I am giving the coloring book bookring thing another chance because I loved participating in the one I did.

I debated about replacing my stalled State Birds and Flowers coloring book, but knowing there is at least one other ring with that same book and seeing this particular coloring book, I decided to start a whole new ring. Members from the bird and flower book are welcome to join this one if they want :)

This is a 31 page coloring book depicting all 50 state flowers (some states share the state flowers and some pages have more than 1 state on each page - hence only 31 pages for 50 states).

There are only a few rules/restrictions for this bookring.
1. Obviously it is US only.
2. You can only color your state flower. (if you are in a state that shares a flower with another state (12 states to be exact) I will give that flower page to the first one to indicate interest). I can't think of a fairer way to do it :) *****There was a suggestion that two people could share coloring their state flower - so I guess if people from the shared states want to do that, I have no objections. Let me know if you are in a shared state that has already been taken and I will see if the person who has it wants to split the coloring fun - it will totally be up to that person with no pressure to share if they don't want to.
3. All pages need to be colored using normal crayons or colored pencils. (No special art supplies - such as watercolor or oil crayons or any type of paint for example).

Here are the two lists - States available and States already taken.

AVAILABLE:
If your see your state name here, you can request it, if not then someone else has already claimed it (see list below).
Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas & Michigan, Colorado, Connecticut & Pennsylvania, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky & Nebraska, Louisianna & Mississippi, Maine, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennesee, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, Wyoming. There is also a page for District of Columbia which I will give to West Virginia (since it is one of the closest states and has already been taken by Washington who shares its flower) - that is ... if no one from DC claimes it.

TAKEN:
If you see your state's initials here, it has already been claimed by the person listed.
List is finally in SHIPPING ORDER!!!!

DE ~ Tkdtina
VA & NC (see my *****note above) ~ echesketch (these two states share a flower - echesketch is from NC - moving from VA)
SC ~ lilmztaz
FL ~ wss4
MO ~ skylerdragon
WA & WV (see my *****note above) ~ mitziyah (these two states share a flower - mitzayah is from WA)
OR ~ olered
CA ~ enchantedvalise <~~~ colored the CA poppy, but didn't journal the book - sent home on 9.1.06 :)
THEN BACK HOME FOR A QUICK VIEW OF THE COLORED PAGES BEFORE ANOTHER TREK TO MORE STATES!

More States taken, in shipping order :)
TX ~ aspenmoonlight
ND ~ Aberpeter
MN ~ MandaJo
AL ~ Bibliocrates
OH ~ Thursday5 NY ~ DoveiLibri
MA ~ terra57
NH ~ mysticalzoe
~ Saintly-Singer - no response from this BCer so Maine has been listed as available again.

THEN BACK TO ME FOR A PEEK BEFORE HEADING OUT TO THE OTHER STATES! <~~~~ Has the book :)

NM ~ NMReader
CO ~ Innae
SD ~ RCLoriH
WI ~ Bdgrgl
IL ~ lovelovebooks
KY & NE (see my *****note above) ~ lobodyke (these two states share a flower - lobodyke is from KY)
CT & PA (see my *****note above) ~ WhitePine (these two states share a flower - WhitePine is from CT)
LA & MI (see my *****note above) ~ candlelitenite (these two states share a flower - candlelitenite is from LA)

THEN BACK TO ME ONCE AGAIN FOR ANOTHER LOOK AT THE BEAUTIFUL WORK ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR!!!!!

I sure hope it makes it way all the way round as I don't want to end up having to replace it too.

PLEASE...PLEASE...PLEASE...KEEP IT MOVING AND IF YOU NEED TO HOLD ON TO IT FOR AN EXTENDED TIME, LET ME KNOW. As long as I know what is happening with it, I am flexible - I just don't want it to get stalled like most of the rest of my bookrings!

RELEASE NOTES:

Well...This bookring is off and "running".

Heading to the far east and then down that coast before beginning its journey back through Missouri and then back to the three west coast states.

