Monthly Archives: December 2015

Beautiful and Stylized Animals Coloring Book printed on one side of non-perforated paper

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Iiiireader

Adult Coloring Books: Wild and Free: Featuring Stress Relieving Animal Designs (Wild Animal) (Volume 3)

By: Adult Coloring Books

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a coloring book with animal designs from a variety of artists. As is common with these curated books, the images are licensed from artists via Shutterstock.com. It is an excellent way to provide colorists with a variety of styles and allows artists to get their work published.

The book contains 26 designs (27 if you include the preface to the title page which is the cover art image.) The designs range from highly stylized animals to a fun doodle style (which I find so much fun to color.) The animals include: elephants, tiger, lion, butterfly, ram, horse, and many more. Some designs have heavier black lines than the others. While many of the designs are intricate, I don’t consider them to be difficult to color as the spaces are a good size and I can get all of my various coloring medium into those spots.

The pages are printed on thin white paper which is not perforated. The designs are printed on one side of the page with the back left blank. There is room between the designs and the glue binding so you can remove the pages with a pen knife or by heating the edge (though that is something I have yet to attempt.)

My book has a publishing issue that I will note though it may not be in all copies. There is a black frame around all but one design and in my copy, that frame is off-set so that only three sides are complete. The top of the frame disappears on the near the margin. That isn’t an issue for me as I did not intend to color the background on these designs but I did want to note it in case it is a problem with the entire run of this book.

My gel pens and markers all leaked through this paper. Not a problem, though, as I can put a piece of chipboard or a couple of heavy weight pieces of paper under the page I am working on to keep the ink from leaking through. Coloring pencils work well with the paper.

I received a free sample of this coloring book for test and review purposes.

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Beautiful cookbook with sweet and savory recipes which include Maple Syrup

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Iiiireader

Maple Syrup Cookbook, 3rd Edition: Over 100 Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

By: Ken Haedrich

Rating: 5 of 5

I am always on the lookout for cookbooks which include natural alternatives for sugar. I dislike artificial sweeteners and want to limit my cane sugar intake. This is my second maple syrup cookbook and it is quickly becoming my favorite one.

(more…)

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50 Beautiful Postcards in a Box set Images from original Tropical World printed on one side of heavyweight postcard stock

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Iiiireader

Millie Marotta’s Tropical World (Postcard Box): 50 postcards

By: Millie Marotta

Rating: 5 of 5

This review is for the 50 design box set of postcards. I will address the differences between this and the 30 design postcard glue-bound set towards the end up this review. The silent video with this review will show what is included with this set.

This set of 50 loose leaf postcards is based on Millie Marotta’s Tropical World which is her beautiful and successful second coloring book adventure. The subject of the postcards are tropical flora and fauna. The cards are all from the book and vary from full designs which have been shrunk to fit the new size or which are a subset of the original design (and possibly smaller, too, but not to the same degree as the full designs.) Some of the designs are so small, I must warn that they contain many extremely small and intricate details. So much so, I believe that I will only be able to use a hard lead colored pencil (like Prismacolor Verithins) to get the point I will need to color them. I will attempt to upload two images that demonstrate the shrunken design and the subset design.

Unlike the book, the postcards are definitely printed on only one side. The size is perfect for use as a postcard or to color and frame to make small gifts or a collage of prints on a wall. The back of the design is pre-set for postcard information. The postcards are glue-bound and you pull a card off like you would a note from a notepad.

This set comes in a lovely box which is very nicely made as well. It is a smaller and subset version of the cover of the book it is beautifully drawn and has touches of color and metallic gold. I will certainly find a use for it once I have finished my cards.

My water-based markers did not bleed through this paper. However, my Sharpies (both fine and ultra-fine), Copics, and all other alcohol-based markers did bleed through easily. Gel pens did not leak through but did need extra drying time. Coloring pencils worked great. If I want to use alcohol-based markers, I will cut a piece of chipboard to fit the book and carry it with me to keep ink from leaking through to the next page.

Interestingly, there are two sets of postcards based on Tropical World: this one which is a 50 design loose-leaf box set and a slightly less expensive set of 30 designs which is glue bound with a heavy cardboard cover.

