Reviewing Fine Art Colored Pencils

Use Good Pencils When Coloring or Sketching

Colored Pencils

I mentioned in another post a few weeks back that I love to color in the coloring books that are on the market specifically for adults. What I  am finding is that the quality of the pencils does make a difference in the outcome of your finished piece. I have decided that for future coloring pages, I want to use the fine art colored pencils when I color. 

The picture on the left is an example of one variety of colored pencils (I found the image at Pixabay). Now, I can't tell from the image if they are what is considered fine art pencils or not but they look to be of a good quality. If you have done much coloring or if you are an artist, you know that not all colored pencils are the same. As a general rule the less expensive the the pencil the lower quality of the pencil. With the lower quality pencils the colors are not as vivid, they might not blend well and the end result may not be as vibrant as you want them to be.

I have a birthday coming up and I've decided to ask my family for some Marco Raffine Fine Art colored pencils. They are a better quality than the pencils that I use right now. From what I can tell from my research they would be considered a high end student pencil or a low end artist grade pencil. They are a good choice for me to move up to. Maybe later, I can get some even higher quality colored pencils as I progress in my skills but for now this seems like the logical next step in my growing collection of coloring supplies.

Marco Raffine Fine Art Colored Pencils

I think that I will be happy with the upgraded quality of these pencils over the ones that I am coloring with now. With the less expensive pencils I can blend and shade and layer but it takes quite a few steps to accomplish the look that I am going for. The Marco Raffine pencils should do a better job with those techniques than the cheaper pencils that I use at the moment.

As much as I love to color and that it relaxes me, I do want to have my finished coloring pages to look a little more refined. My own little pieces of fine art, if you will. As I hone my skills, I would like to frame some of the finished pages at some point and time. I think that I will be happier with a higher grade of pencil and eventually be proud enough of something to frame it.

How about you? Had you considered that not all colored pencils are created the same? Would you be willing to pay a little more if you knew that the quality of the pencil was going to give you better results? Or does it even matter to you?

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Review of CreateSpace Self Publishing Platform

Instructions for Publishing Books at CreateSpace.com

 State Flowers of the USA Coloring Book: For Students and Teachers

Ever since I published my 3 books on CreateSpace people have been asking me how to do that and if I recommend them. The short answer to that is yes, I do recommend them.

The other thing people want to know is if it is hard to do. That is not so easy to answer. There is a learning curve for sure, but I do have some free tools you can use to make it easier. All in all, I think CreateSpace is a fantastic tool for first time authors to get themselves published.

*All the books on this page are my own books I have published at CreateSpace.

Getting Started at CreateSpace 

So here I am going to take you step by step through the process to create your first book on CreateSpace and get it published and listed on Amazon and maybe picked up by booksellers who will also distribute it for you. My first book is on the right and got picked up by 12 other sellers besides Amazon including Barnes and Noble and several teacher websites. I am thrilled! 

The first thing you will need to do is sign up for a free account. Just go to http://CreateSpace.com  and follow the easy registration instructions. Once you have an account you will be taken to your dashboard. It looks like the image below. The first thing you do to get started on a new book is to press that Blue button that is just about in the middle of the page which says "Add New Title." If you know the title of your new book just go ahead and add it. Don't worry you can change it before you publish, so  just put something and that way you will have access to the rest of the tools. This is the first part of the setup by the way.  After you have a title, you can just hit the button at the bottom that says "Save and Continue." 

Menu 

On the right is a photo of the Menu that is on the left side of the setup process once you add a title. You can see that the different parts of the process are listed and when you complete a section it gives you a Green check mark so you always know what else needs to be done. 

The set up process is a series of pages where it will ask you to put in information about your book, so just do each step and hit save. The next thing it will want to know after the title is the ISBN. Now I am a big fan of "free" so I just use their free ones. The only reason to buy your own ISBN would be if you wanted to have books printed by them and then distribute them yourself. I have no idea why anyone would want to do that work though! Later in the process you will see that CreateSpace gives you the option to have your book distributed by Amazon (they own CreateSpace) and also by other online sellers and even by bricks and mortar stores like Barnes and Noble.  I am a big fan of "easy" too! So just use their free one, and go on to the next step, which is the Interior.

