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Saturday, June 22, 2019

Color Outside the Lines

A collage of Summer Color and Activity Books for Kids or Adults

Collage created on FotoJet

Reviewing Summer Color and Activity Books for Kids or Adults

Summertime brings us wonderful weather for favorite outdoor activities. But sometimes it is too hot to play outside or rainy days force us inside. That's when some indoor activities are needed.

Television programs and noisy games are fun, but sometimes 'quiet times' are welcome. Having a variety of coloring and activity books can be a perfect fit for such times.

Coloring Books

Coloring books for both kids and adults are always fun. Here are a couple new ones to try.

Dr. Seuss Coloring Book

Available on Amazon

The Dr. Seuss Coloring Book is filled with playful patterns and intricate images based on everyone's favorite Dr. Seuss characters, this 80-page coloring book will occupy children from age 7 and up all the way to parents and grandparents who remember the lovable Dr. Seuss books.

The illustrations come from such Dr. Seuss titles as The Cat in the Hat, Oh, the Places You'll Go, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, Horton Hears a Who and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, to name a few.

Now you can color Dr. Seuss any way you want!

The World of Debbie Macomber: Come Home to Color: An Adult Coloring Book

Come Home to Color, coloring book by Debbie McComber book cover

Available on Amazon

While the kids are coloring Dr. Seuss, mom or grandma fans of Debbie Macomber can enjoy their own coloring book. Based on the Blossom Street and Rose Harbor series, this special adult coloring book has 45 original illustrations that depict scenes from the series. Revisit favorite locales and relive the themes from these favorite Debbie Macomber stories.

Summertime Activities

See on Amazon

Keep the kids entertained when inclement weather spoils vacation fun or the 'kids' start their “I'm Bored” routines with this fun DIY activity book called The Dad Lab. The book contains 50 projects in the interesting realm of science and technology. The projects are simple and use materials found around the house. I can already see that the project “make slime with only two ingredients” is one my young grandsons would enjoy.

A fun way for mom & dad and grandparents to spend quality time with the kids in a way the kids would also enjoy.

Summary

Image from Bev Owens Article
Reviewing Fine Art Colored Pencils
on ReviewThisReviews

Add in some colorful crayons for the kids, and special pens and pencils for the intricate designs for adults and you'll be creating beautiful pages.

So don't let weather spoil your summer vacation. These coloring and activity books will give everyone hours of fun and enjoyment.

Check out a variety of fun reviews of other coloring books and coloring pencils on ReviewThisReviews: Coloring Books

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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Sunday, May 19, 2019

Five Fabulous Fairy Coloring Book Reviews

Fairies are so enchanting and the coloring books gathered here on this page are lovely. They will please both the children and adults in your life who love to color. They will not just please your child but will also let her develop her imagination while she has fun coloring the drawings. Some of these books will keep the user occupied for hours; others for a lesser time frame.

Any one of the coloring books on this page would be a great idea for Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers or even for birthday party favors at a fairy themed birthday party. There is bound to be a faerie coloring book here that your child will love and there are even some here that you will love. If you're giving one as a gift, be sure to include a box of crayons.

Fairy World Stained Glass Coloring Book

The first book shown here, Fairy World: Stained Glass Coloring Book, is a Dover Little Activity Book. It's a cute little book with thin pages that is recommended for individuals who are between the ages of Kindergarten and Grade 5. The pages are thin so that when you hold them before a light source, the light shines through, giving a stained glass effect.

As a Dover Little Activity Book, it is indeed a small book and not a full-size coloring book and it only has a few images. There is nothing wrong with that as long as you are aware of the fact and don't expect a full-size book. It's also very affordable at just under $2, making it perfect for those stocking stuffers and party grab bags. Click here to find this Fairy World Stained Glass Coloring Book from Amazon.

Garden Fairies Stained Glass Coloring Book

Darcie May has created this second beautiful Dover coloring book with fairies nestled among the garden. Once again once they are colored in you can take them to a light source and the stained glass will come to life. Beautiful and bound to be a huge success.

The Garden Fairies Stained Glass Coloring Book is suitable for children over 6 years of age. It has 16 pages done in black and white on parchment paper. Click here to find the Garden Fairies coloring book online.

The Amy Brown Fairies Coloring Book

Amy Brown has been painting fairies for more than 20 years. Her artwork features detailed illustrations of fairies. Whether you are a little girl or a grown-up girl who is interested in fairies, you will enjoy this fairy coloring book, which is suitable for children of all ages. It has twenty one-sided pages that measure 8.5 by 11 inches. Click here to find Amy Brown's coloring book on Amazon.