There are really only two main differences between the two sets: 1) the bigger set has 20 designs which are not included in this set, and 2) the bigger set is also just slightly larger so a tiny bit more of images are printed. They are not printed in a larger size, just less of the design is cropped. The cards in 30 design set are approximately 6.25 x 4.25 inches. The cards in the 50 design set are approximately 6.375 x 4.375 inches. The differences each direction is approximately 1/8th of an inch. The real difference is the number of cards and the carrying box.

As to which is better it depends on your budget, how many designs you want, and how you want to use them. I find that the glue-bound is great for carrying in my purse where the box set is better for coloring at home. Provided I can get my photos to post (glitchy review system!) I will include two photos on this review which show the 20 designs that come with this set that do not come with the smaller set.

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30 Beautiful Postcards Images from original Tropical World printed on one side of heavyweight postcard stock

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Iiiireader

Millie Marotta’s Tropical World (Postcard Book): 30 postcards

By: Millie Marotta

Rating: 5 of 5

This review is for the 30 design set of glue-bound postcards. I will address the differences between this and the 50 design postcard set towards the end up this review. The silent video with this review will show what is included with this set.

This set of 30 postcards is based on Millie Marotta’s Tropical World which is her beautiful and successful second coloring book adventure. The subject of the postcards are tropical flora and fauna. The cards are all from the book and vary from full designs which have been shrunk to fit the new size or which are a subset of the original design (and possibly smaller, too, but not to the same degree as the full designs.) Some of the designs are so small, I must warn that they contain many extremely small and intricate details. So much so, I believe that I will only be able to use a hard lead colored pencil (like Prismacolor Verithins) to get the point I will need to color them. I will attempt to upload two images that demonstrate the shrunken design and the subset design.

The cover of the cards is once again gorgeous. It is a smaller and subset version of the cover of the book it is beautifully drawn and has touches of color and metallic gold. Unlike the book, the postcards are definitely printed on only one side. The size is perfect for use as a postcard or to color and frame to make small gifts or a collage of prints on a wall. The back of the design is pre-set for postcard information. The postcards are glue-bound and you pull a card off like you would a note from a notepad.

Interestingly, there are two sets of postcards based on Tropical World: this one which is a 30 design glue-bound set and a slightly more expensive set of 50 designs which are loose-leaf and come with a nicely decorated heavy-duty cardboard holder.

As to which is better it depends on your budget, how many designs you want, and how you want to use them. I find that the glue-bound is great for carrying in my purse where the box set is better for coloring at home. Provided I can get my photos to post (glitchy review system!) I will include two photos on the 50 design set which shows what is included in that set that is not included in this one.

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24 Great Doodle Animal designs printed on one side of non-perforated paper

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Iiiireader

Animals Coloring Book for Adults

By: Happy Coloring

Rating: 5 of 5

There are 25 various animal designs in this great coloring book. They are of the outline of an animal with doodles added to making coloring them a fun experiment in colors. The designs include at least one: wolf, dog, cat, tiger, lion, bear, owl, elephant and more. Some of the designs are head shots while others are full body images. I like that there is a variety in poses as well as animals as it gives me more to choose from when I pick up the book to color. Doodle animals are a favorite of mine because I get to imagine animals in wild and fun colors.

The designs are printed on thin white non-perforated paper which is typical of CreateSpace publications. The paper is medium weight and the binding of this book is glued rather than sewn or stapled. There is plenty of room to cut the page out if you wish. All designs stop well before the margin.

Coloring pencils work well on this paper but all markers and gel pens bleed through. Not a problem I am now using a piece of chipboard under my work to keep ink from leaking through to ruin the design below. You can use heavyweight paper or card stock but be sure to check to see how many layers you need to keep it from leaking through. The reason I like chipboard is it can be reused over and over again and is available at office supply stores or on-line.

These are the coloring medium that I use for testing. If there is something else you feel I should be testing, please let me know and I will see if I can add it to my growing pile:

Markers: 1) alcohol-based Copic Sketch, Prismacolor double ended markers (brush and fine point), Sharpies (fine and ultra-fine) and 2) water-based Tombows dual end markers (brush and fine point), Stabilo 88, Staedler triplus fineliners, and Pentel markers

Gel Pens: Sakura, Fiskars, Uni-ball Signo 0.38/0.28 and Tekwriter

Coloring Pencils: Prismacolor Premier Soft Core, Derwent Colorsoft, Prismacolor Verithins, and Faber-Castel Polychromos

I received a free sample of this coloring book for test and review purposes.