In this step, you pick your size and type of printing. You will see a list of formats and there is a button you can click to see the approximate cost to print too. But to save you time here is a page with a list of the sizes and templates you can download to add your content. https://forums.createspace.com/en/community/docs/DOC-1323

Now the next step is the heart of the matter so to speak; adding all your content. The templates are set up for Microsoft Word, or for OpenOffice. I don't have Word, so I use OpenOffice. (because it's free, LOL, just go to OpenOffice.org and download it! ) I find this to be the hardest part of the process, because you have to make sure your content is exactly the way you want it printed. I have done 2 coloring books and I wanted them to be printed on one side only to make a nicer product for the colorists, so I had to really pay attention to insert a blank page after every image. If you don't know how to use OpenOffice or Word, that is beyond the scope of this article, but I used Google and YouTube and was able to do find tutorials to format everything properly. Just type your question into Google. 

 Shells From the Sea: Coloring Pages and Greeting Cards

Once you are happy with your book, save a copy, and then also use the "export as PDF" function to save as a PDF too, because CreateSpace wants you to upload it in PDF form. But if you ever need to edit it later, you might need the original document, unless you have Adobe software and can edit PDF documents. So just to be sure, I always save the original Open Office document and also a PDF document.

If my instructions are not clear, you can also see lots of helpful tips on the page under the Interior button. Also there is a forum with a community of writers who have compiled a list of frequently asked questions. However, many of them are experienced authors and seem to be a little impatient with first time authors, so I just use Google to ask my questions. For example I might ask "how do I  __________ on a createspace template?" You would think CreateSpace would be easier to ask, but no, Google is. 

Designing the Cover of Your Book on CreateSpace

Next is the cover. They have templates for that too, so just scroll through them till you see one you like. Here's a hint. Under each cover there is a scroll bar to see different versions. The typeface and the colors can often be changed so there are a lot more variations than is apparent when you first look through the cover options. Just pick one you like and upload your image if it calls for one. They often have specific requirements for the images, so if your images are not the right size you will need to edit them. Lots of people have Photoshop but I don't, so I use http://Picmonkey.com. (yes, it's free) You can upload an image there, change the file size in a few clicks and then you are good to go!

 The Swans of Kensington Garden: A Photo Book of Swans

Speaking of images, they have to be at least 300 dpi for CreateSpace so what should you do if yours are not?  If you have Photoshop, this is fairly easy to fix but if you don't, here is a free software program you can use to change them to the correct dpi. Just go to http://www.Irfanview.com and download the free software.  

The program can be used for many other things too, but I only use it for changing the dpi and use Picmonkey for all the other things I do with images, like change the exposure and crop, add text, straighten, etc. Picmonkey is much easier to use for those things. But you can't control the dpi with it. A hint when  you use Picmonkey: save the file as the best quality jpg. They call it Sean. Yes it is a bigger file, but it will make your finished book far more beautiful! 

So once you have your interior and cover done, you are ready to complete your setup. This just involves setting the price, telling CreateSpace where you want it distributed and approving the proof. You will be able to check it page by page to be sure it meets your expectations. Once that is done, CreateSpace will also have to examine your proof to make sure it meets their specifications. They will either approve it, or send you a message that it needs to be changed. Don't worry, they will tell you exactly what needs to be changed. 

Here is a photo of the project page that shows all the steps in a graphic so you can see what is done and what needs to be finished. This is a completed book so all my steps are completed and marked with a Green check mark. (I can't publish a coloring book on Kindle so that one has a red button.)

Eventually you will get it approved. I say that because it usually takes a few times before they do approve it. But then, wow, you will have published your first book! Good luck! 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing How To Draw Spongebob: Step By Step

Every Kid Likes To Draw Spongebob Squarepants

Nickelodeon's Spongebob Squarepants hit TV screens on May 1, 1999.  Since then Spongebob, along with his pet snail Gary and his best friend Patrick Star, have starred in more than 400 episodes of this popular cartoon.