Flower Fairies Alphabet Coloring Book

Your youngster will learn her alphabet and the names of 24 of the most popular flower fairies as she colors in the beautiful pictures presented in the Flower Fairies Alphabet Coloring Book, which features the artwork of Cicely Mary Barker. This book has 24 pages and is recommended for children from Kindergarten age to Grade 2. Click here to find the Flower Fairies Alphabet coloring book on Amazon.

Fairy Fashion Coloring Book

The Fairy Fashion colouring book presents pretty fairies dressed in the height of fairy fashion. Your fan will love spending time bringing these images to life with color. There are also plenty of cats, squirrels, birds and their friends keeping them company.

The artwork in this book is by Scott Altmann. The Amazon customer reviews bounce around a bit so make sure to check them out before you buy. Many of the issues are with varying tastes for the style of the illustrations.

The Fairy Fashion Coloring Book is recommended for individuals 5 years of age and up. It is a Dover Coloring Book and has 32 pages. Click here to find the Fairy Fashion coloring book on Amazon.

Do you believe in fairies? Do you like fairies? What about coloring books?

See you
at the book store!
Brenda
Treasures By Brenda

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Easter and Church A Simple Way to Make It Easy for Children

Children and Faith, Our Duty as Christian Parents and Grandparents During this Holiday Season.

In the last 30 years Church attendance has dropped significantly. Christians still want to attend services at special times of the year and one of them is coming up very shortly. There are two major celebrations in the Christian community. Christmas being the first. Easter is the Second. Both of these times in the year are Holidays, and important in the life of a Christian community. Christmas we celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ and at Easter, we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus from the Tomb. Both of these "Holy Days" are usually marked by increased attendance at your local church's worship services.

Easter Church Services

Attending Church services with our family is one of the most wonderful times in a parents and grandparents lives. It's a great time for us Parents and Grandparents to acknowledge our faith and share it with our families.

The Question remains, how do we get our children (many of which haven't participated in regular Church Services) to sit quietly at the Services we are attending? Every parent enters the church with trepidation and fear that their little ones will be disruptive during the Easter Service.

I'm here to tell you that with a little planning ahead, children can and will behave in a way that will not put you to shame. But it does take some planning.

So let's get to it. Prepare, prepare, prepare!

First of all let's find out how long the church service will last. Sometimes it will be 30 to 45 minutes and other services may last a few hours. Knowing how long you need to keep your children engaged will help you plan better.

Let's assume that services will be about an hour long. That 60 minutes of quiet time that your children need to get a handle on.

Let's Pack a Church Bag* to take with us to services. Inside will be all kinds of quiet activities that your children can do when they become restless. So these are the things I would take along:

*Contents of a great Church Bag

Books, depending on the age of your children, they can be picture books or story books.
Stickers and some paper for them to make their own picture of the Bible story they will hear.
Coloring books with crayons. (if you have more than one child, make sure you have a book for each one of them!)
Puzzle books, find the words, or crosswords are great!
Small soft Easter type toys, stuffed bunnies, chicks or eggs. You can find some really cute ones here at Coastal Crochet Crafts!

DO NOT PACK Candy of any Kind. That would be setting you up for a sugar rush and you don't want to have that during this quiet time. You should prepare your children ahead of time. Make it a game to see how long they can be quiet at home, before the Church event happens. Small rewards for being able to be quiet can help you to increase the time span. Tell them that they are practicing for the quiet time that they will have to adhere to while Church services are happening. Practice whispering to each other if conversations need to be had. Bringing electronic toys to church is not a good idea. They are very distracting to your child and to others around them. Even adults are distracted by electronic toys. Better to stick to bringing a book or two. Picture books are great and children are always enchanted by stories that they can read. I happen to like Easter Books that tell the Story of the Resurrection.

There are several available and they will help you to explain to your children what this Season of Easter is all about too! Children learn from their parents and grandparents about their faith beliefs and it is up to us to encourage that faith. After Church Services are concluded, I'm sure there will be time for the infamous Easter Egg hunt. Children especially like this part of the Easter festivities. Dinner on Easter Sunday will be a gathering of all the family at the table to share in the wonderful foods and desserts that have been lovingly prepared for us. After all Easter is a whole season of REJOICING! Everything is new including the seasons. Everything is in bloom or will be soon.

Please know that most Christians are very happy to see the little ones at church services! They are a delight to us older folks who remember all to well taking our own children to Services.

Happy Easter to all, The Lord is Risen, He is Risen indeed!

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Wednesday, December 26, 2018

December 26th, Time to Write a Thank You Day

Boxing Day Blues can sometimes strike when all the awaited festivities are over.