Variety of Cute and Fun Dog Designs printed on one side of non-perforated paper

Dogs Wanna Have Fun: Art pages to color and enjoy (The Magic of Coloring) (Volume 1)

By: Emilie Bilokur

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a coloring book with a variety of fun dog designs. The dogs are in cute poses and in fun situations (I especially like the super dog!) The style of the drawings vary from realistic to wildly imaginative. The lines in some are bold and thick, while in others, the lines are thin and lightly drawn. It is a wonderful book for a dog lover who wants to have fun with coloring and with colors. Quite a few of the designs invite the colorist to use colors with wild abandon similar to the artwork on the cover. Some of the designs have intricate and small elements but for the most part, they should be fairly easy and fun to color.

The designs are printed on one side of white non-perforated paper. All of the designs stop before the binding. The binding is glued but there is plenty of room for you to cut a page out if you choose to do so.

All of my markers (water and alcohol based) bleed through the paper and my gel pens leave a distinct shadow on the back of the page but do not bleed through. My coloring pencils work well with the paper and perform true to type according to their lead. As I will be using markers and gel pens along with pencils when coloring in this book, I will use a piece of chipboard or heavy paper behind the page I am working on so I don’t ruin the following page with leaking ink.

I received a sample copy of this coloring book for test and review purposes.

25 Lovely Flower Postcards Coloring Designs printed on one side of heavyweight card stock

Pretty Flower Postcards

By: Beth Gunnell

Rating: 5 of 5

This is my second set of coloring book postcards by this artist. The first one is Pretty Pattern Postcards and I was so impressed by that book, I had to buy this one as soon as I saw it was available. I am a gardener and I love to color flowers, especially during the more barren months of the year. I get to color the flowers that I imagine I will have in my garden later in the year or make up colors of flowers that simply don’t exist I nature.

I am very impressed with this artist’s style and with the publishing quality of these books. I really hope she continues with this style of book and maybe some larger format ones, too, that are for adults versus what seems to be her coloring books for young girls.

The designs are, in fact, pre-set up for use as postcards with areas for shipping address, writing area, and stamp on the reverse side of each card. There are even cute little designs on that side as well which you can color with a lick of ink/pencil. The size of the book (and pages) is 7.75 x 4.75 inches. The size makes it perfect to carry in a purse or satchel.

The designs are printed on one side of heavyweight, frame-able card stock that has a glued edge that makes removal from the book as simple as can be. All you have to do is carefully pull the design away from the edge and it is ready for mailing or framing as you choose. I could easily get this book to lay fairly flat but you can always remove pages for coloring if you wish to do so, too.

The paper used in these postcard books is probably the best paper I have in any of my coloring books, etc. The only thing that bled through these pages were my Copic and Prismacolor alcohol-based markers and those bleed through everything. My Sharpies, both fine and ultra-fine did NOT bleed through and I checked neon, dark, and bright colors as well. None of my water-based marker did either. My gel pens worked great but needed a little more drying time as the ink apparently sat on the surface of this great paper and did not sink into it. My coloring pencils worked fantastic.

45 Beautiful and Uplifting Designs printed on one side of heavyweight paper

Whatever Is Lovely: A Coloring Book for Reflection and Worship

By: WaterBrook Press

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a really wonderful coloring book filled with hand-drawn designs. I find that the when I start to color, I stop and reflect on either the excerpt Bible verse or the quote. I then keep that in mind throughout my coloring session. The designs in the book are quite lovely. They are open and flowing and while a few of them contain intricate details, for the most part, I find them easy to color. I had not thought of coloring as a form of worship before, but I now see that it absolutely is my inner self expresses the feelings and emotions through this medium as well as through song and other artistic endeavors.

I love that so many Christian coloring books are now becoming available for the adult colorist. This book is different from the other few that I have in that it includes not only specific verses from the Bible but also words of encouragement from hymns, preachers, teachers, and writers. The design is matched to the words and on the backside of each design, the full Bible verse, quote, hymn, and/or publishing cite is listed so you can look up the information for yourself. I also like that the artist attribution(s) are listed on the back, too.

The Bible verses are from both the Old and New Testament and are from a variety of translations, including: Holy Bible NIV, King James Version, The Message, and the New Living Translation.

