Tuesday, October 27, 2015

It's not just for cross stitch any more

My biggest announcement of the year! I love coloring mandalas, and now YOU can color my mandalas too. I've been working on a coloring book, and now it is ready. It's got 20 different mandalas ready for you sit back, relax, and color.

Ink Circles is publishing a coloring book. This is what the cover looks like.
It's called Peace of Art, a little pun because you will be creating a piece of art and you will be enjoying the peace of this relaxing art form.  If you've been watching at all, you'll have noticed a stream of interviews/programs/studies in the social media that tout the benefits of coloring as an adult hobby.

In what may be either a brilliant or a foolish move, I have chosen to distribute through Amazon as my primary fulfilment vehicle. You'll get Prime 2-day shipping; you'll get their price breaks (if they discount it); you'll be able to write and read reviews; I'll get a huge potential audience.



If you're not seeing the link directly above because of Adblock or your firewall, you'll need to go to Amazon and search the old fashioned way. It says order, but technically it is "pre-order" until Nov 10th.

Some of the choices I made in putting this together that might set my book apart from others:

  • Single-sided (8.5 x 11"), so you can cut out pages and frame (or hang on your fridge) without losing a second page.
  • Cardstock pages, so you can use colored pencils OR marker, or maybe even watercolor pencils without the page bleeding through or rippling.
  • Spiral wire binding, it folds back flat to whatever page you choose. No coloring in the binding area.
  • Spiral at the top: both my kids are southpaws. That side spiral gets in the way, so this works great for right or left handed colorists.
  • A color test area on each page so you can check if your shading works or that pink is as bright as you hoped. It's designed such that it can be cut out to make a bookmark afterwards.
One of the 20 pages. You can see the binding and the bookmark in this photo.

Pick the colors that make you smile. Relax, there is no wrong way to do it.

Complete with a real ISBN: 978-0-9969675-0-1
I feel so official!
I'll be adding this to the Ink Circles site for ordering, as well as my Etsy shop, in the interest of complete marketing options, but don't feel bad getting it from your cheapest easiest source. (Only feel bad if you are getting it illegally from a scanned pirated posted copy.)

Namaste!



23 comments:

  1. I love this! You put so much thought into it.

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    1. I love you and appreciate your kind words now and from as long ago as I can remember. I'm kind of amazed that you saw the post while I was still trying to make the link work.

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  2. Wow! So well thought out and beautiful!!

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  3. This is amazing!!! I am so excited for this - I love coloring and these will be brilliant!!

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  4. Wonderful. Finally one of these worth my purchasing. You thought of everything.

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  5. Wonderful. Finally one of these worth my purchasing. You thought of everything.

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  6. Ordered ! Now I just need to wait to stalk the post man. I love your stitched designs so much, that I expect this will be brilliant ! Lynne

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  7. I just pre-ordered two; one for me & one for my wonderfully artistic daughter. Tracy, I can honestly say that you're the perfect cross stitch designer to make this endeavor. I can not wait for these to arrive! Time to sharpen up my pencils! ~Katrina

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  8. WOOHOO!!!! It's about time! I just so happen have a birthday in a couple of weeks - I know what I'm getting :)

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  9. Wow! I love the thought you have put into your coloring book. What pencils do you use or are featured behind your book?

    Robin in Virginia

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    1. Thanks for the kind words, Robin. The pencils in the top pic are actually a mix of watercolor pencils - I have a big set of Albrecht Durer Faber-Castell and of Derwent Suprasoft, and I've put all the jewel tones and brights in one box, and the neutrals and muted tones in the other box. Even as much as I've used them, they are still long and are still in rainbow order. The second picture with dry pencils are Prismacolors. My original set is over 20 years old, with new ones added as new colors were added and old ones were sharpened into nubs. They are not as photogenic as the watercolor pencils, but I love them to death.

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  10. WOOT!!!
    Do you know if this will be on Amazon in other countries? Like Canada?

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    1. Hi Bonnie. Echoing that Woot!!! I'm not sure I've even figured out Amazon for this country. I assume Amazon.ca would be under a totally separate contract and would require shipping to some distribution center there. I'm not sure how big this will go and whether that would be worth that headache. I have, however, added it to the regular Ink Circles site for ordering. It won't be Amazon Prime, but my shipping rate to Canada is pretty reasonable, I think. Cheers!

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  11. This is fantastic. My husband has been coloring for years - I'm ordering it for one of his Christmas presents.

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  12. I am so excited! Not only do I love to stitch your designs, but now I get to color them too!

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  13. Shared this in both of the fb coloring groups I'm in.

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  14. You all have left such wonderfully supportive comments. My heart is beaming. I hope I can live up to all of your praise.

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  15. Pity this isn't available in Germany. I love Mandalas and it caught my eye immediately, especially seeing that you put a lot of thought into how to do it. Great!
    I know I could order from your own online shop but paying the same again for shipping just isn't an option.

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  16. I have always thought that your designs should and could be used as a color or paint your own designs. I'm so happy for you that you have taken this path in life also.
    My very best to you. Continue on!

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  18. I just got my coloring book! I also got my lovely prismacolors in the mail too. Woohoo, life is good!! Thanks Tracy,
    Hildit

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