And they do seem to be over so quickly. All the hustle and bustle of preparing for the BIG day gives way to feelings of let down and down right depression. Knowing this before hand might just help you to get through those feelings and come out the other side with a new sense of wellbeing and a new purpose too.

thank you note, mental health, Christmas let down, coping mechanisms

Christmas time and all the build up to this holiday can make some people really "crazy". There are all the lists for food, drink, presents, guests and so much more to attend to. Then there is the cleaning and other preparations for the BIG day.

By the time it arrives you are physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted. And just when you think it's perfect, it's over in a heartbeat.

The let down can be so significant, that many mental health agencies start to prepare for the fall out early as well. But it doesn't have to be this way if you do just a little more preparation for this amazing holiday gathering.

Having a plan in mind to help you cope with the let down will significantly make the holidays much happier. To that end, I am going to make some suggestions that just might help you, or someone you love, get through that post holiday let down.

Today, on the Calendar of Days, is Write a Thank You Note day. Now, you may not think this is a good idea, but I'm here to suggest it's a great way to relive the excitement, joy, and happiness of the Christmas gathering. It will help you to capture what was really important and let go of the myriad of small disappointments that may have happened to make the day less than perfect.

After all, getting the family together and enjoying each other's company is the real beauty of Christmas. The gifts and the food and everything else is secondary to just being together.

Sitting down and writing a thank you, will let you put into words how much you enjoyed and appreciated all the efforts everyone made to make this Christmas special. It really acts as a way to relive the excitement and the funny things that happened during the previous day.

If that doesn't work for you there are many other ways to get through that post holiday letdown. Here is my list of ways to do that and maybe you can add some of your own ideas.

Write that Thank You note to someone who went out of their way to make the holiday special.
Plan a trip to the zoo. Christmas antics aren't just for people.
Arrange some time to go for a walk in the neighborhood to enjoy the lights, decorations and all the sights.
Let yourself relax with a good movie or go out to a show.
Invite someone you haven't seen in a while for coffee and a good chat.
Go out and play in the snow (if you have any). Bundle up with those new scarves, hats and mitts.
Start a new hobby. Scrapbooking, knitting, crocheting, drawing or woodworking. Coloring pages are still a great way to relax too.
add your own ideas here.......

dealing with emotional let down, Christmas let down, emotional exhaustion

All the expectations, disappointments and let downs seem to disappear when you have a plan in mind. Just writing a note can help you get through that emotional build up of the past month. Going out to park, zoo, or being with a good friend, can give you a release for all the frustrations you may have felt or are still feeling. It's hard to stay disappointed when you are at the zoo checking out all the Christmas treats the zookeepers have in store for the animals in their care. Just watching the Polar Bears, penguins, monkeys and more, get their treats can be a delight for your overworked body and spirit. The walking and exercise are good for you too. Too much food and drink can be the trigger to make some people feel cranky and "out of sorts". Drinking water and walking can help undo all the overeating and indulgences that took place the day before. If you can't do the exercise, then just sitting back and watching a favorite movie, with full permission to just enjoy it, can also revive the drooping spirits. A new hobby will keep your mind and hands occupied while you try to figure out just what you are supposed to do. An active mind doesn't have time to dwell on things that didn't go as planned and that's a good thing.

If this all fails, then you can always go to the internet and start planning something different, a vacation in the new year, places you want to see or books you want to read. On Review This Reviews, you can find lots of book reviews, Do It Yourself projects, movie reviews and more. I dare say you could spend the better part of a day just checking out all the articles and I'm sure you will find a few that will trigger some ideas of your own.

The most important thing on December 26th is to relish and relive, enjoy and form the memories of the day before. Writing that note may be the first step in some well deserved "self-care" that will keep you from drowning in some very powerful negatives that could be plaguing your spirits. Don't let Christmas let-down, get you down.......there are plenty more good times coming your way.

don't let Christmas let down get you down......coping mechanisms, depression,

**Olivia is not a health care specialist, if you are feeling down or depressed, please check out your local health professionals.

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Thursday, January 18, 2018

Hobby Time from the Review This! Contributors

A collage of Hobby articles from ReviewThisReviews

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

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Monday, August 7, 2017

Moodle Stressed Review

Moodles - doodles that change your mood.

What is a Moodle? In a Google search, the word "Moodle" brings up a variety of search results. The Moodle I am reviewing is a book series that was designed by the author to improve mood through doodling. This is a book that I personally would have picked up from the shelf, flipped through, then put back on the shelf and wandered away. But after seeing the Stressed volume put to use, I decided that I needed to help spread the word about the Moodle series.

What is a Moodle and why is there a series?

