Right after Christmas, I decided that I would treat myself to something extravagant -- a shiny new set of one hundred and fifty Prismacolor pencil crayons.
This is not an inexpensive set, so the plan was to buy it at a large craft store chain when they had a 50% off coupon. However, even though the display boxes are still on the shelves, they have been out of stock for over five months. After my third failed attempt to buy them I strongly suspected a large corporation of pulling an expensive item from the shelves whenever there was a 50% off coupon, but then I even started checking when there was no coupon, and they actually just don't have them, because apparently they can't get them.
Apparently, the fact that so many adults have taken up colouring has resulted in a worldwide pencil crayon shortage which is something that I'm not creative enough to make up. My personal suspicion is that because they can't keep up with demand, the manufacturers have shifted production to the smaller sets that have a high turnover, and away from the giant ridiculous set that I wanted.
So two weeks ago, when I got tired of flipping through the uncoloured pages of the amazing colouring book I bought and which I'd been saving, I went online and ordered my set.
It is beautiful, and I spent a few days just looking at it and thinking about it before I even started colouring, because after all that buildup I didn't want to do it "wrong".
I think I got it right:
This is the title page to Creatures of the Ink Lagoon, which was produced by a fantastic local artist, Devon Kitto, who I encourage you to look up and follow on instagram and twitter.
And I understand why there's a pencil crayon shortage, because colouring is amazing. It's a way to feel creative even if you don't have great art skills, and it's really good for relieving stress . . . as long as you don't spend so much time doing it that you start to neglect other things.
Like, for instance, writing your weekly blog :)
An extra special thank you to Devon for allowing me to share a piece of her colouring book, and for reading my blog.