"Color Me Calm" Helps People During Job Hunting

It is so wonderful to hear how "Color Me Calm" is still helping people for various reasons...including the stress of job searching!

Positive Psychology names "Color Me Calm" in Top 45 Meditation Books

I'm honored to discover that "Color Me Calm" was listed among Positive Psychology's Top 45 Meditation Books of All Time, making the list of their Top 5 Meditation Coloring Books. Thank you for the distinction!

Coloring Testimonials Continue to Amaze!

I am always amazed when I hear testimonials about how our coloring books have impacted people in a positive and meaningful way.  Someone contacted me as they were trying to locate a "Color Me Grateful" book to finish their collection, and shared more (completely unsolicited) about how these books have helped them through a chronic condition, as well as help teens open up more with discussion.  This is wonderful!

"I am a pastor and social worker by training, but I have a chronic neurological disorder that has made me disabled and unable to work professionally, for the past 15 years. I discovered coloring, when one of my kids gave me a book a few years ago! The series that you and Angela Porter have created has added so much happiness to the endless hours I have to sit in bed. In recent years, I have started sharing your books with my nieces and teenage daughters of some of my friends, who are struggling with depression and growing up, in general. We color together, and they end up talking to me about what’s happening in their lives and minds. Your books have become the catalysts for meaningful conversation and bonding with some kids who often find it difficult to express themselves, and tend to suffer inside their own minds.  I wholeheartedly want to thank you for making the world a better place!!"   

If you have your own story, please let me know!  You can comment below or send me a message.  I love to hear how the books are benefitting you!  Thanks so much.

"Be Stress-Free and Colour" among The Independent's Top Coloring Books for 2021

I'm thrilled to be alerted that the UK newspaper,  The Independent, has featured my and Angela's book "Be Stress-Free and Colour" in their "Best adult colouring books for unleashing your creativity" for 2021.  Thank you for the honor!

Mom.com Features Color Me Happy and Color Me Grateful Among Best Coloring Books for Moms

I'm continuing to be amazed at where I find my books. Sometimes they are "new" finds for me, even though they've been online for a while. Here I found both "Color Me Grateful" and "Color Me Happy" on Mom.com's "Amazing and Beautiful Coloring Books for Moms." It's fun to discover, and I'm glad that people are still getting use from them! Thank you for featuring them!

https://mom.com/momlife/37353-amazing-beautiful-coloring-books-moms

"Color Me Calm" Part of Weekly Routine for Stress-Relief

Had a nice share about "Color Me Calm" on Instagram today.  It's great to see people use the book as a stress reliever and a coping skill to manage anxiety!

New Coloring Books Release for Quarantine Stress-Relief

I know a lot of people are wondering how to pass the time and deal with the stress from all this pandemic management. If you like to color, Crestline Books are releasing more titles with some affordable books by myself and Angela Porter in the next few weeks or so to help you reduce your stress and ease your boredom. You can find them at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million, and through Quarto Publishing. #KeepCalmAndColor

Lacy Interviews with The Wellness Design Podcast

04 - Color Me Calm - 

Adult Coloring Books For Your Waiting Room 

How can an adult coloring book create a memorable experience in your waiting room and offer next level service to your peeps? In today’s episode I interview Lacy Mucklow, the author of the wildly popular adult coloring books “Color Me” series. You’ll learn how coloring instantly calms the brain regardless of your age and what’s so unique about these coloring books your patients (and their families) will love! 

 Download this podcast episode here 

 Click here to stream directly from the website

Stream the episode here 

Healthcare interior designer Cheryl Janis interviews big-hearted industry professionals, designers, artists, and creatives who share their must have design resources and tools for your patient-centered medical, dental, healthcare practice or beauty business. Stop feeling overwhelmed by all the design choices out there. Learn the best options for you, your staff, patients and clients, and how to use them intelligently in your own wellness space. 

GET IN TOUCH 

cjanis@cheryljanisdesigns.com 

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Real Simple Magazine highlights that making art reduces stress

Real Simple Magazine featured an article that highlights research from Drexel University showing that there was a significant reduction in stress levels after making art. They also list their Top 6 favorite coloring books, and "Color Me Happy" made the list!

New Research Says We Should All Color More 

The stress-relieving benefits are real. 