If you've been looking for some type of craft project or creative outlet for your child, then you can't go wrong with a How To Draw Spongebob Step-By-Step Guide.

Kids already know all the characters on the show and what kid doesn't like to draw?  This book will show him step-by-step exactly how to draw his favorite - Spongebob Squarepants.

How to Draw Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants

 How to Draw SpongeBob SquarePants: The Bikini Bottom Collection (Licensed Learn to Draw)
Back Cover Shown Here - Front Cover shown in IntroductionIf your child can hold a pencil, he or she is old enough to follow the steps in this book.

Even if they can't read yet, kids can have fun learning how to draw Spongebob Squarepants.   This colorful book shows them every single step they need to take.

How hard can it be?  The guy's a sponge!

That's why this is the ideal first "How To Draw" book for kids who want to learn how to draw cartoons.  Spongebob is basically just a collection of shapes - circles and squares and rectangles.  Put them all together in the right order and Voila!   Spongebob Squarepants! 

Easy, Step-By-Step Guide: Anyone Can Draw Spongebob Squarepants

 Learn to Draw The Best of Nickelodeon: Featuring characters from your favorite TV shows, including SpongeBob SquarePants, The Teenage Mutant Ninja ... and more! (Licensed Learn to Draw)Drawing is fun no matter what your age.  At the end of a stressful day it very relaxing to sit down for a few minutes with a pencil and paper and start sketching away.  You forget all about what went on at the office.  You stop worrying about the kids and their homework, and you just get lost in the simple act of doing something creative.

Kids get even more benefits from learning how to draw.  First, by following along with the steps in this book, they learn how to follow directions.

They also learn what it feels like to try something new, something that forces them to use their imagination and creativity, and they learn what it feels like to accomplish something special.  In our home, I have several framed sketches that our son drew when he was really young.  My mother even framed a drawing he drew for her when he was still in elementary school.  These framed pieces of artwork are cherished treasures to all of us.

You may also enjoy:  How to Draw Monsters Books for Kids

Don't Forget the Drawing Pads, Pencils and Coloring Pencils!

Every kid loves Spongebob.  And most adults do, too.  What better way to introduce your child to drawing than by giving him a guide to draw his favorite cartoon character!   

However, don't forget the drawing and coloring pencils.  Most children use a regular #2 pencil when they doodle on their homework, but they will enjoy art pencils more.  For one thing, they can add color to the sketch.

 Pro Art 18-Piece Sketch/Draw Pencil Set Strathmore Series 400 Sketch Pads 9 in. x 12 in. - pad of 100 48 Colored Pencils For Coloring Pages and Coloring Books, Bonus Mini Coloring Book included! 

& 

Now Parents!  

Get ready for the beautiful, frame-able artwork treasure.

Read More Book Reviews On ReviewThisBooks.com

"How To Draw Spongebob: Step By Step" Book Review Written by:

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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15 Additional Distracting and Calming Things to Do During Quarantine

15 Distracting Things to Do During Quarantine

Last week I wrote about ten calming and distracting things you can do during these crazy quarantine times.

This week I'll add another 15 suggestions for you.

1. 5000 Piece Puzzles

Ok, maybe just 1000 pieces will do. Family members of mine have tackled this one already.

2. Read the Hilarious Twitter Hashtag #QuarantineLife

The top tweets will crack you up. My mom and I were in stitches reading them!

3. Crossword Puzzles

Do you love to do crossword puzzles? If so, get out the book.

4. Redecorate a Room

That may involve trips to the store, so you may be restricted on what you can actually do. But hey, if you can even tackle one or two aspects of a redecorating project, good for you! Here's a brief helpful video on how to mix patterns in home decor:

5. Reorganize Your Cupboards and Closets

To some people, this is therapy, to others torture. Either way, get it done! If you've been putting off dealing with the disaster behind your closet door, now is a good time to get 'er done.

