Art Life Practice: The Guided Sketchbook -- A Relaxing Friday Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in order to provide an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Do you like to sketch? It can be so relaxing. So can doodling. Have you ever wondered how to become a better artist? Personally, I love to sketch and doodle but am not much of an artist when it comes to drawing. My students on the other hand have been amazing artists, and sketching was something that truly relaxes them. So, for today's Relaxing Friday post we are sharing an interesting and informative book about sketching and art. The book is Art Life Practice: The Guided Sketchbook by Berry Stein. This is not a children's book however tweens and teens may enjoy it as well as many adults.

Reverse Coloring Calendar and New Markers - A Relaxing Friday Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent these products in order to provide honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

Well, this Friday has not really been relaxing. New England is preparing for three days of a Nor'easter so let the winds and rain begin. However, I have been wanting to share these great coloring products with you so today is the day!! Today we are going to talk reverse coloring and new acrylic markers! Talk about fun Relaxing Friday products!! We will start with reverse coloring. Have you tried it? It is when the colors are provided and you have to draw the lines and create whatever picture you want. This is my first time trying it and I got to try it with A Year of Reverse Coloring Page-A-Day 2027 Calendar by Kendra Norton and Workman Calendars. 

Paper and Sticker Crafts & Supplies -- A Relaxing Friday Review

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in order to provide honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

My summer has been a bit crazy, and my relaxing Fridays have been quite different this year. Our summer began with a trip to Connecticut to celebrate my father's life. We squeezed in a tour of Yale while there. When we returned home, we did laundry and packed up for a two-week road trip for more college visits. We made our way to Washington DC and Pittsburgh with several stops in between. Then it was time for our week at the Cape house. Then the rest of July was getting ready for a surgery, having the surgery and I've been recovering since. So my Fridays at the end of July and throughout August have been mostly watching television with Hazel and napping. The only crafts I have been doing is diamond painting. However, I look forward to getting back to other crafts soon. Today I am sharing some paper and sticker supplies for crafts and ideas! We will start with a Paint by Sticker book. It is Paint by Sticker (Official): Portraits by Workman Publishing. This is a craft book for adults or older kids. 

Pop Manga Myths & Monsters Coloring Book -- A Relaxing Friday Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in order to provide an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Have you seen The Odyssey yet? We all loved it when we saw it opening weekend. Hazel and I have been watching the Percy Jackson television series this summer too. Needless to say, we are into mythology. Plus, it is the perfect time to talk monsters for Summerween. After all, Halloween is three months away! Today we are sharing a fun adult coloring book with a myth and monster theme! It is Pop Manga Myths and Monsters Coloring Book by Camilla d'Errico. 

BBC Pride and Prejudice: The Official Coloring Book -- a Relaxing Friday Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in order to provide an honest review. All opinions are my own.

It is Friday again!! Time for a relaxing Friday review. Today's is a new coloring book released this week and it is based on a classic novel and play. Do you like Pride and Prejudice? If you do then this book is for you! It is BBC Pride and Prejudice: The Official Coloring Book illustrated by Charlotte Rickards. It is an adult coloring book.

Paint by Sticker: Architecture -- a Relaxing Friday Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in order to provide an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Did you have a sticker book when you were a child? Or a sticker collection? I loved stickers when I was young. Hazel did too. I find my students still love stickers even as high school students. A while ago I noticed Paint by Sticker books. I saw them first for children. I thought they were interesting but didn't give them much thought. I saw them come out with more complex ones for adults. This was during the big rise of adult coloring. I had so many coloring books I didn't spend the money on the sticker books. However, I jumped at the opportunity to review one for today. It was released this week. It is Paint by Sticker (Official): Architecture by Workman Publishing. This is not one of the kids versions but one for adults or young adults.

Pop Manga Paint and Ink Coloring Book -- A Relaxing Friday Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in order to provide an honest review. All opinions are my own.

It has been a very long time since I have done a Relaxing Friday Review! I remember when I did them regularly. However, I have not been getting many adult coloring books to review recently, and I guess the adult coloring trend died down a bit. If you go back to my first Relaxing Friday Review, you will see some ways coloring as an adult can help with your thinking skills. There are advantages to it and I am happy to start doing it again. Today we are sharing a newly released coloring book. It is Pop Manga Paint and Ink Coloring Book by Camilla d'Ericco. 

Cozy Coloring Books for Adults & Kids

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

It has been a while since I shared a coloring book. I used to share them every week with Relaxing Friday posts. Today I am going to share two coloring books that are recommended for ages 7 and up. They work for kids or adults. They are by Coco Wyo. The first is Cozy Cuties.

Zendoodle Colorscapes -- Secrets of the Sea -- Perfect Summer Coloring Book

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Can you believe today is the first day of summer? Our spring was very strange with the pandemic. I expect our summer to be strange too. I know I found myself needing things to help me relax. I turned to coloring. You may remember I use to do a weekly coloring book review on Fridays called Relaxing Friday. I stopped due to the number of coloring books I had and I wasn't getting any. However that changes today. Since I was scheduled to participate with the MKB Read Around the World Summer Series yesterday this is a relaxing Saturday post. Today I get to share with you a perfect summertime coloring book and it is brand new!! It was released this week!! It is Zendoodle Colorscapes: Secrets of the Sea artwork by Deborah Muller. 