By Samantha Zabell 

You may think you’re “not creative” or “bad at art,” but a new study from Drexel University says you should head to the craft store anyway. According to new research, making art can significantly reduce stress levels, whether you’re gluing macaroni noodles or painting museum-worthy landscapes. 

The results of the study, published in the journal Art Therapy, were not entirely surprising to lead researcher Girija Kaimal, EdD, who said in a statement: “That’s the core idea in art therapy: Everyone is creative and can be expressive in the visual arts when working in a supportive setting.” Even people who rarely picked up a crayon experienced the same stress-relieving benefits as those who were practiced in making art. 

 The researchers studied 39 adults between the ages of 18 and 59, and measured their cortisol (stress hormone) levels before and after a 45-minute art session. Participants were free to experiment with everything from markers to clay, without instruction or direction. Following the session, 75 percent of participants experienced a drop in cortisol levels. The other 25 percent experienced heightened cortisol levels, but Kaimal explained that those individuals were not necessarily more stressed—heightened cortisol levels can also suggest engagement or enjoyment. 

 There was no significant correlation between skill or materials used and cortisol levels, meaning modeling clay was just as soothing as coloring. But because younger participants consistently exhibited lower cortisol levels after making art, Kaimal believes creative arts would especially benefit stressed students. 

 If you don't have a robust craft closet at your disposal, there is a simple way to reap the same benefits without much mess—adult coloring books. You’ve likely read about the craze, which proves these intricately designed books are no longer just for kids. In 2015, 12 million copies of coloring books were sold in the U.S., compared to just 1 million in 2014. Here, our favorite books to help you unwind:

The Huffington Post includes "Color Me Calm" and "Color Me Stress-Free" on Top 15 Coloring Book List

Both "Color Me Calm" and "Color Me Stress-Free" made Dr. Martinez's favorite 15 coloring books for the Huffington Post!

THE BLOG
My Top 15 Favorite Adult Coloring Books, and Why...
06/03/2016 11:28 am 11:28:13 | Updated Jun 03, 2016

Dr. Nikki Martinez, Psy.D., LCPC
Tele-health counselor for www.DrNikkiMartinez.com, Adjunct Professor, Consultant, and Writer

1. Mandalas to Color, Volume I, by colorit.com. Who does not love a Mandala? There is something about these intricate patterns that allows us to get lost in the beauty of them, and these are some of the best quality I have come across.

2. Outside the Lines, curated by Souris Hong-Porretta. If you are someone who is obsessed with the likes of Gary Baseman, Shepard Fairy, AIKO, Keith Haring, and more than 100 other artists, this is the book for you. Edgy and creative, the fun and complexity is attracting.

3. Dia De Los Muertos, Volume 1. 50 pages of Sugar Skulls. I am not sure about you, but I am in love with sugar skulls, the detail, the beauty, and the ability to make something dark, but beautiful. If you love them too, this is the book for you!

4. Color Me Calm, by Lacy Mucklow and Angela Porter. These two ladies truly came together to form a series of images that would calm even the most anxious person. They are lovely, original, and enjoyable for anyone who chooses to start with this.

5. Coloring for Grown-Ups, by Ryan Hunter and Taige Jensen are just plain fun. They are edgy, silly, and undeniably fun. A great gift for yourself or anyone with a great sense of humor. You will not only get lost in the coloring, you are bound to giggle as you do it.

6. Colorama Color Me Happy, Coloring Book, by Telebrands Press is a great book for anyone. They are clean, clear, and cheerful. A terrific book to get you started, and a gift that will be appreciated by anyone who receives them.

7. Colorful Flowers, Volume I, by colorit.com is a personal favorite. I will admit, I have a bias for varied and beautiful flowers, something I like to think I share with many. These books are not only beautiful, they are sturdy, high quality, and real remembrance that will hold up over time. While some books may be a few dollars cheaper, I think the quality more than makes up for it with these.

8. Breathe, Volume 3, by Angie Grace, These books are small, portable, and well done. The images are inventive engaging. A great book, at a wonderful price. A nice way to calm yourself for a small investment if you are starting out with adult coloring as a hobby.

9. The Tattoo Coloring Book, by Megamunden. If you are like me, and you love tattoos just as much as you love flowers, because aren’t we all eclectic? You will really enjoy this book. It has wonderful traditional tattoo designs for you to color the way you always want the professionals too when you watch them.

