Today I am going to share one of the new coloring books I'm a bit obsessed with. It is Spiritual Coloring Book by Andrea Sargent.
Showing posts with label coloring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coloring. Show all posts
Spiritual Coloring Book -- A Relaxing Friday Review
Today I am going to share one of the new coloring books I'm a bit obsessed with. It is Spiritual Coloring Book by Andrea Sargent.
Colored Pencil Pocket Palette & Pop of Color Colored Pencils -- A Relaxing Friday Review
I have been so busy with back to school that I haven't done a Relaxing Friday review in quite awhile!! And I have quite the collection of coloring books and supplies to review with you! Today we are focusing on colored pencils. Now I will admit these are not my favorite tool to use when coloring, but they have many benefits that markers and gel pens do not have. I was interested in seeing what Colored Pencil Pocket Palette by Jane Strother explained with using colored pencils.
Magical Jungle -- a Relaxing Friday Review
It has been a relaxing Friday for me and thus this post is so late. I have been enjoying some vacation time with my parents on Cape Cod. Today however I am sharing with you the latest coloring book from Johanna Basford, Magical Jungle.
Floating World & Paper Mate Ink Joy Gel Pens -- a Relaxing Friday Review
This week has been anything besides relaxing and I have not had much time to color. Perhaps it was working nights due to Hazel's camp schedule. Anyway, I have a beautiful coloring book and some new gel pens to share with you today. The coloring book is Floating World: Japanese Prints Coloring Book by Andrew Vigar.
RHS Floral Colouring Book -- a Relaxing Friday Review
This week I have been enjoying coloring in the Royal Horticultural Society Floral Colouring Book.
The Colors of Asia -- A Relaxing Friday Adult Coloring Book Review
After yesterday I need a relaxing Friday and definitely need the anti-stress of coloring!! Let's just say whatever could go wrong basically did and it kept going wrong. Ugh!! But today is another day. So today I am going to share with you The Colors of Asia published by Tuttle Publishing.
Colour Your World -- Relaxing Friday Adult Coloring Review
Today is Friday so I need to write my Relaxing Friday review. Although today was not very relaxing and thus why this review is being written so late. Hazel and I had a busy fun day starting with going to see Beauty and the Beast at a local live musical theater then after some lunch we ran all the errands that needed to be run before the weekend. However I have been enjoying coloring in Colour Your World by Marcel Flier this week.
Postcards of Blessing -- A Relaxing Friday/Saturday Adult Coloring Book Review
I am a day late with my Relaxing Friday. Yesterday was a bit busy so my review did not get written. Sorry!! However today's adult coloring book is a fun one!! It is Postcards of Blessing by Marcel Flier.
Color Me Fearless -- Relaxing Friday Adult Coloring Book Review
Be sure to check out my on-line Thirty-One Review & Party!! Get all your summer organizing essentials!!
Have you seen all the various adult coloring books out there? There are so many and it is hard to know which ones you will like. I have been getting quite a few to review and thought I would start a Relaxing Friday Adult Coloring Book Review Series to get through them and to share them with you so you can make some choices. To start I am featuring Color Me Fearless: Nearly 100 Coloring Templates to Boost Strength and Courage by Lacy Mucklow and illustrated by Angela Porter.
Coloring Books -- Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party
THIS Link Party is for all craft posts and craft product review posts!! Sharing Saturday (for kid related posts) is here. Creative Kid Culture Blog Hop (for multicultural posts) is here.
Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books 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.
Has the adult coloring book craze hit you yet? I love it and so does Hazel. However with so many options out there it is hard to know which book to chose. We have had the pleasure of reviewing several different ones (The Time Garden, The Time Chamber, some of the Magic Series, and Colour Your Day) and today we are reviewing two new ones!! The first is from Candlewick Press and is The Coloring Book of Cards and Envelopes: Nature by Rebecca Jones. I have to admit we LOVE this one. Instead of just coloring pages to color and relax you are coloring cards and envelopes that you can use to send a note or for a holiday. Hazel has mostly taken over this book on me.
Has the adult coloring book craze hit you yet? I love it and so does Hazel. However with so many options out there it is hard to know which book to chose. We have had the pleasure of reviewing several different ones (The Time Garden, The Time Chamber, some of the Magic Series, and Colour Your Day) and today we are reviewing two new ones!! The first is from Candlewick Press and is The Coloring Book of Cards and Envelopes: Nature by Rebecca Jones. I have to admit we LOVE this one. Instead of just coloring pages to color and relax you are coloring cards and envelopes that you can use to send a note or for a holiday. Hazel has mostly taken over this book on me.