6. Learn a New Language

There are several common APPs you can use to learn a new language. Here are a few you can check out: Babbel, DuoLingo, and MemRise.

7. Learn to Play Piano Via an App

Yes, there's an APP for that. Here are two Apple Apps you can check out - Flowkey and Note Quest.

8. Assemble All Those Poems You've Written, And Self-Publish Your Book

Do you have a box of personally written poems that need a permanent place? How about writing that poetry book you've always wanted to write. I crossed that one off my bucket list last year and self-published my first book. I've since published five more and am working on my sixth. Here are some things I've learned along the way that may help you get started.

9. Crafts - DIY Crafting

I know, this is obvious. Knit, sew, or crochet those virus blobs. If you have friends who also enjoy crafts, turn it into a game. Tackle the same project and whoever finishes first gets a prize - maybe a book.

10. Learn Calligraphy

Family members of mine did this one the other day. You can get multiple tutorials on YouTube.

11. Coloring Books are Fun, Even for Adults

This is one I plan to do to relax. Coloring can be utterly satisfying. Color with the kids or you can always buy grown-up coloring books online.

12. Turn Your Life Into a Reality Show

If you're bold, go for it. Vlog your life and upload your daily routine to your social media audience. If you don't have an audience, you could end up with one fast lol - be careful!

13.  Take Cooking Lessons Online

Head over to Youtube and start watching all those addictive cooking videos! Have you always wanted to learn French Cooking? Now's your chance.

14. Assemble and Sort All Your Photos on Your Laptop & Phone

Sort all your photos and store them on a USB or in the cloud. Or create a family wall of photos - finally frame and display all those family favorites.

15. Handwrite Letters to Your Family

Handwrite a letter. Don't type it. Handwrite it and mail it to mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, or the kids. Include the kid's drawings or photos as well. Yes, you can do this online, but there's something very special about getting something like this in the mail.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Hobby Time from the Review This! Contributors

hob·by - an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure. 

January is known as National Hobby Month.   The contributing writers here on Review This! each have their favorite ways to enjoy a relaxing pursuit and have written many reviews of various how-to books, crafting supplies and DIY tutorials, gardening tips, recipes & kitchen aids for the cook, photography lessons, reading or listening to music, sports, and a host of other hobbies. 

These are but a few of the hobbies enjoyed by the Review This crew. The list of hobbies is almost endless.  If you are interested in looking for what we writers here have reviewed, type in the name of your 'hobby' either in the box in the top left-hand corner of any Review This page, or in the search box down the right-hand side. By looking at the author's name, you won't have any problem figuring out which HOBBY is each writers' favorite! For instance, mine  (Wednesday Elf) is crochet and my hobby is shared by several other contributors here, so we learn and share with each other. A more comprehensive list is shown below.

National Hobby Month

Begun by the Hobby Guild of America in 1955,  National Hobby Month was celebrated in April until 1976, then in October until 1986.  Since then, it has been celebrated during the month of January. 

January was most likely chosen for National Hobby Month as it is the beginning of a new year and a good time to start a new hobby.  Many people have never had hobbies during their working years or while raising a family and begin one in their retirement or after the children are grown.  Others try many hobbies throughout their life before finding one or two that gives them the most enjoyment. 

Hobby Examples on Review This!

Hobbies can be passive (such as crafting, reading, writing, listening to music or watching a movie) or an activity such as gardening, cooking or participating in sports. Many people have more than one hobby and often combine them, such as listening to music while crafting. 

In addition to writing reviews here on Review This!, most of the contributing writers here write for their own blogs and websites.  Writers consider writing to be more work than hobby, so time away from writing is important. That's where the activities done in our leisure time become such a pleasure. It is also interesting to note that the passion we feel for our hobbies is shown in many of the subjects we write about.