10. Outside the Lines, Too, Curated by Souris Hong. In the second installment of this series, you will not be let down with images created by the minds of another 100 imaginative minds. If you love the likes of Tim Biskup, Caroline Hwang, Jack Black, and many more, you will love every second you spend lost coloring this book.

11. Color Me Stress-Free, by Lacy Mucklow and Angela Porter. In another installment of this collaboration, the two come up with works that are bound to reduce stress, create relaxation, and foster creativity. I find the series to all be very well done.

12. Colorama, Flowers, Paisleys, Stained Glass and More, Coloring Book, by Bulbhead. Another simple, clean, and pretty book for the person who is looking to dip their toe in adult coloring. It also makes a wonderful stocking stuffer for any creative friend.

13. Calming Doodles, Volume I, by colorit.com. As mentioned before, a few of these, and a pack of colored pencils, make a really sharp gift. Not only are the pictures and books high quality, but they look like you have spent invested in this hobby for them. Fun, function, and flare, at its best!

14. Balance, Volume I, by Angie Grace. This is another book in her series, and carries the same portability, reduction of size, mixed with lovely images and centering coloring activities for the novice to the expert.

15. Calming Therapy, an Anti-Stress Coloring Book, by Hannah Davies, Richard Merritt, and Cindy Wilde. I saved one of my absolute favorites for last. This book helped me fill more hours than I can name during recovery from surgery. The book is sturdy and attractive, and the pictures are very engaging. You find yourself not wanting to walk away until you have finished a piece.

So there is my list of my 15 favorite books that I have come across, and that really help meet any interest, need, and function that they are intended for. Check them out online and see if any might be a good fit for you. Perhaps another book by one of these artists will be the right fit for you, or maybe a complete other book will be the one that touches a note with you. No matter what you choose, enjoy, relax, and regroup in a wonderful way.

Follow Dr. Nikki Martinez, Psy.D., LCPC on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DrNikkiMartinez

"Color Me Fearless" Makes Aspire Magazine's Top 10 Inspirational Books for May 2016!

I'm very honored that my and Angela's book "Color Me Fearless" made the Top 10 Inspiring Books for May 2016 in Aspire Magazine! Thank you Linda Joy, Publisher for including our book in ‪#‎AspireMag‬'s list with other women authors who are empowering others!

Top 10 Inspirational Books – May 2016

May 5, 2016 by NicholSkaggs

Welcome to this month’s Aspire Magazine Top 10 Inspirational Books list! You’ll discover inspirational and empowering books, written by women and for women, each dedicated to sharing a universal message of love, hope and self-empowerment. Through their wisdom-filled books, these visionary female authors are illuminating the path for women on the journey of healing and self-discovery. Add these transformational books to your inspired living resource library.

Color Me Fearless: Nearly 100 Coloring Templates to Boost Strength and Courage (A Zen Coloring Book)

by Lacy Mucklow

The perfect book for stressed-out adults who want to reconnect, simply and easily, with their inner creativity. Color Me Fearless is a guided coloring book for adults coping with their own daily fears. Art therapist Lacy Mucklow and artist Angela Porter offer up 100 coloring templates, all designed to boost strength, courage, and confidence. Organized into seven therapeutically themed chapters, readers can explore the benefits of putting pencil (or crayon!) to paper and channel their day-to-day stresses into a satisfying, creative environment. Color Me Fearless is the perfect way step back from the fears of everyday life, color, and relax!

Bust out the Crayons: This New Adult Coloring Book Wants to Send You to Sleep

Here is an article I was interviewed for at VanWinkles.com about my latest coloring book, "Color Me to Sleep," since this magazine focuses on sleep-oriented information.

Bust out the Crayons: This New Adult Coloring Book Wants to Send You to Sleep

By Dan Katter • April 28, 2016 at 1:10pm

 

It happened suddenly, didn’t it? One day we were staring at a rather unextraordinary bestseller list and the next we were seeing adult coloring books amongst the James Pattersons and Jojo Moyes’ of the world. Now, the eyebrow-raising pastime that launched 1,000 thinkpieces, is a full-blown movement that shows no signs of slowing — as of this writing, two of the top five bestsellers on Amazon are adult coloring books. You can work your Crayolas to nubs coloring everything from bible verses and sea creatures to many, many books about swear words, all in the name of stress relief.

