Secret Garden - An Inky Treasure Hunt and Colouring Book

She first came across this book in those online shopping site.

Beautiful illustrations!

It has drawn her attention instantly. Very exquisite drawing in black outline. It's called Secret Garden - A Inky Hunt and Coloring book. The author is Johanna Basford. A quick check on the net showing that she is a Scottish illustrator who believes that computer generated works are somehow lack of spirit and soul. So she draws with her hands and her works are well recognized.

This, Secret Garden is her first book. It was published in 2013, and has sold over millions copies worldwide and been translated into 14 languages.

And so, on a Sunday morning, she and her daughter searched frantically online for it. It was only available in MPH Midvalley and it's the BM version. It's being highly sought after.

By the nature of the mother and the daughter, especially the mother, waiting is just not her style. So off they drove to Midvalley which is not something she will usually do (the difficulty of getting a parking space will drive her up the wall).

She missed the entrance to the car park and had to use the waze to direct her back to the place. It took her a good 1/2 an hour to finally parked her car after countless cursing and swearing, all this hustle is just for the book, the original copy.

So they paid for the book and a brand new set of color pencil. Then they sat down in the Secret Recipe, ordered their drinks and cakes, and opened the book to start coloring! Talk about the nature of the character......

At Secret Recipe Midvalley Megamall.

There starts the journey of coloring, welcome back to childhood! It's suppose to help in reducing stress, obviously only meant for certain group of ppl,  or else you will ended more stressed!

There are hidden objects!

The very first completed picture. Hidden object : a squirrel and a key.

She always tells herself to stay calm when she is working on it, try to have the sense of serenity, to feel and to enjoy the process. The completed outcome is really satisfactory and very encouraging!

She planned for special theme here which is Orange!

Bao's creation, with colored ink pens she uses for her notes!

It definitely takes lots of patience and concentration!

The Purple theme !

Empty space is meant for us to fill in with our own creativity.

The mother needs this, BUT only occasionally!

Yet to be completed Blue theme!

To see the beautiful pictures being slowly colored is somehow very fulfilling!

To see the plain black and white creation being transformed into colorful picture is the key factor!

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I wouldn't say it actually helps to reduce stress, in fact the attentiveness needed here is enormous with lots of very small details! But I treat this more a challenge than to reduce stress and also to have something to fill the free time.  And most importantly I think I enjoy doing it. (it also reminded me the sweet and precious moments I spent with Bao on her coloring book when she was very young.)