Okay, ever since I started knitting, I\’ve discovered that I\’m hip.  Not because I\’m, like, hip, or something; but because, apparently, what I\’m into is the new black.  My theory is, it\’s all us X-Geners putting our collective spending power together and making stuff popular because we want to buy it.  Take coloring books, for instance.  I\’ve adored coloring books for years.  My two favorites are the Dover line of Stained Glass Coloring Books and mandala coloring books.  The latter were hard to find up until this holiday season when, apparently, booksellers started listening to me and my X-Gener pals and poof – lots of options.

Just in time for me to be on a budget, of course.  🙂

But I figured I\’d share some of what I\’ve been up to, particularly because it dovetails nicely with the whole yoga-meditate-getinthemoment-beinthebody vibe that I\’ve got going lately.

This one is held up against my monitor so you can see it by the glow of the light.  That\’s why I like these, because they are translucent.  One project I\’d like to do at some point is make a Japanese-style paper lantern using these colored designs.

Here\’s the back of the book so you can read a little more about it.  (If you click on the image, it will jump you to the Amazon page if you\’re interested in shopping.)

I figured a discussion of pens is warranted, especially since there\’s such an interest in adult coloring books now.  I\’m a pen snob.  This will not surprise any of you who have been reading me a while, but I say it because I\’m extraordinarily picky about what pens I like to use.  Pentel pens are, by far, my favorite for luminosity and lasting power of the pens themselves.  I know there are more expensive and higher quality pens (I made the mistake of telling a graphic artist friend of my love affair with Pentel and got an ear-full).  But here\’s why I like these:  I\’ve owned this specific set for OVER 20 years.  No, that\’s not a typo.  The red\’s a little dry now, and so is one of the greys, but by and large it\’s still working for what I need it to do – color coloring books so I can relax.  I don\’t use them for serious Art with a capital A.  (Well, that\’s not true – I have used them for that; my point is, I\’m not saying these are the best pens out there, just that they\’re my favorite).

Here\’s the inside of the set; I like this wallet type.  I saw online that there\’s a version in a rectangular case, but this one allows me to put them in the order I want them in and they stay organized.  They do sell smaller sets, if you don\’t want to fork over the money for all 36; I used a smaller set for years too.  They really seem to last.  I\’ve put a hyperlink to Amazon in the image so if you click on it, it\’ll jump you to the shopping page.

Tell me, Dear Reader, what are your favorite coloring books and tools?  Pens?  Pencils?  I\’d love to know.

(I think I\’ve fixed the comment problems, but holler if not; email is a.catherine.noon AT gmail.)