Friday, January 1, 2016

Mrs. RWP begins a new hobby

The beginning of a new year brings with it, to our house at least, a new hobby for Mrs. RWP. She had dropped a few hints to the children before Christmas that she would like to have an adult coloring book. Get your minds out of the gutter, people. She didn't want an adult-content coloring book, she wanted an adult-difficulty coloring book. These are all the rage this season hereabouts.

No one acted on her hints. Our children pooled their fortunes and presented us with the joint gift of a new computer. From now on I will be composing these posts on a Hewlett-Packard "All-in-One" PC with Windows 10 instead of a 16-year-old dinosaur with XP. I missed Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8 altogether. The new computer came with a wireless mouse and a wireless keyboard. I went out on December 31st and bought a new wireless printer/scanner to go with it, replacing the unbelievably slow but still-functioning HP-812C that I've had since 1999. But I digress.

Mrs. RWP went out to an art-supply store one day last week and bought a coloring book herself along with some "artists coloured pencils" (hey, look, British spelling!). On December 30th she began working on her first project. If I had been thinking, I would have shown you the page before she began, but as usual, I was not thinking. (Note to self. If I had been thinking, I would have given her the coloring book.)

Here's how the page looked when she had filled in half of it:


And here's how the page looked on December 31st after she had finished it:


I think it is very pretty.

Mrs. RWP says doing it was very relaxing because she had to stop thinking about everything else and concentrate on the coloring. If I tried to do this sort of thing myself, it would make me tense and frustrated, and perhaps I would go stark raving mad.

They say opposites attract.

To end on a somewhat melancholy note, here is Kitty Kallen singing “My Coloring Book” (3:18) from 1962.

10 comments:

  1. They are all the rage here too this year Sir. Happy New Year to you and Mrs RWP. Many happy hours of colouring.

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  2. Mrs RWP is right on trend.
    My fine motor skills are shot, so it would be a source of intense frustration, but I love that people are finding pleasure in the simple things again.

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  3. No. No. I think you should give colouring a go too Bob. Nothing as intricate as Ellie is doing but maybe simple farmyard pictures - a couple of cows, a pig by a sty, a tractor and a jolly farmer perhaps. How kind of your kids to club together for a computer that doesn't belong in a museum. Welcome to 2016!

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  4. Very pretty and very popular here in the UK, now available as part-works or magazines I believe. I even saw one calling itself the Xen Book of Colouring, so maybe Mrs RWP has a point about their meditative qualities.

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  5. Yes! You go, Mrs. RWP! My girls (ages 26 & 33) and I (age 29+) all LOVE to colour. We take our colouring books with us whenever we go camping or traveling. Recently found the 'adult' colouring books and those are even MORE fun! Enjoy! (Bob's probably making excuses because HE can't colour within the lines!)

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  6. Lovely. I received one myself with pencils to colour with. The idea is connected to Mindfulness, and is indeed meditative and relaxing. I already find myself in that place through my artwork, so I'm saving the book for the next time I'm in hospital, because it will be ideal for purpose then. Hubby also was given one as gift, with felt tips pens. He looked thrilled. Hahahahaha. Happy New Year to one and all and thank you for the pretty card, it made my day. Michelle x

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  7. The new computer and printer plus a bit of effort and you could make the patterns as fast as she could colour in.

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  8. Greetings Mr. RWP,

    Mrs. RWP is doing a mighty fine job of colouring, yes and now just to annoy my English, English spell check, here goes, "coloring!"

    It does seem to be a therapeutic hobby and like the adorable Michelle notes, the idea is connected to Mindfulness. In fact, Michelle kindly sent me one of her colourful, thoughtful, mindful creations which I shall duly stare at.

    And yes, I can see a striking similarity between your fine looking self and me from your ever so young photo from 1943.

    All the best, cheerio and toodle pip!

    Gary

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  9. I adore paisley. If you can onlyget the Methodists to replace the crossbeam of the cross with paisley, I'll join the church. Sometimes, I think about getting rid of every shirt I have and replacing them with shirts that have paisley patterns.

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  10. Great job on that coloring page. Our daughter gifted an adult coloring book to me, and I love it. I, too, find it very relaxing and I love to show off my finished works. I may just have to post a few a little later.

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<b>Always true to you, darlin’, in my fashion</b>

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