The Moodle books were written and illustrated by Emily Portnoi. She describes the books as:

"...a new concept in therapeutic doodling - fun doodle books for adults or children, with the power to change your mood" -- Emily Portnoi

Ms. Portnoi is a Designer, Art Director, and Illustrator. I think that her enjoyment of aesthetics and fun art is easy to see in the pages of her book.

Why I recommend the Moodle Stressed Volume

Since I admitted that this is a book that I would have leafed through then left behind on the bookstore shelf, why would I now recommend that very same book? I recommend it because one of my "kids" recommended it. And I watched as this young person "Moodled" into calmness.

There is nothing new about coloring, doodling, and fidgeting (keeping the hands busy while focusing on a task) as a means of relieving stress or anxiety. Ms. Portnoi writes that her books are a new concept in therapeutic doodling. I don't fully agree with that statement. Doodling/drawing is something that I've done with the kids I work with for just over two decades now (wow, time flies!). Some of the doodles in the Moodle book were very similar to things I've done with the kids over the years.

Are you still wondering why I recommend these books? I can see why you would be wondering that. Let me explain a little more.

The size of the book is a handy size (approx. 6" x 7.8").
The bold print of the illustrations is eye-catching and Ms. Portnoi's illustrations are fun and engaging.
What is new about her books is the variety of activities. All of the suggested doodles are open-ended and can be as brief or detailed as the user chooses.
The page corners are rounded and smooth
The pages are thick and a slightly "slick" paper stock (I am not a publisher, so I am unsure of the correct terminology). Not too slick for pens and pencils, but not regular rough paper stock.
The feel/texture of the pages were clearly pleasing to the youngster I was with while we colored in the book.

A few quick photos I took of some of the pages in the Stressed volume to show the variety of activities

The book is suitable for pencils, pens, and colored pencils. I did note that my young friend was using markers and gel pens. Some of the most vibrant and "wet" ink markers/pens did slightly bleed through the pages while some of the gel pens did not.

While this book was not my cup of tea, it was clearly very enjoyable for this young person. The activity did in fact improve mood and release stress in a remarkably short period of time.

As we sat and colored, I realized that I should stock up on some of the books in this series. I think that the book series will be helpful for folks who need to calm, focus, release stress, and improve mood. In my mind, I created a list of some of the people I will recommend the book to - including folks on the Autism Spectrum and who have difficulties with symptoms of anxiety, impulsivity, and ADHD.

The Moodles series offered on Amazon - including Moodles Happy

Monday, July 3, 2017

Reviewing Colorful Pens, Pencils, and Coloring Books

Traveling doodles

I recently spent several days in a row attending presentations. Oh how the time drags when I sit for hours on end. Fortunately, I had several of my InkJoy pens with me, which made note-taking and doodling more interesting. However, I regretted not bringing along some coloring pages or one of my journals with me. I doodled so much on the training handouts that my notes ended up being illegible. With so many different coloring items available, it was an oversight on my part to not take sufficient adult "fidgets" with me. An oversight that won't happen again. I am writing this as both a reminder for myself and a review of some of the best adult coloring and journaling items available.

Adult Coloring Books

Bev shared with us the gift her husband gave her for Valentine's Day - Midnight Garden Coloring Book. Prior to her review of this adult coloring book, I hadn't been aware that coloring books with black backgrounds existed. What a great idea! the black backgrounds result in vibrant finished pages.

Adult coloring books are so much in demand that they are now offered in "travel" or "on-the-go" sizes. These small coloring books are the perfect size for me. They fit in my work bag so I will be able to take them with me everywhere I go. The spiral-bound books are the best for laying the books flat and coloring ease.

on-the-go coloring books with travel pouch included

Colorful Pens

I mentioned my InkJoy pens. I find those ball point pens to be the best for doodling, note-taking, and journaling. The colors are vibrant, the ink doesn't blob, and InkJoy pens are readily available in local stores and online. I really like being able to journal or take notes in a wide range of colors. one day I may be in a "blue" mood and another day I may want to write in pink, or orange, purple, or brown.

While my InkJoy pens are perfect for doodling, journaling, and taking colorful notes gel pens are better for coloring pages. This highly rated set of premium gel pens include metallic, glitter, and neon colors.

premium gel pens set with case and refills

Colorful Pencils

I tend toward colored ink and fine-tipped colored markers rather than colored pencils. But I know many people who prefer a quality colored pencil. How fortunate we are that our own Heather has created high quality colored pencils and offers them for sale to the public! If you create with colored pencils you must check out her pencils at Aurora Art Supplies.

Friday, September 9, 2016

Reviewing How To Draw Spongebob: Step By Step

Every Kid Likes To Draw Spongebob Squarepants

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.

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.

Monday, August 1, 2016

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."

screenshot of members dashboard on createspace

screenshot of createspace dashboard tool

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!

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