• Barbara Tremblay Cipak (Brite-Ideas) is crazy about country music and frequently writes about the artists and their music she is so passionate about.  She is also loves to experiment with color in home décor. 
• Dawn Rae does crochet and participates in a group of fellow jeep owners.  She also enjoys gardening and lately 'learning about homesteading'.
• Cynthia Sylvestermouse is a freelance writer and photographer who loves all different kinds of crafts, including crafting in the kitchen, creating fancy cakes and cupcakes. 
• Barbara (BarbRad) is an expert on books and loves to read.  She is also a nature photographer who most enjoys photographing her central California area. 
• Mary Beth Granger (MBGphoto) is a fabulous photographer who continually takes photography classes to learn more.  Photography has become her passion in her retirement, along with traveling.  Lighthouses and beaches are her favorite subjects. 
• Wednesday Elf loves crochet and needlework, watching baseball and reading. 
• Beverly Owens is busy researching her Native American Indian heritage and loves to write about spirit animals and the wisdom of her ancestors. She also enjoys crocheting. 
• Olivia Morris loves gardening and following the fashion world.
• Brenda Little (Treasures By Brenda) collects coffee mugs and researches the history of vintage cups and other vintage items which she shares in her eBay store.  She also loves reading, great movies, cooking, and pop culture. 
• Diana Wenzel (Renaissance Woman2010) enjoys an off-the-grid lifestyle where she pursues her interests in animal rescue, wonderful nature photography, and DIY projects. She also loves to read. 
• Louanne Cox (Lou16) loves reading, 80s music, zombies and dolls, among a host of other interests. 
• Heather Burns (Heather426) is an artist, illustrator and graphic designer. Her hobby is her artistic accomplishments, including the colored pencils she has created for coloring pages and coloring books. 
• Coletta Teske is a published book author and loves to sew. 
• Sam Monaco enjoys cooking and he has a passion for preserving old family recipes. These can be found on his blog Sam's Place. He also loves history.
• Jasmine Ann Marie Annie (Raintree Annie) loves gardening and nature. Her favorite hobby is photography and photographing the wildlife, animals and birds in nature.

These are just the highlights of hobbies and interests I have observed from the articles they publish and the interaction we have as a team here on the staff of Review This!.  I am sure there are other interests each of them have.  

Quick View Home Page

By clicking on the Quick View Home Page button at the top of any Review This! page, you will have weekly examples of many of the articles your hobbyists here enjoy (plus many non-hobby reviews).  

Stop by the comments section and tell us your favorite hobby or activity. The Review This! staff would love to hear about what gives you pleasure in your leisure time.

(c) Written by Wednesday Elf on 1/20/2018

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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A Review of Creepypasta - What Is It?

 

What is Creepypasta?

The first thing that comes to mind is some type of scary noodles!  Maybe a Halloween dish?  Nope, Creepypasta has nothing to do with food, creepy or otherwise.   The meaning of Creepypasta has changed over time.  In the beginning it meant a short horror story, whose author was unknown, that was shared on forums, storyboards and other internet sites.  Now what, you may ask, does pasta have to do with stories?  I thought the same thing.  It seems that Creepypasta is kind of a rip off of the term Copypasta which has been around since 2006 and means a block of text that is shared in many places around the internet.  

Anyway, Creepypasta now refers to most any type of horror story that one can find to read or listen to on the internet.  Creepypasta stories are basically fiction, but are usually written in a manner that makes the reader think that it really happened, or at least that it COULD happen.  This is what makes them so creepy!  Authors are now fully credited and some have become quite well known, going on to become published writers and even writing screenplays for movies.

What are Creepypasta Stories About?  

Creepypasta stories are usually centered around some type of scary being, such as:

Cryptid - Any creature that may or may not exist. Sightings  have been reported, but their reality is unproven.  Includes: bigfoot, dogman, werewolves, mothman, sea monsters, etc.

Alien - Any creature that is not from our planet or dimension.

Undead - Physical creatures that were once alive but have died and then came back in a physical body.  Includes:  vampires, zombies, ghouls, mummies, etc.

Ghosts- An entity that was once alive, but has died and come back to the world of the living without a physical body.