Today, Lacy Mucklow and Angela Porter, the prolific duo behind such bestsellers as “Color Me Calm” and “Color Me Happy” have released “Color Me to Sleep,” the first such adult coloring book designed to help readers wind down and achieve a good night’s rest. We spoke to Mucklow, an art therapist, about the coloring trend and why, exactly, scratching out a picture of an owl might make someone sleep better.

Why do you think adult coloring books are having such a moment right now?

Coloring books for adults have been around for years on a small scale, but I think the coloring books started becoming really popular about a year or two ago. Apparently, the trend really started to swell in France, and then started spreading around the global market My theory is that we’re more digitally minded than ever. A few years ago, owning a smartphone wasn’t an expected fact of life. Coloring books (along with board games and puzzles) are popular right now because it’s an interactive activity that doesn’t require a screen. At the same time, social media makes it easy to share your finished work.

Coloring helps tune out the chatter of the day by focusing the mind on a single activity.

On top of that, coloring gives each person the freedom to be creative and escape the stressors of the everyday. We see the joy and excitement that children have when they color a book with cartoon characters that they love, and we tend to get away from doing things like that when we’re adults. I also think that adults are interested in the books because it is an effective and innovative way to bond with people across generations. People have told me that coloring books have connected them with other adults, their children and their own, older parents. It’s nice to be able to put your phone away and enjoy down time with a shared experience.

Courtesy of Quarto Publishing

How is this book different than other coloring books for calmness? What makes it sleep-focused?

The templates of “Color Me to Sleep” center on the things that exemplify a good sleep: comfortable beds, cozy linens, warm beverages and fireplaces, starry skies, hot baths and whimsical fantasies. This helps colorers visualize positive sleep experiences for themselves. The patterns and shapes encourage people create a restful space, and the images infuse that space with a sleepy mentality.

What types of shapes and patterns promote a restful calm mind?

When it comes to relaxing, one of the most useful designs is the mandala. Cultures around the world use the mandala to guide meditation, and they were popularized in the west by Carl Jung after he included them in his theory of symbols and drew a mandala every day himself. Mandalas are highly symmetrical and emphasize circles, so they allow for creativity but also provide the guidance that people need to get going. Patterns found in nature make people feel comfortable, because they’re familiar. The Fibonacci sequence, for instance, appears on everything from seashells to pinecones and sunflowers. Fractals patterns, which you can see on snowflakes and ferns, can induce a meditative state through their repetition.

The Mandala featured in "Color Me to Sleep", Courtesy of Quarto Publishing

How do you think performing an activity like coloring prepare someone to go to sleep?

Coloring helps tune out the chatter of the day by focusing the mind on a single activity. The repetitive motion and detailed designs help induce a meditative state for most adults and allows them to tune the world out for a little while as they focus. Coloring engages the amygdala, the “fight- or-flight” part of the brain, and gives it permission to let its guard down.

The patterns and shapes encourage people create a restful space, and the images infuse that space with a sleepy mentality.

Are there any particular colors you recommend using for a good night's sleep?

A person’s color choice can even affect their mood, and every color has its own “energy” that can calm someone down or excite them. Though it varies by culture, cooler colors tend to reduce energy, while warmer colors tend to increase energy. Bright colors tend to bring more intense feelings, while pastel or darker colors communicate softer energy. So for winding down for a good night's sleep, cooler, darker, and pastel colors are likely to be the most effective. However, the most important thing when coloring is to figure out which colors you find pleasant and soothing and then incorporate them into your palate.

Courtesy of Quarto Publishing

Did you design the templates to be monotonous, in hopes of lulling colorers to sleep?

The repetitive designs of a mandala can be lulling to some people, but we also include many scenic and representational pictures that show a variety of different designs. The idea of the book isn’t to bore people to the point of passing out, but to help them put aside their stressors and encourage thoughts of restfulness and comfort.

Would it be wise for parents to incorporate coloring into their child's bedtime routine?

This is absolutely something that can be incorporated into a nighttime routine with children. Though "Color Me to Sleep" in particular may be more advanced for some children to use themselves, parents can use it to color with their children in their own coloring books as to wind down for the evening together. Many children actually prefer to color before bed rather than hear a bedtime story. It is definitely a method worth exploring its effectiveness for a better night's sleep.

How Coloring Can Help You Sleep Better

Here is an article by Alanna McGinn, a sleep consultant who also wrote the afterword in my book "Color Me to Sleep."  She discusses how coloring can help people sleep, and about good sleep hygiene in general.

