My Relaxation

I usually post about books I have read, but today is going to be a bit different. Today I am posting about a book I have discovered that helps me to relax while listening to books.

I have been a colorer for MANY years. Back when I taught Kindergarten (1993-1999) I colored all of the time. I colored with my students, but I also colored for my students - file folder games. Coloring provided me a means of relaxation while creating a great resource for my students. I LOVED the Carson Dellosa file folder games. They had wonderful pictures and were great games for my students.

Now that I am no longer in the classroom, there is little need for me to make file folder games, so I had to find another outlet for my coloring. I purchased traditional coloring books for awhile, but I can't stand the cheap paper used for children's coloring books. I remember Dover coloring books from my childhood, but I was never really one for coloring the very detailed clothing and landscapes.

When I discovered Mandalas, Paisleys, and Mosaic coloring books I felt like I had found the perfect relaxation tool for me. Like I said, I have been coloring for years. It has only been in the last few years the publishing industry has discovered what I have known all this time - adults like to color too! Now, my Amazon account is filled with tons of coloring books for adults. I have all of the coloring books people write posts about on Facebook - Secret Garden, Adult Coloring Book: Stress Relieving Patterns, Enchanted Forest: An Inky Quest & Coloring Book, Color Me Calm: 100 Coloring Templates for Meditation and Relaxation, Color Counts (Landscapes, Travel the World, Tropical, Travel the USA, etc.) and Flower Designs by Jenean Morrison - but I have recently discovered my favorite by far - Querkles by Thomas Pavitte.

I'm sure Amazon targeted me for this new "Puzzling Colour by Numbers Book" based on my previous purchases, and I have to say how happy this makes me! All I want to do is sit and color in this fascinating book. You can watch a short video clip of how the Querkles works here. I have to admit, at first glance these pages can look VERY intimidating!

Here is what one of the pictures looks like when you first open the book.

I'm not going to ruin the surprise on this one as to what the final image will be when it is colored. It is NOT one of the ones I have already colored. Here is one in progress (purple), as well as three I have already completed. To know exactly how much I LOVE this book I have only had this book four days and have already finished three of the pictures and started working on the fourth. I am completely addicted to coloring these pictures. 

I have not found another coloring book that has provided me with this much joy in a very long time. I love being able to work on these beautiful works of art while listening to an audio book. It is a wonderful combination of relaxation and creativity rolled into one.

Be sure to check out the second book which will be released in October, Querkles: Icons. 

Thomas Pavitte is the creator of these 20 great works of art. He is also the author of the 1000 Dot-to-Dot series of books. I hope he continues to create more Querkles! I have already ordered a second copy of Querkles: Masterpieces. I'll get to choose different colors to use for them the next time I color the same pictures.