Spot a Lot Animals -- Parragon Book Buddies Review
Today we get to share with you a fun pack from Parragon Books. It is Spot a Lot Animals Storybook & Puzzle. This is a package that includes a paperback book and a double sided puzzle.
The Time Chamber -- New Year Resolution Review #4
On Monday I started a new series for this week: New Year Resolutions Review. My first goal for 2016 is to work with Hazel more regularly on her Spanish. My second goal was to find joy in my every day life. My third goal is to grow closer to Jesus. My fourth goal (and these are in no particular order) is to find time to relax. The product I am choosing to review today to help with my relaxation is an adult coloring book called The Time Chamber by Daria Song. Now this book is the second book and the first is The Time Garden, the first adult coloring book I reviewed.
The Day the Crayons Came Home -- Book Review & Giveaway Link -- 12 Days of Picture Books
Today I am going to share with you one of our favorite picture books, The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers. Now I know I shared this book with you this summer when it first came out along with the first book, The Day the Crayons Quit. But today you can enter to win your own copy at Penguin Kids Facebook Page!! I just had to share the chance with you since we LOVE this book. We are giving this book and The Day the Crayons Quit to two of Hazel's younger friends for the holidays!! They would also make great teacher gifts for elementary teachers!! Plus if you can enter yesterday's 12 Days of Picture Books Sweepstakes for our other favorite book, The Book With No Pictures by B. J. Novak, through midnight tonight!! This book is an extremely funny read aloud book!! Hazel wanted it so badly that I bought it for her earlier this year!!
Adult Coloring Book Review & Craft -- Crafty Weekends Link Party
I have to admit I have jumped on the adult coloring book bandwagon. i love them!! They are so relaxing and fun. Today I am going to share with you three adult coloring books from Barron's Publishing and a craft you can do with your finished pages or wrapping paper, scrapbook paper or other things. We will start with Christmas Magic illustrated by ArsEdition.
All three of the books have pages that have white or black backgrounds. This is no different. The pages in this book have a Christmas theme but also a winter theme. There are many pages with snowflake motifs and just designs. The colors will make it feel Christmasy or wintery. Here are some pages I colored or began to color. I found some of the small snowflakes a bit hard to color because the spaces were so small.
Chalk Ola Markers -- Product Review
I am sure by now you have noticed the chalkboard craze going on. Everywhere I look I see chalkboard products on sale. Whether it is chalkboard paint, chalkboard stickers or actual chalkboards they are everywhere. As a former teacher who hated chalkboards, I just didn't get it. When I taught with a chalk board (which wasn't most of the years I taught thankfully), my hands were so dry and messy. I hated it. I already have issues with dry skin and did not need chalk making it worse. Thankfully the invention of chalk markers has happened. My first exposure to them was at work. They are used to make signs as well as to label boxes. One of the best things about them are they require a wet cloth to clean them so the chalk does not just rub off (once it is dry). Plus the colors are great!
Colour Your Day & 99 Prayers for Children -- Book Reviews
I love finding ways to bring God into our lives. I know I personally need time to reflect and pray and want to teach Hazel to do the same. I found some books to help me with both of these things. The first is for me--some Mommy time. It is Colour Your Day: A Spiritual Colouring Book by Marcel Flier.
The Time Garden -- Adult Coloring Book Review -- Mommy Time
Have you discovered the adult coloring books? It seems like everyone is getting into it. Even Starbucks has their new fall cups in adult coloring book style.
I found some gel pens on clearance for 30 cents each and bought them for Hazel. Then I started working part time and bought some various packs of gel pens for myself at work. Hazel immediately asked to share all the gel pens. I think we are a bit obsessed with them.
Multicultural Product Review -- Celebrate Christmas Around the World
Today I am going to review for you a wonderful Christmas product. It is a e-book/packet to learn about Christmas celebrations in other countries and is published by Multicultural Kid Blogs. It seems like the perfect time to share this with you since we just did our Christmas in Different Lands post yesterday. Plus Christmas is on Hazel's mind. She has been home sick much of this week but started to get bored and decided to play Mary.
Around the World in 12 Dishes: Al Kabsa - Traditional Saudi Rice and Chicken
Make sure to enter my current giveaway!!
This month we are exploring Saudi Arabia. Since Hazel does not watch or hear news if we can help it, she does not know much about Saudi Arabia. There also was not much out there for her age on Saudi Arabia. We found a few picture books that were more on Islam. Since Islam's birthplace is in Saudi Arabia, I guess it is appropriate. I found a coloring page on Education.com.
