Bigger is Better for Christmas Gifting

#ColortheCarols - Color the Christmas Carols COMBO ComparisonIf you have spent any time with me, then you know I struggle to get through a conversation without asking questions. How. Why. When. But it seems I am not the only one with a case of the dreaded questionitis. You have questions, too. And it only seems fair that I should spend some time answering your questions. (By the way, if you would like to ask me a question, feel free to use the contact form on this website to connect with me.)

I am going to devote a few blog posts to answering questions about our family’s newest creative project: the Color the Carols COMBO. If you are not already familiar with this product, you can read more about it how this project evolved in earlier posts on this blog. In this post, we are going to explore why there are TWO versions of this COMBO, and which one is the best fit for YOU.

  1. Why create TWO versions of COLOR the CAROLS COMBO?
    It is said that variety is the spice of life, is it not? We know people like to be able to exercise their freedom of choice, plus we wanted to create variations that would work for a variety of different folk. But we didn’t want to offer too many choices – that makes shopping stressful, and this COMBO is all about de-stressing. So we settled on two variations: the basic COMBO, and the BIG COMBO. Both COMBOs are currently sold and shipped (domestically and internationally) by the Tiger Music Store in Texas. Both COMBOS are ideal as gifts (or to treat yourself) – the BIG COMBO simply packs a few extras into the parcel.
  2. What is the difference between the COMBOs?
    The basic COLOR the CAROLS COMBO includes the following items: a copy of the UNADORNED TRUMPET CAROLS CD, a copy of the COLOR the TRUMPET CAROLS adult-friendly coloring book, an insert that lists all 49 tracks from the album in alphabetical order (so its easy to find your favorites quickly), and a letter from the creators of the product.
    The COLOR the CAROLS BIG COMBO includes the following items: a copy of the UNADORNED TRUMPET CAROLS CD, a copy of the COLOR the TRUMPET CAROLS adult-friendly coloring book, an insert that lists all 49 tracks from the album in alphabetical order (so its easy to find your favorites quickly), a letter from the creators of the product, PLUS a set of colored pencils, a pencil sharpener (because it’s easier to color with sharp pencils), and a ready-to-color Christmas card (and envelope – so you can mail it as soon as you have finished coloring the card).
  3. Which COMBO should I get?
    The COMBO you select for yourself depends on what you already own (or can borrow from your children’s school supplies). If you already own a box of colored pencils or markers, then you probably don’t need a set that contains these items – the basic COMBO will suit you. The colorable Christmas card is a fun item to add your own creativity to, but note that the BIG COMBO only contains one such Christmas card. (The basic COMBO does not include a colorable card.) Need more than one card? You can buy a family-sized set of these ready-to-color Christmas cards directly from my ETSY store.
    If you are buying a COMBO as a gift, and don’t know the recipient too well e.g. you have no idea if they already do a lot of coloring or not, consider buying the BIG COMBO. It includes everything the gift recipient needs to get started right away with coloring. (A coloring book without crayons is a bit like a battery-operated toy without batteries – not so much fun.) The major advantage to purchasing the BIG COMBO is that you can start coloring as soon as you unpack your order. No need to make a trip to the store to get colored pencils or a sharpener. You are ready for coloring action, so there is no excuse to put off starting your relaxing countdown to Christmas.
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Come Shepherds Rise from #ColortheCarols

#ColortheCarols - Come Shepherds Rise - A Christmas Carol Video from the Color the Carols ComboThis new video includes music and images from the COLOR the CAROLS COMBO. “Come Shepherds Rise” is track 17 on the COMBO’s carol CD, and the imagery in the video is extracted from the “Good Tidings” scene from the Christmas story.

SHEEP LOOK TO HEAVEN

The video unveils sheep and their shepherds, enjoying a quiet evening in the countryside. A sound from above captures their attention. With eyes turned heavenward, the men and animals listen to the announcement of the angel, calling them to rise and go and worship the newborn king.

 

CHRISTMAS COMBO

If you have not already acquired your copy of this Christmas COMBO, we recommend ordering the COMBO before the Christmas rush. These combo’s make excellent stocking fillers for family and friends of all ages. If you want a gift set that includes stationery plus coloring extras, rather opt for the Color the Carols BIG COMBO from Tiger Music.

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING DONE EARLY

Yes, I know it’s still a couple of months until Christmas, but there is something soothing and inspiring about Christmas music, so why save it to only play for a couple of weeks a year. The COMBO’s CD (Unadorned Trumpet Carols by Eddie Lewis) is a beautiful collection of 49 carols, all played without musical ornamentation – the music is simple, refreshing, and deeply relaxing to listen to.

Play the CD as you navigate the crazy, stress-magnifying traffic to work. Play it as you settle down to relax and color the book of Christmas scenes. Put it on while you are cooking dinner. Hum along to the familiar carols, or sing with gusto as if you are in the shower and no-one is listening. If you are not a big fan of coloring, you can purchase this CD as a stand-alone digital album from CD Baby. Currently, the only way to purchase the physical CD is to purchase the Color the Carols COMBO (or BIG COMBO) from Tiger Music (an online music store that ships worldwide).