The designs in this book are printed on one side of the paper (with full cite and quote information as mentioned above printed on the backside of each page.) The paper used is fairly heavyweight and is non-perforated. The binding is glued rather than sewn, so you will have to cut pages out of the book if you wish to remove them. A number of the design merge into the binding, so you will lose some parts of the design if you cut the page out. By breaking the spine a bit, I was able to get the book to lay fairly flat.

My water-based markers (Stabilo 88, Staedler triplus fineliners, Tombows dual end both brush and marker points, and Pentel) do not leak through this paper at all. My Sharpies, Copic, and other alcohol-based markers do bleed through easily. My gel pens do not bleed through or leave a shadow but do require a little more drying time than with lesser paper quality. My coloring pencils work very well with this paper according to the type of lead (hard/soft) that I am using. I won’t worry about which medium I use with the book but I will cut down and carry a piece of chipboard with the book in case I decide to use my alcohol-based markers.

45 Imaginative and Well Done Dr. Who Designs – printed on one side of non-perforated page

Dr. Who: The Colouring Book (Doctor Who)

By: BBC

Rating: 5 of 5

Attached to this review will be a silent flip-through of the entire coloring book so you can make an informed decision as to whether or not it will work for you.

Rather than discuss how this coloring book is like or different from TV series or to compare any of the Dr. Who actors and casts, I will discuss only how I feel about it as an adult coloring book.

I really like the designs in this book. While the publisher of the UK book mentions 45 designs, if you include the three title pages, you get three more. Each of the Dr. Who’s are represented in the book and are shown in an interesting silhouette style design with their heads literally filled with pertinent elements from their time as Dr. Who. The designs are well drawn with clean black lines. Some designs are fairly open and easy to color while others are more intricate and will be a little more challenging but still a lot of fun.

The book is well made. The designs are printed on one side of cream colored non-perforated paper. On the back of each page is a thumbnail version of the design along with a quote that is applicable to the design and which Dr. Who it pertains to as well as the name of the episode and the year it was filmed. The cover can be colored as well and has lovely blue foil touches to make it look extra special. The publisher missed an opportunity by not providing designs on the inside of the fold-out, attached cover; however, there are two flaps you can color if you wish where the printing is white on blue background. The binding is sewn rather than glued, so removing pages is a matter of snipping threads. While a good number of designs merge into the binding, it will not matter if you remove the page by cutting the threads as you will retain the entire page. If you decide to cut the page out instead, you may lose portions of those designs.

None of my gel pens bled through to the back of the page. My colored pencils all worked well on the surface of the paper and behaved as expected for the type of lead. All of my markers bled through the page to some degree: water and alcohol based, ultra-fine, fine, and even brush tips. I would recommend putting a waste sheet of some sort (chipboard, freezer paper (aka butcher paper), card stock, etc.) under the page you are working on to keep ink from possibly getting on the following pages. I am personally using chipboard as I can use it over and over again and I can easily buy it at an office supply store.

My review is of the British release of the coloring book and the book is published by Puffin which is a branch of Penguin Random House UK. I am also ordering the US version which is being published by Price Stern Sloan and whose release is currently scheduled for February 2016. I will be doing a comparison of the two books but the comparison will be in the first comment area below rather than in the text of this review. A glitch in the Amazon system is not allowing me to edit my reviews once a video or photo is attached. It is also possible that the reviews for both books will be merged into one listing after both are published. This happened with the recently published Animorphia and Lost Ocean coloring books. In that case, my comparison will be more lengthy.

In summary, I really like this book as a colorist. It is a subject matter that I enjoy and I will be having a lot of fun with it. While the paper could have been improved and perforated pages would be appreciated, I didn’t detract for those because the way the book was published made it less essential and more of a preference for my use of the book.

Lovely crochet patterns for The Nutcracker utilizing cotton yarn

Crochet Stories: E. T. A. Hoffmann’s The Nutcracker

By: Lindsay Smith

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a fun crochet book with amigurumi figures from “The Nutcracker”. The book has great photographs and very good instructions for creating your own set of figures. I think these would be a fun set of dolls to have on hand for the grandchildren at Christmas time or even to create as ornaments for your tree (all you have to do is add a hoop at the top of each figure. I would suggest, for continuity, that you use the same color of Lily Sugar N Cream that is at the top of each particular figure.