We found recipes on-line since none of the books we looked at had any. We decided to try Al Kabsa which is a traditional Saudi rice and chicken. We found the recipe on All Recipes. I have seen Hazel grow and develop in the kitchen over the past year. It is amazing to see what she can do now.
Al Kabsa adapted from All Recipes
Ingredients:
Kabsa Spice Mix:
1/2 teaspoon saffron
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried whole lime powder or lime zest (we could not find dried whole lime powder)
1/4 cup butter
1 onion finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic
3 pounds of bone-in chicken cut into 8 pieces
1/4 cup tomato puree
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| Hazel zesting the lime |
1 package shredded carrots
2 whole cloves
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground cumin
1 pinch ground corriander
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 1/4 cups hot water
1 chicken bouillon packet
2 1/4 cups unrinsed basmati rice (we used brown basmati rice and it took much longer!!)
1/4 cup of raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Instructions:
1) Mix together the Kabsa Spice Mix in a small bowl and set aside.
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| Hazel adding tomato puree |
2) Melt the butter in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and onion. Cook and stir until the onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes.
3) Add the chicken, and brown them over medium high heat until lightly brown, about 10 minutes.
4) Mix in the tomato puree, canned tomatoes, carrots, and all spices (including mix from step 1). Cook for about 3 minutes.
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| Stirring Mixture |
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| Adding Water & Bouillon |
5) Pour in the water and chicken bouillon (we mixed them together first since we use a no salt packet and not a cube).
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| Waiting for it to boil |
6) Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Simmer until the chicken is no longer pink, about 30 minutes.
7) Gently stir in the rice. Cover the pot and simmer until rice is tender and almost dry, about 25 minutes for white rice and 35 for brown.
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| Hazel Adding Rice |
8) Add the raisins and more hot water if necessary (ours definitely did not need any more water). Cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until rice is dry.
9) Transfer the rice to a large serving platter and arrange chicken pieces on top. Sprinkle the slivered almonds over the dish. Enjoy!
I enjoyed it and Hazel liked the chicken but thought the rice was too spicy. Steve thought it was ok, but really didn't want it again.
For books we read:
- Hajj Stories by Anita Ganeri which shares the story of the traditional Hajj, journey to Mecca for Muslims.
- Ramadan Moon by Na'ima B. Robert and Shiria Adi which shares how Ramadan is determined by the moon and what Ramadan is.
- We also have our Fairy Tales in Different Cultures from the past which include: The Golden Slipper, The Persian Cinderella, Cinderella: An Islamic Tale, Snow White: An Islamic Tale. We are looking forward to the Sleeping Beauty: An Islamic Tale coming out in February!!
That is our exploration of Saudi Arabia. Around the World in 12 Dishes is hosted by these lovely blogs:
Adventures In Mommydom, Afterschool for Smarty Pants, All Done Monkey, Crafty Moms Share, Glittering Muffins, Kid World Citizen, Mermaids' Makings, The Mommy Talks and The Usual Mayhem
I hope you will take the time to check them all out and check out everyone's great explorations of Saudi Arabia. If you have a Saudi dish or craft or lesson, please share it here as well!! The Saudi placemat and passport pages are coming soon for help with extra learning about the country.
Color Explorations: Color Wheel, Color Mixing & More!
Hazel and I each made one and then I made a second one to discuss the warm and cool colors only because we had previewed the DVD earlier and I knew it was coming up.
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| Hazel's Color Wheel |
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| My Color Wheel |
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| Hazel's Warm Color Drawing |
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| My Warm Color Drawing |
The book said to watch closely, but Hazel did not have the patience for this. It takes quite awhile for it to happen, so we let it sit and did some more experiments. The next one involved paper towels as well. You cut a paper towel so it will fit in a baking sheet and then draw dots of color on one end. Tape the paper towel to pan and then slowly add water so it just touches the bottom of the paper towel.
Our final experiment involved a walk outside. We had to gather leaves of different shades of green. Then we looked at the shades and tried to mix green paint with white and black to make the shade. We found we had to add yellow for some.
Then Hazel wanted to paint the leaves that we tried to match with the color we made. Finally she wanted to make a shades of green painting. We have a few more experiments from this book to try still, but we have been loving it. Plus we have more books with color experiments. Stay tuned!!
We have also been loving the music on Laura Freeman's Color Wheel Cartwheel CD. It includes ways to say rainbow and the colors in many different languages and then a song about each color and finally a song about the rainbow of colors. It is very fun!!
For more on color explorations, check out:
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