely true. Granted I probably forget most new things, but at least I have found out something new which has been filed somewhere in my brains fining cabinet. :)

Yup, needle painting is one term one can use for stitching. I've taken to other forms of counted work in recent years, mostly Hardanger, but I have added pulled thread and drawn thread to my list of achievements. I've also books on other forms of stitching, crochet too.

I hadn't done any patchwork in years as I prefer paper piecing to using the sewing machine. Found it difficult to manipulate a needle since the accident. Anywhooo, things must be looking up, or I am becoming more stubborn, not sure which, but I have found it isn't as painful to sew the pieces together these days.

I bought a nine patch sampler thingie on eBay a few weeks ago, made up one of the blocks, so pleased with it I decided to order the other set before it vanished. Soooo now I have 18 x 12" blocks to keep me busy for yonks. No fabric is included, just the paper pieces (can be reused) and the destructions. I have also invested in some hexagon and 60 degree diamonds. Working on a C********* bag using hexagons for my Bucilla Advent calendar, which will definitely be started on Wednesday the wonth of July. Not sure how I can stitch for C******** on such a stinking hot day, but me and the elves will be very busy. :147:

Roz

[Roothy]

If anyone is interested in the colouring books, Sainsburys have two of them in the shop, prices are
Animal Kingdom was£3.99
Tropical Wonderland was £4.99
i have bought both, they are by Millie Marotta, and they are no 3 and 4 in the book list,
Christmas presents maybe

[PurplePenny]

There were loads in The Works (did someone already mention that? apols if I'm late with the news).

A friend has just had one published. It's on Amazon, but you can only see the cover which probably doesn't help anyone know whether they will like the images or not! Her name is Lucinda Hare if anyone is interested and any money she makes from her writing and artwork is used to help animal rescuers in countries that don't have organisations like the RSPCA and Blue Cross.