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What Child is This from #ColortheCarols

Sheep from "In the Manger" - #ColortheCarols - Color the Christmas Trumpet Carols“What Child is This?” is a familiar and beautiful Christmas carol, evoking soothing feelings and possibly even a rush of nostalgia. Most people recognize the tune – it’s Greensleeves, a traditional folk song of English origin. The lyrics for this carol were penned back in 1865 by William Chatterton Dix. You will find the instrumental version of this carol played by trumpeter, Eddie Lewis, on the UNADORNED TRUMPET CAROLS album – it’s track 26. This album comes as part of the COLOR the CAROLS COMBO. Track 26 is the audio you will hear in this video:

The illustration used to create this video is scene 5 in the COLOR the TRUMPET CAROLS coloring book (part of the COMBO). The inquisitive animals gather around the manger, eager to learn who the new comer is. As they peer over the manger’s edge to catch a glimpse of the Baby Jesus, their curiosity is rewarded as the glory from above shines down on the little one. The illustration attempts to capture some of the fascination and awe experienced by these speechless, four-legged onlookers.

If you have purchased the COLOR the CAROLS COMBO and would like to celebrate Christmas by submitting your coloring of any of the scenes for possible inclusion in this website’s gallery or a future video, please use the contact form on this website to connect with me. If you haven’t yet purchased the COMBO, you can click here or on the image below to go directly to the music store that is currently selling these packs.

#colorthecarols - Color the Carols COMBO from www.TigerMusicStore.com
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Cape Town in Colour

Cape Town: Colour the Rainbow Nation by Pearl LewisCape Town, the Mother City of South Africa, is an advert for a great country. As a city with a colourful personality and arms wide open to embrace cultural diversity, Cape Town stands as tall as the mountain that casts a shadow over it. Big. Bold. And proudly South African. Even those who have never visited South Africa are quick to recognize Cape Town’s iconic landmarks: Table Mountain, the City Bowl, Devil’s Peak, Kirstenbosch Gardens, V&A Waterfront, and the list goes on.

Cape Town cannot help but serve as muse. The inspiration it has to offer shrouds the curious mind, dampening the creativity with its salty essence. It spills over thoughts in much the same way that the Cape Doctor’s ghostly breath drapes itself over Table Mountain’s plateau. You will find Cape Town’s special brand of inspiration reflected in the hot, African rhythms that eminate from the crowded jazz venues, in the ghoema beat to which the “Kaapse Klopse” parade dances its way into the new year, in the flavours of the rich Malay curries, in the vibrant street art that tells the city’s collective story, and in the classic and contemporary poetry that bares the city’s soul. A little of Cape Town’s inspiration has soaked into me over the years, and planted the seed for the first book in a new series: Colour the Rainbow Nation.

Cape Town: Colour the Rainbow Nation” is a celebration of Cape Town’s warm personality and beautiful environment. This book is my way of paying tribute to the Mother City. Since there is much to see and experience in such a magnificent city, and a colouring book can only have SO MANY pages, I had to put some boundaries in place. Instead of simply focusing exclusively on the obvious tourist traps, I built my illustrations on the foundation that Cape Town had laid in my own memories and experiences. I will admit that I have done a few of the touristy things like riding the cable car up the mountain, and sitting on the quayside at V&A Waterfront watching the seals sunbathe. But “Cape Town: Colour the Rainbow Nation” is about more than the things everyone should have the opportunity to experince at least once in their lives. It is the story of how a non-Capetonian (like myself) experiences the city, and it is told in a series of ready-to-colour pages.

I like to think that the story I tell has a page for everyone. Take the “mountain king” page as an example. If you have been to Cape Town and never seen a baboon roaming the streets before dawn, then you left the city too soon or got up too late. The baboon may not be one of South Africa’s BIG FIVE, but it certainly is big and bold enough to be the featured wildlife of Cape Town. Then there are the street parades that happen every year on the second of January. I remember first witnessing (thanks to television) the annual Kaapse Klopse as a child. The images and sounds of this Cape Town street parade captivated my young imagination, and remained with me to become another page in the book. Don’t forget the legend of Van Hunks and the vice he shared with the devil. Such a story surely deserves its own page.  You get the idea, don’t you? It’s not just a colouring book about the grand, old Table Mountain (although the majestic mountain did demand it’s own page, which it received).

If you have seen any of my earlier colouring books, you will know that I prefer freestyle drawing. My colouring book pages are not computer-generated models of perfection as has become typical of adult colouring books. I go where the lines lead, and yes, sometimes my hand-drawn lines are a little wonky. Where you see wonky, I see a story unfolding. I like the adjective “organic” – hand-drawn lines are natural, and just a little earthy. The thickness of a hand-drawn line varies as the pen glides across the paper, and sometimes the ink makes a joyful, little ink blob where you didn’t expect to place a blob. The sweep of a hand-drawn curve cannot be described with a very simple mathematical equation – you will need to apply some hefty calculus to write organic lines in mathematics. Yes, hand-drawn illustrations are wonderfully quirky. My illustrations are indeed organic: real-life stories sketched in a thin flow of monotone – stories that are begging you to bring them to life with colour.

Cape Town: Colour the Rainbow Nation” is already available in print and digital formats from a couple of retailers, and you can expect to see the book listed at the major stores (e.g. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Book Depository) within the next four to six weeks.  You can purchase the print and digital (pdf) versions of this book from Lulu. Lulu offers shipping from various depots across the globe, so your order will ship from the location nearest to you. If you live in South Africa, I recommend ordering your print copy from MegaBooks (a book seller based in Cape Town). Megabooks is offering a special introductory price for this book, so you will not only save a lot on the cover price of the book, but also bypass any international customs clearance fees that are levied when you order from Europe or USA.

If you decide to invest in a copy, please do come back and let me know how you experienced the book. If colouring the pages triggered memories, made you laugh, or if you simply enjoyed filling the pages with colour, I would love to hear about it.

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