Alanna McGinn Become a fan

Pediatric and Adult Sleep Consultant

How Colouring Can Help You Sleep Better

             Posted: 03/24/2016 10:27 am EDT Updated: 03/24/2016 10:59 am EDT            

JDwow via Getty Images

                                                                                 

                

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Colouring has always been a fun activity for children and recently adult colouring has become mom and dad's new pastime, especially at bedtime. Good Night Sleep Site has been a strong supporter of introducing adult colouring at bedtime to calm and quiet the mind, so when I was asked to write the afterword for the latest in Lacy Mucklow and Angela Porter's Color Me To series - Color Me To Sleep -- not only was I completely honoured but I couldn't think of a better match.

It can be hard to find an activity that can calm our minds and remove us from the chaos of our usual day. Colouring allows us to do this and it's also just so darn fun! Family colouring is a perfect addition to our #BringBackBedtime initiative and if colouring is a hobby you want to start but are having a difficult time fitting it into your day I'm here to tell you there is no better time than at bedtime.

Forget The Usual Story Time and Bring Out the Crayons

Are you tired of hearing the same response over and over again when you ask your child how their day was? "It was fine." "School was good." If you want to start opening the communication between you and your child start at bedtime and colouring will give you the perfect backdrop to ask those open ended questions that will strengthen the attachment that you want with your child. While we don't want to overlook the importance of literacy, exchange story time 2 nights a week with colouring. Mom or dad can grab their own colouring book and colour along side your little one and start talking. Ask the questions or create your own bedtime stories with the pictures you're colouring, and enjoy 30 minutes of quality time with one another.

Turn Off The TV and Sharpen Your Pencils

If you are struggling to fall asleep at night because your mind won't slow down, colouring during your bedtime routine is perfectly calming and a great way to practice mindfulness, which can aid in helping you fall asleep easier and stay asleep longer. Replace your tablet and remote control with your colouring book on your night table and incorporate this relaxing hobby during your bedtime routine. While this may not suit all partners, why not colour along side each other before you go to bed. It will encourage you to start going to bed at the same time each night and open communication between one another, which can be hard to do while you're in the throes of your usual day-to-day routine.

Can't Sleep? Get Out of Bed and Colour

An important step when treating insomnia with my clients is encouraging them to get out of bed when they are having difficulty falling back to sleep at night. Tossing and turning because you can't fall back to sleep when waking in the middle of the night is only going to heighten your anxiety and stress. It's okay to get out of bed for 15 to 30 minutes and then try again. What's important is to find the best activity when getting out of bed that can encourage the relaxing and calming environment you need to help you fall back to sleep. Checking your emails, surfing the internet, or watching TV can be replaced by simply colouring. It's best to set up your colouring station before you go to bed so that everything is prepared and waiting for you if you need it throughout the night.

Purchase Color Me To Sleep and receive 35% off using code COLORME35 here.


Follow Alanna McGinn at Good Night Sleep Site, Facebook, and Instagram for more family sleep tips.

Color Me Calm Featured in Durham and Chapel Hill Magazines for Holiday Gift Guide

What a pleasure to see that both the Chapel Hill Magazine and Durham Magazine featured "Color Me Calm" in their Holiday Gift Guide section in the December 2015/January 2016 editions of their magazine.  I can't believe all the places I still find references to my coloring books even years later.  Thank you!

https://issuu.com/shannonmedia/docs/chmdec2015issuu (Chapel Hill Magazine) chapelhillmagazine.com

https://issuu.com/shannonmedia/docs/dm_dec_jan16  (Durham Magazine) 

durhammag.com

Color Me Calm and Color Me Happy Are Here!

After over a year of working and waiting, I am proud to announce my first published books that came out simultaneously on October 27th.  They are coloring books for adults entitled "Color Me Calm" and "Color Me Happy," published by Race Point Publishing.  I authored the text and the content, with each book broken down into themed chapters of things that are commonly associated with calming people or boosting their mood.  Angela Porter did a fantastic job illustrating my artistic suggestions for each chapter to give everyone dozens of pictures to color.  They are great to use for yourself, for friends or family, or with your clients.  Even in pre-order, "Color Me Calm" has already made it as a #1 Bestseller on Amazon, and "Color Me Happy" is not far behind at #2.