The Colors of Nature -- a Crafty Weekend Review & Link Party

Disclosure: Leisure Arts sent me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Did you know yesterday was National Coloring Book Day? After I found out I spent the day coloring!! I was going to write this review as well but I got engrossed in coloring. In honor of the fun day I want to share with you a new coloring book. It is The Colors of Nature: A Color, Draw & Sketch Book for All Things Wild & Free by Lindsay Hopkins. 

Travel Across America Color By Number -- a Relaxing Friday Review

Disclosure: C&T Publishing sent me this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own! I will receive a small stipend for purchases made through the links in this post. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share!

It has been a very long time since I have shared a Relaxing Friday Review or for that matter a coloring book. Today I am sharing with you a fun one!! I was interested in this book especially when we were trying to put together the post card exchange, but since we did not get enough participants we get to just enjoy this fun book. It is Travel Across America Color By Number by Debra Gabel. 

Press Out + Color Birds & Butterflies -- a Relaxing Friday Review

Disclosure: Candlewick Press sent me these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Today I am going to share with you two really fun coloring "books". They are both part of the same series by Zoe Ingram. It is the Press Out + Color Series. What is really neat about this series is the pictures you color press out to make into 3-D objects or decorations. Today I am sharing Press Out and Color Birds and Press Out and Color Butterflies. 

Color Snap App - a Relaxing Friday Review

Disclosure: Candlewick Press sent me this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This week's Relaxing Friday is a coloring book more aimed at kids. It is Color, Snap, App! by Claire Fay. 

Create-Your-Own Handmade Christmas Cards -- a Relaxing Saturday Review

Disclosure: Storey Publishing sent me this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Ok, I know it is way too early to talk Christmas, however if you are a crafter you probably are already thinking about it. So today's review is a coloring book to make your own Christmas cards. And if you want to make them all to send out, you need to get started soon. Now I should mention that the past couple of years we have had a bit of Christmas in July since we have visited Santa's Village each July. Here is a picture I think might go on our photo card this year. What do you think?

Colour in Peace Postcards -- a Relaxing Friday Review

Disclosure: Kregel Publications sent me this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Back in March I reviewed Colour in Peace. Today I am going to share Colour in Peace Postcards illustrated by James Newmann Gray. The postcard version is just as relaxing and beautiful. Each page has a picture to color on the front and on the back it has a quote or verse of scripture and the regular form of a postcard back. 

The Happiness Project Mini Posters Book -- a Relaxing Friday Review

Disclosure: I was sent these books free of charge in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. 

It has been awhile since I actually wrote a Relaxing Friday Review on a Friday, but today I am doing it. I am sharing a fun coloring book with you called The Happiness Project Mini Posters: A Coloring Book by Gretchen Rubin and illustrated by Clairice Gifford. 

Multicultural Coloring Books -- A Relaxing Saturday Review

Disclosure: I was sent these books free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

It has been awhile since I have done a Relaxing Friday review, so today I am sharing three coloring books with you. These books each help teach a bit about cultures. Join us as we take looks at Asia, a Japanese garden and Ancient Egypt. Our first book is A Touch of Asia from Tuttle Publishing. 

Guess How Much I Love You Coloring Book -- a Relaxing Friday Review

Disclosure: Candlewick Press gave me a copy of this book free of charge to review. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation. As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

This has been anything but a Relaxing Friday for me. We have yet another snow storm starting here. March came in like a lion, treated me like a lion and is leaving like a lion. Where is the going out like a lamb part? I am personally glad to see March 2017 ending. Anyway, since I ran all my errands for the weekend this morning to avoid the snow and storm crowds, I am writing this post later than usual. Today however I have the perfect coloring book to share with you a couple of weeks prior to Easter. It is perfect because I know the classic book that it was inspired by is a book that will find its way into some Easter baskets. The coloring book today is Guess How Much I Love You Coloring Book by Sam McBratney and illustrated by Anita Jeram. 

Colouring in Peace -- a Relaxing Friday Review

 Disclosure: Kregel Publications sent me a copy of this book free of charge for this review. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation.  As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

I have been planning on writing this Relaxing Friday review for a very long time and somehow my Fridays have not been very relaxing. I have to say that all of March thus far has been far from relaxing. So today I am taking the time to get this review done and share this wonderful coloring book with you.  The book is Colour in Peace: A Reflective Journey illustrated by James Newman Gray. 

Christmas Coloring & Crafting & Creative Play -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: I was sent these products free of charge. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation. As always I am providing links to the book for your convenience.

I have not been posting as much the past week or so between the holiday, spending time with family and fighting the horrible cold. As a result I am going to share two books with you today. One is for adults and the other is for kids (and is definitely going to be on my great gifts of the year list!!). We will start with the first book which I was planning on reviewing for Relaxing Friday, however it didn't happen. The book is Johanna's Christmas by Johanna Basford. Her coloring books are among the top ones. Over the summer I had the pleasure of sharing her Magical Jungle with you.