anyone know about Mandalas?

[freshstart]

those coloring books for adults that come out looking like stained glass they are so pretty? We used to give mildly demented patients photocopied Mandalas and they would color them in and do them all day. But non-demented people use them and report feeling peaceful and more insightful as they color them in.

I'm thinking of these for my terminally ill mom to have something else to do that cause her no stress. She's past really being able to read a book with enjoyment. She received an iPad mini and spends most of her time watching intense, interesting documentaries on just about anything, independent film and BBC series on netflix, I fill my queue with anything that she might like. Then she spends time when she is in pain doing jigsaw puzzles on it, which I cannot fathom doing on an iPad mini but for some reason she loves them.

So if she can concentrate and comprehend some tough docs, her brain is still whip smart, for whatever reason, probably med related, reading is too much. I want to keep her brain going, the puzzles probably help. So I thought about Mandalas. Anyone do them or know about them? What works best with them, crayons or something to make them prettier?

of course she has rheumatoid arthritis so holding the crayon may not pan out but if it weren't for that, I could see her liking these

[Gardenarian]

I really know nothing about this, but they have some cool drawing apps for the iPad. Maybe she'd like an online coloring book?
Adult coloring books: yes, there's an app for that (http://news.yahoo.com/adult-coloring-books-yes-apps-163912085.html)

[Kestra]

I'd try both pencil crayons and felt markers (the smaller ones with lots of colours). I haven't done them myself, though have at least one friend who does. Seems a nice relaxing hobby and a good way to get away from the computer screen, which many of us need. I use knitting or crocheting for the same effect.

[freshstart]

I really know nothing about this, but they have some cool drawing apps for the iPad. Maybe she'd like an online coloring book?
Adult coloring books: yes, there's an app for that (http://news.yahoo.com/adult-coloring-books-yes-apps-163912085.html)

that may be perfect, thanks!

[freshstart]

I'd try both pencil crayons and felt markers (the smaller ones with lots of colours). I haven't done them myself, though have at least one friend who does. Seems a nice relaxing hobby and a good way to get away from the computer screen, which many of us need. I use knitting or crocheting for the same effect.

I think a coloring book of these and a set of markers would be a good Christmas gift.

[mschrisgo2]

I have been coloring these for many years; I discovered them when I was looking for coloring books for older kids, grades 4-6. Coloring is calming, and sometimes I really need that in the classroom.
Personally, I prefer using good colored pencils in them. I buy the Prismacolors, you can buy them individually, to replace the used up colors. You would also want a good sharpener. I buy the small, a metal ones in the Art supplies at the office stores (as opposed to the basically plastic ones in the school supply aisle). I find markers streak too much for my taste, and good quality markers are very expensive. But I really enjoy coloring them, with nice, soothing music in the background. I have actually framed a couple that I especially love.

[nswef]

I've used crayons, colored pencils (love the Prisma), thin markers- they are too unforgiving for me, and crayola colored pencils, not such intense color. Some are more soothing than others.

[Williamsmith]

We recently picked up a few of these for my daughter and a set of fine coloring pencils. At the time I thought it odd.....adult coloring books. Reading this thread, I now get it. She suffers periodically from migraine headaches. I may get into this myself. I love the suggestion of playing soothing music. It is like returning to your childhood when you became immersed in whatever small things you were doing and they became very important to you. I can dig that now.

[freshstart]

It is like returning to your childhood when you became immersed in whatever small things you were doing and they became very important to you. I can dig that now.

We had this hot pink bucket with worn down crayon stubs that we kept sharpening til we just had nothing left to sharpen. The smell of all those crayons, ahh. Occasionally, I'd take the bus to Woolworth's with my Nana and she would buy me a box of not 24 or 48, not generic, but a whole box of 64 genuine Crayolas. That was such a luxury to me and I could never believe it, lol.

pick the Hoarder who still had the hot pink bucket of crayon nubs when she moved 40 yrs later? My mother. And we had to argue, "these are good still, the kids will use them." Kids are 18 and 16. "Their kids will use them. The poor kids....." These are not even half inch nubs, it would be cruel to make kids use these nowadays when getting new crayons is no longer a 6 yr old's Holy Grail, it's a normal occurrence. I could have melted them in crayon molds but we were purging, not creating craft projects. I smelled them one last time and heaved them into the dumpster. I wish I had known she had the bucket when my kids were little. I'd have dumped it and cleaned it and started all over.

[freshstart]

I sort of felt my mom out on these yesterday, because it will be a waste if her hands are too gnarled and painful to color. I did not let on that I might buy them, just told her what they were and said they kind of remind me of walking a labyrinth, getting out of your own head. Told her how we used them for dementia patients. Isn't that cool?

she flew off the handle, "the one thing I have for Christmas and you just ruined it, nothing can ever be a surprise!" On and on. I think the gist was maybe she bought these for me for Christmas? I'd be surprised if she had heard of them. At any rate, i'm not buying them for Christmas and risk that ire on Christmas morning! If I don't get them, then I will get her some.

Yikes, she makes the littlest thing into a whole negative rant. Not a fan of this increasing irritability. I know she can't really help it but sometimes I'll think she can at least stop sooner

[JaneV2.0]

If you plan to use markers, make sure the book you purchase has bleed-proof paper and the designs are printed on one side only.

[freshstart]

good point

[kib]

I tend to get really mad when people ruin my Christmas surprise gifts for them. :|(

Funny, I was thinking about the terms infer and imply yesterday, and realizing how nuanced everyday conversation really is.

Freshstart: Look at these, they're really cool! (implication, would you like some)?

Mom: (inference, you're asking me to buy them for you): you ruined my surprise.

It's a wonder we can ever talk to each other at all.

[freshstart]

I tend to get really mad when people ruin my Christmas surprise gifts for them. :|(



She is someone who says even if she is giving me money, she has to have something small for me to open. The odds that I just happened to come across the mandala books on a deals site and her knowing what they even are and having bought me one is so slim as to almost be unbelievable. I do feel bad if I ruined the surprise, I just can't believe the coincidence. Maybe someone from her Palliative Care team mentioned them because really, I cannot figure out how she would know about them. Freaking weird. I'll act surprised. If she is doing them to help stimulate my brain and keep me from slipping into that weird fog where I have no memory of what I did all day, then that is the sweetest gift ever.

[Tenngal]

I have a couple of those apps on my kindle and they are very relaxing. You can use your finger tip or a pointing device to do the coloring.

[ZanaHart]

I'm working on creating a coloring book, a little different kind, but I've spent time on facebook groups and seen people mentioning several times that their mothers who are in their 90s love them.

[freshstart]

I keep seeing them pop up everywhere and I want so badly to buy her a set because she spends hours doing online jigsaw puzzles on her iPad. I think simple things like this soothe her through the rough patches. But now I have to wait and see if she did indeed buy one for me.

I kind of hope she didn't, that leaves me open to buy one for her down the road and although some are just gorgeous, they aren't really my cup of tea just now. I am working hard to get reading comprehension and memory better, reading has been my "thing" since I learned to do it. I always read 2-3 books a week. Now one book takes me 3 weeks, I have to re-read, and often I forget the whole thing a few days after finishing it. I want to focus on that and on being able to love and comprehend independent film again. I have yet to make it through any movie since 9/14. I want to keep writing and get that skill back. I have tons of paperwork to do and I want to keep purging and organizing my spaces. Sitting still to color is just not where I am at. Although, on a foggy brain day maybe it would be good.

But I just really wanted to have found something for her to do that she would love and surprise her.

we are an O Henry story, lol