Sunshine and Bloom by Rachel Ellen Designs

This quaint colouring book was created by Rachel Ellen Church, an ex-ballet dancer turned designer from my neck of the woods (Nottinghamshire). Her unique greetings cards and stationery have become increasingly popular worldwide, garnering particular success in the Japanese market. This is not surprising to me as her brightly coloured art has a distinct 'Kawaii' feel, which is something I absolutely LOVE! Rachel and her team work from their studio & offices in Sherwood, with 25 members of staff all working to produce beautifully crafted products.

All the illustrations in this book are hand drawn, and are exquisite in their charming, delicate style. There are just 12 pages but each one packs a punch in terms of intricacy. I love pictures that are detailed but not in a repetitive way- which can certainly be said for Sunshine and Bloom. There are owls, butterflies, flowers, rabbits and squirrels, all simply and sweetly presented in a busy nature-inspired backdrop. Have a look through for yourself!

The pages are all bright white, smooth and fairly thick, with each design printed one-sided. Linework ranges from medium to thick, but not so dense that it takes over the image. The cover is made from a heavyweight card and is stunningly decorated with pretty pastel colours and delightful illustrations from inside the book.

Best of all, this enchanting book is only £2.99! It's amazing value for the quality of art included. Rachel is bringing out a sequel, The Lovely Mum Colouring Book in the next few weeks, so keep a watch out for that as I'm sure it will be just as wonderful.

Here's my finished page, completed with several brands of alcohol markers. I wanted it to be in-keeping with the pastel theme and chose colours remeniscent of Cath Kidston's designs :)

This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review. You can buy a copy on the Rachel Ellen Designs website.