Demons - A malevolent supernatural entity, mostly considered to be fallen angels that serve the Devil.

There are stories about other things that are also considered to be Creepypasta, but these are the top five that I have seen the most.  

How I Found Out About Creepypasta

I was looking through YouTube one day, searching for something interesting when I ran across a video called "I Am A Monster Created By The Government."

I had to laugh, but I was also intrigued.  What kind of video could this be?  I hit play and was immediately immersed in an interesting creepy story.  This was a compilation of a group of stories about the same characters, which is good because it saved me the trouble of looking for all of them in YouTube.  There was nothing on the video screen to watch, it was more like an audio book that you listen to.  This was even better for me, as it gave me something interesting to listen to while I was crafting or cleaning.  After I finished with that video, I went in search of other stories to listen to and that is when I was introduced to the world of Creepypasta. I've  been listening ever since!  There are literally dozens of authors that write these stories and I have listened to many narrators (that is what they call the people reading the stories in the videos) but there are three that I like the best:

Donovan Dread - https://www.youtube.com/@DonovanDread/  

Mr. Creeps - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrCreeps/

Magnetar - https://www.youtube.com/@MagnetarYT

If you don't like to listen to stories, and you prefer to read them yourself, there are also websites with archives of Creepypasta stories.  My two favorites are:

Don't Turn Around - https://www.dontturnaround.com/

Creepypasta - http://www.creepypasta.com

If you are not into monsters, there are other types of video stories that you can listen to on YouTube like True Crime Stories, Mysteries, Bedtime Stories, Time Travel Stories and many others.  Just type "narrated stories"  in the search bar of YouTube.  There is something there for everyone!  I love listening to stories and I am so glad that I found a new place to find them.

If you prefer your reading material in physical book form, you can buy Creepypasta books on Amazon. Not only do they have regular books, but also Creepypasta coloring books and even Creepypasta role playing games.  There are so many ways to have scary Creepypasta fun!

Click Here to Search for Creepypasta on Amazon

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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National Unicorn Day – A Holiday Review

 April 9th is National Unicorn Day!

On April 9 we celebrate a popular mythical creature loved by children (and many adults, even if they don't admit it).  Why?  Because it's a beautiful creature, and because it is a symbol of happiness, fantasy and wonder.

This icon of color is magical and often makes its appearance on birthday cakes and children's clothing, in books and music and even as plush animals.

Unicorns are horse-like and pictured as white with a single horn. The Rainbow Unicorn is white with a rainbow-colored mane and tail. 

The origin of National Unicorn Day is unknown, but it is enchanting to celebrate these majestic creatures and remember how much more fun life can be when we let a little magic in sometimes.

A Collection of Unicorns

Coloring Book

Unicorns and Rainbows

What could be a more perfect example of the colorful critter called a Unicorn than this coloring book filled with 50 designs for kids ages 4-8.  If you  have a child who loves unicorns, stars and rainbows, this Unicorn Coloring Book is a fun treat.

Unicorn Pajamas

Unicorn Pajamas - a Sweet Sleep Set

Little girls would enjoy taking a unicorn to bed by wearing this sweet sleep set with unicorns prancing all over. This two-piece pajama set will send your little one off to dreamland in style. Available on Amazon.

Plush Toy Unicorn

Plush Toy Unicorn on Etsy

For a baby shower or a new baby gift, this hand-crocheted plush unicorn makes a lovely gift.  A fairy-tale unicorn is excellent décor for the nursery. Soft and cuddly for baby's first toy.  

Toy Plush Unicorn is hand-crocheted with acrylic yarn in white. Lavender yarn is used for the horn, the eyes and as accents on the arms and legs. The mane is done in crocheted spirals in lavender, metallic pink and metallic Royal blue. The tail has these same 3 colors.  Unicorn measures 16 inches tall and 8 inches wide and weighs 14 ounces.

A cuddly & cute stuffed unicorn plushie.

Plush unicorn can be found in the Etsy Shop Coastal Crochet Crafts.

