Learn how to use watercolor to soothe your soul with this beginner's guide to painting for relaxation. This fresh approach looks first at the process of painting as a means to de-stress and unwind. Many people love the idea of painting but hold themselves back from starting because they are worried about not being good enough or not feeling as though as are creative. In this guide for the absolute beginner, artist and teacher Sharone Stevens shows you that watercolor can be accessible to everyone and that just painting very simple lines, patterns and shapes in calming colors, concentrating on each brush stroke, can have a powerful meditative effect, while at the same time allowing you to create beautiful art you can be proud of. She also encourages you to connect more with the world around you, finding inspiration in your every-day life and discovering the beautiful textures found in nature, from tree trunks to fruit and butterflies! The aim of the techniques and projects in this book is to create art that relaxes both the artist and the viewer of the finished piece. Projects range from simple gift tags, bookmarks, cards and small wall pieces to larger art pieces that you never thought possible - all done with a focus on relaxation - which is so important in today's fast-paced, increasingly digital world. Learn how to mix a calming color palette, try simple painting exercises to get into a relaxed flow, and create beautiful artworks that will lift the spirits both during the painting process and beyond, as finished pieces of art. Author Sharone Stevens is an established art teacher and talented artist who is passionate about using art for relaxation and encouraging others to build a regular creative practice. Her gentle lessons and nurturing reassurance will guide even total beginners through the process of making soothing, soulful modern watercolor art.

Jessica Farrell, a successful young architect living in London, has used her career to put her romantic past - and guilt about her parents' deaths - behind her. But then a mysterious note arrives, and she is reluctantly drawn into intrigue, adventure, and the arms of Edward Drummond, her former lover. To rescue Edward's kidnapped child they must solve the puzzle inscribed within Jessica's ring - a puzzle created by Edward's late uncle as the ultimate snare for the diamond mining industrialist who ruined his life. But the trap has also caught Jessica, who finds herself forced to face her feelings about Edward and her own past. Fast-paced action propels the story across England, Scotland and South Africa, as the pursuers become the pursued. One by one, the secrets of the past are unveiled, culminating in a nail-biting climax.