A colouring book gift for Mum or Nan
By the Happily Drawn studio. Updated .
If she likes a quiet hour with a cup of tea, there are two kinds of colouring book to give her. One Pen Pages are ready-made books of 35 scenes she colours with one dark pen, £20 each. A book from your own photos, £27.99, puts her family on the pages. Both come with tracked delivery.
Example
ExampleWhich book suits her?
Think about how she spends a quiet evening, then look down the list.
| If she… | Give her |
|---|---|
| Likes an hour to herself with the radio on | One Pen Pages |
| Would love the grandchildren on every page | The book from your photos |
| Says she can't draw | Either. Nobody draws in either book |
| Does the crossword in pen | One Pen Pages, and a three-dot page first |
| Has everything already | The book from your photos: nobody else can buy her this one |
| Colours with the grandchildren | Either. One Pen Pages are for all ages from 8 |
They also make a good pair: the photo book for Christmas Day, and a One Pen title for the quiet days after.
Which One Pen title would she like?
Pick the thing she loves. A few she might:
- Tea and cake: teapots, a Victoria sponge and the cake stand in the tea-room window.
- The cottage garden: hollyhocks, the potting shed and a hedgehog under the hedge.
- Garden birds: blue tits on the feeder, a wren on the wall and a blackbird on the lawn.
- Cats about the house: cats in boxes, on radiators and asleep in the clean washing.
- The British seaside: beach huts, the pier and a gull with its eye on your chips.
- The Christmas kitchen: mince pies, the pudding and the good biscuit tin, waiting under the dots.
Every book has 35 scenes from easy to detailed, marked with dots in the margin, printed on one side of thick paper and spiral-bound so it lies flat. If she colours with her left hand, choose a left-handed copy: same price, with every scene on the left-hand page.
Buying for more than one person, or a few for her? Mix any titles: 2 books 10% off, 3 books 15% off, 4 books 20% off and 5 or more 25% off. Pens are not included, so tuck a dark felt tip or fineliner (0.5 to 1 mm) in with it. Our guide on how to colour a One Pen page shows her how it works, if she has never tried one.
How do I make the photo book as a surprise?
Go through your phone and the family's for up to 20 photos: the grandchildren close up, the dog, her garden, the day everyone wore paper hats. Ask a brother or sister for the ones you don't have. If the grandchildren aren't yours, check with their parents first.
We draw your first three pages free so you can see them before you pay, and you check every page before it's printed. Add your own title for the cover and a message on its own page at the front. How to make a colouring book from your own photos has tips on choosing photos.
Will it get there for Christmas?
Before you pay, each book shows the date it arrives by in her country, with tracked delivery in the price. One Pen Pages are printed in the UK; the photo book is printed near her.
The last order dates for Christmas in every country are on our delivery page. Sending abroad? One Pen Pages go to the UK, the US, Australia and New Zealand, two or more at a time to Australia and New Zealand. The photo book goes to the UK, the US (except Illinois), Canada (except Quebec), Australia and New Zealand.
Can I send it straight to her?
Yes. Put her address as the delivery address at checkout and we post it straight to her. If you would rather wrap it yourself, or give it in person, send it to your own address instead.
Looking for more ideas for her? See our gifts for Mum or Gran.
Questions
How much are they?
One Pen Pages are £20 a book in our launch offer (the full price is £26.99), and less when you buy two or more. The book from your photos is £27.99. Both include tracked delivery.
Is One Pen Pages right for someone who has never coloured?
Yes. Nobody draws. She colours each shape that has a dot, with one dark pen, and leaves the rest white. A one-dot page is the easy place to start.
Can I see the photo book before I buy it?
Yes. We draw your first three pages from your own photos, free, with no card and no account.
Can I choose a left-handed copy?
Yes, for One Pen Pages, at the same price. Every scene is on the left-hand page, so the wire sits away from her hand.
More guides
How to make a colouring book from your own photos
Two ways to turn family photos into colouring pages: trace and print them yourself, or send them to us and see your first pages drawn free.Colouring books from your photos. UpdatedWhat is a one-colour colouring book, and how does it work?
A one-colour colouring book has a dot in every shape to fill. You colour them all with one dark pen and a picture comes through. Here is how it works.Colouring with one pen. UpdatedHow to colour a One Pen page
Pick one dark pen, fill every shape with a dot and leave the rest white. Six steps to a One Pen page, with tips for busy pages and left-handers.Colouring with one pen. Updated