Summary

So gather together a few unicorns, or unicorn lovers, and celebrate National Unicorn Day on April 9.

For more Holiday Reviews on ReviewThisReviews, 

click on Holidays

*National Unicorn Day Review written by Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Printable Greeting Cards

Look what I found. It's a fabulous source for printable greeting cards. These are cards on high-resolution downloadable files that you can print at home. Simply choose a design, place your order, grab the downloadable file, print, and the card is ready to be delivered or mailed. It's easy! Here's my review of this sanity-saving method of buying greeting cards at the last minute.

The procrastinator in me loves these cards. Why? Because I can choose, buy, print, and mail or hand deliver any of them quickly, within a matter of minutes. If you tend to put off shopping for special occasions until it's almost too late to be on time, bet you'll love the convenience, too!

Even if you're organized and always on time, there's much more to love about these cards. Since they're designed by artists from all over the world, it's easy to find something absolutely unique and the selection is huge. You're sure to find a style that you like for any occasion you can think of.



Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. 

Printable Inspirational Card ©JWGiftsandDecor on Etsy

Printable Father's Day Cards

Father's Day Printable Card ©DecorartDesign on Etsy

Father's Day is always the third Sunday in June, but it has a way of sneaking up on me at the last minute. You, too? If you wait until the last minute to choose a card for dear ol' dad, it won't be too late. Take a look at this Father's Day card collection, find one you like, order, then print. Use the search box to narrow down the subject matter to something that perfectly suits your dad.

Cards for All Occasions & Every Holiday

It's always good to have a greeting card or two on hand for emergencies, but if you're like me your card box never seems to contain exactly what you're looking for when you need it. That's another reason I like the idea of being able to choose the perfect card and print it from the comfort of my computer.

For instance, look at this selection of printable get well cards. You'll also find some really unique printable birthday cards. I found a beautiful selection of scripture cards for all occasions, too. Recently I've been exploring printable Halloween cards. You may be surprised at the selection. I was!

Choose a couple of designs that you especially like, order the downloads, and you'll have them on the computer when you need them. Pay once then print as many copies (for personal use) as you like!

©MerryMailman on Etsy

Here's an idea for an all occasion card to keep on hand. This "What's up, buttercup" printable card download includes two designs, an envelope template, and you can color the card yourself if you choose. Or let the recipient color it. In fact, make a gift of it by including a set of colored pencils. How perfect for either an adult or a child! (I got this one for my mom, who really enjoys her adult coloring books.)

Next time you're at Walmart, Target, or your favorite office supply store, pick up an inexpensive package of card stock paper along with some pretty envelopes (or make your own envelope from a grocery bag!). Choose a few favorite printable card designs to have handy on your computer, and you'll be ready whenever the next card-giving occasion arises. You'll save both time and money and the recipient is sure to be pleased.


So, who will your first printable card recipient be?

~ Susan
See more of my reviews.

Posted by Susan Deppner

About the Author

Susan Deppner is a baby boomer, a cancer survivor, and a Southerner who believes in the Golden Rule. She enjoys writing about food, faith, and fitness; health, home, and holidays; people, places, pets, and patriotism, and more. Follow Susan on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Lady Bugs are So Cool

Now you must admit, this little red and black bug really is quite cute to look at!  When I review the benefits of having these Lady Bugs in the garden, I can't help myself, I am happy, and smiling.

These little bugs are the kind that you want to see in your garden! They are wanted for their ability to eat immense numbers of "bad bugs" that gardeners and farmers all over the world seem to have. Surprisingly, they are fairly long lived as bugs go! They have a life span of 2 to 3 years. Did you know that? According to the National Geographic that's what a lifetime for a lady bug is!

Others tend to think that lady bugs live a few months to a couple of years, I've never been able to follow just one to find out for myself which estimate is correct!

From the time I was a young girl (not so many years ago) I have always loved these little critters. I did not know then, that these were some of the best bugs to have around. That was long before I became a gardener or had any inkling of getting my hands dirty!  I just know that I liked them even when I was younger.   If one would happen to land on me, my day just seemed to be great!

