Thanks to my mom’s most recent hyperfixation, dot art books have taken over both our house and my dorm — for good reason.
Lifelines’ Flow Art color-by-number books are like coloring books or diamond art except they come with the markers and a suggested color palette. There is a design for everyone, from Frankenstein’s monster baking a cake to lush gardens. My current favorite theme is the “Secret Garden” book that contains flowers aplenty, bees, hummingbirds, trees and everything a gardener could dream of.
The reason why I’m so in love with them is because they allow me to reconnect with my creativity amidst a crazy college schedule. The dot books don’t demand hours of my time or proficiency in a specific skill. All that is required is 15 minutes and a space to work in.
As a heavily creative person, staying connected with my creativity is essential to my wellbeing. It’s natural to have to take a break from personal projects when heavy seasons of work come in; but it is unnatural to give up the arts entirely.
Think of it like this: are color by number dot books the peak of my artistic endeavors? No. Are they a relaxing way to be creative? Yes.
Lately, I’ve been trying to make my relationship with my phone a healthy one. Having a portable and accessible hobby makes a world of difference in terms of what I spend my few moments of free time on.
And it’s no wonder people are addicted to their phones. It’s so easy, and a lot of other activities require concentration, time or skill. While these are all rewarding in their own right, they demand something of you that you may not have to give. I love a long-term project, but sometimes you just want to sit down and space out. This craft is the perfect outlet.
On a similar note, dot books also make craft nights easy. I don’t have to add another task to my ever-growing to-do list, which my friends literally groan at whenever they catch a glimpse.
I get most of my craft inspiration from Pinterest. With how perfect and aesthetic everything is curated to be, it can make my interpretation of the same craft feel sloppy. Which is its own issue with perfection and curated social media feeds, but I digress. With the coloring book, I can just tear off a page and get to coloring.
Another thing I love is that I actually have something to show for my time when I’m done. The finished pages add a little color to my dorm, and they fit perfectly in my junk journal alongside photos, stickers and other little things I want to keep. It’s a simple way to make something pretty without having to dedicate hours to a project
If you’re interested in grabbing your own Lifelines Flow Art Dot-by-Letter book, they’ve just branched into minis, metallic ink and line-work versions, respectively. Clearly, my mom and I aren’t the only ones who have become obsessed.