Lady Bugs are Beneficial to Gardens

While most bugs in the garden tend to hide, these little guys just seem to scream, "Here I am!"

I can remember my sister and I going out to the garden to hunt these lady bugs and see who could get more of them........It was a game that we would play for hours. When we had enough of them gathered in a jar, my mother would immediately take us out to the tomato garden and watch us release our beauties right there. She would be pleased as punch that she now had her own "army" to do some of the gardening work!

My sister and I wouldn't mind either, because we could go out and watch them all day long. Now that I am all grown up, I think back to those Lady Bug hunting days with a smile on my lips, because I still go out to my garden to look for my little lovelies! But, I also look for ways to encourage them to stay in my garden! That means planting things that will in effect also draw aphids. That is not hard to do, because aphids have got to be one of the biggest garden pests going and they are attracted to many different kinds of flowers, including roses. So if you are a lover of roses, you just might want to also become a lover of Lady Bugs!

Lady Bugs are a favorite for many people.  There are many different items available with lady bugs as their motif.  From jewelry to coffee mugs. games and books, all use the lovely red/black and white coloring of the lady bugs to enchant and captivate their audience. I think that's one of the reasons you will find them in so many places.

I can remember when we first had our children. My sweetling ( one of hubbie's pet names)  was a budding carpenter (woodworker) and decided that he would build our baby's crib! He did a great job and while it was painted a very plain white, we wanted something to brighten up the new baby's bedroom. Well,  of course I went out looking for lady bugs! Truth be known, at the time they were hard to find, and I didn't trust my artistic ability. We searched and searched and searched (this was pre-internet days) and could not find what we wanted.

The baby's grandparents were on the way to Switzerland and there they found some beautiful ladybug decals. So, when they were back home, the decals were the first things to find a special place, and that was on the headboard and foot-board of the new crib........ Today I would have found some pictures and painted them on the crib myself, but like I said earlier, I didn't trust my artistic abilities at that time. How things have changed. Since that time (almost 45 years ago) lady bugs and insects in general have been given a whole new spotlight on the decorator's radar. You can find all kinds of bugs, beetles, insects and more to decorate your child's room. Not to mention flowers, and trees and a host of other "earth friendly" decorating ideas.

The Charm of Lady Bugs 

Lady Bugs are considered to be good luck, so if you get one to visit you, you are lucky too! There is something charming about Lady Bugs, and I don't really know why they stand out. It could be their color as those cute little red, black and bits of white, just make me smile. Maybe it's the whole idea that they are beneficial bugs that makes them desired, all I know is that,every time I wear my  Lady Bug pin, someone comments on it. There are rhymes that are told about Lady Bugs, stories that are written about Lady Bugs and a whole lot more. The bottom line is that lady bugs with their primary colors are wonderful ways to get children involved with their surroundings and get them thinking in earth friendly terms. I think the earth would appreciate having some youngsters interested in keeping the world green and healthy!
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Start small and work your way up to some real Earth Friendly activities! Budding entomologists, scientists, gardeners, are being formed just by awareness, and you can't start too early for that.

Get your little ones started on the road to learning about the earth and it's bugs with - a host of stories and books about the critters around them!

A deep love for all things of the earth are possible if you take the time to encourage that activity. Children are a natural place to start, because their curiosity is boundless.

Feed that curiosity with books, games and puzzles and who knows, you just might be encouraging the next generation of "earth sciences" scientists.


Even grown ups love lady bugs, so let your inner child out and enjoy what you did as a child.  Lady bugs are not just for kids to enjoy! If you loved them as a child, there is nothing stopping you from loving them now too!


Grammie Olivia loves to write on Review This, and offer a few suggestions for you to enjoy with your youngsters.  She is an Amazon Affiliate and if you click on her links, she will be paid a small commission. And because she loves LadyBugs so much you just know she will have them on her website`s banner!http://grammieknowshow.com/

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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