Here's wishing this book happy, safe and CONTINUAL travels :)

Received this afternoon, colored my perty flower :-) and pming echesketch for her address!

Mailing out today - 4/4/06

First, please accept my apology for not journaling the arrival of this coloring book. I believe the book arrived to a temporary mailing address around April 12.

I've been in the process of moving from Virginia to North Carolina, forwarded my mail to a temporary address beginning April 1 and began our move on April 15.

As I'm just beginning to unpack my unlimited amount of bookcrossing related stuff and retrieving my snail mail, I expect to finish my pic and to send the book on its way at the top of next week.

It's been decades since I've used crayons and I had a great time adding color to the Dogwood blooms.

The book is on its way now to lilmztaz and was sent today May 2.

Thanks booknhand for this fun ring!

so much fun. I will mail this ASAP. thanks so much. I am going to check out this websight. I think some of these coloring books would make great christmas gift

The book arrived last week but I have been so busy with the last days of school that I have not gotten the opportunity to journal it. School ends on Friday (YEAH!!!) and I will color the Florida State flower (orange blossom) and have the book on it's way next week. The flowers that have been colored so far are beautiful. I just hope that I can do as well.

Well the girls and I really enjoyed looking through this book. I wish more of the state flowers had been colored but it was fun all the same. I am proud to say that my girls were impressed with my coloring ability. lol

The book is now on it's way to Skylerdragon. I hope that you enjoy it as much as we did.

Woot!! Arrived safe and sound today. It's so lovely finding BC books in ones mailbox. The postcards are a great treat, too. Only 4 days between MO and WA ain't bad at all...but then, Matt paid extra for the first class shipping. *smile*

I can't wait to color in the Rhododendron and then mail this along. Thanks for including me in such a fun bookring.

This was great!! I'm ridiculously proud of my rhodie. My fave rhodies are purple, but the official WA state flower is the Coastal (a light pink) so that's what I tried to color. On its way to Oregon! Pacific Northwest Bookcrossers UNITE!!

Good luck little bookring.

Yea Pacific Northwest!!!
It seems like it was a long wait for this one from when we signed up, but the coloring book has arrived!! I think I've just been anxious to do this. What fun!
All the postcards are great and I'll certainly add mine.

The book is on it's way to California. It was great fun, I colored my flower and added my postcard to the lot! Thanks for the opportunity to share in this.

My delivery confirmation receipt number 03060320000544106222 says this book was delivered in San Francison on July 17.

I am thrilled and speechless!!!

WOW!!!! AMAZING!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

Even though enchantedvalise didn't make a journal entry, she did get the book and did a great job with the California poppy before sending it back to me. This wonderful coloring book came home yesterday for a quick stop over before heading out on its next leg of its trip.

First of all it is the first ring ever that has made it home!!! This is the thrilling part. I can only hope it will travel as safe and fast on its next journey as it has on its past journey.

Thank you to all who have contributed so far. This is the speechless part! I can't even put into words the amazing, awesome, and beautiful prints you all colored - and the postcards...that was an added bonus!!!

Selfishly, I want to keep the postcards when I send the book on its next leg, but since the collection of postcards wasn't part of the original "rules" of the book and they really do add to the experience of the book, I am going to add a clear sheet protector to the inside cover to store the postcards for others to enjoy too. I will indicate these postcards are to stay with the book. Hopefully, the book and all the postcards will come back to me safe and sound.

I am still sitting here amazed at how dramatic the flowers that have already been colored have turned out. Everyone who participated in the first leg of this books journey is talented beyone what I could do!!! I am sure the rest of the states will turn out just as awesome.

It's off to Texas by Tuesday.

Happy trails many flowers and here's to you once again getting back home safely. PLEASE...PLEASE...PLEASE...PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RELEASE NOTES:

Heading off to Texas as the first stop of its next leg of travel.

Enjoy the flowers and the coloring :)

AND please keep it safe :)

Got it yesterday and started coloring. This is fun! So many pretty pages...

9/29/06--PM'ed Aberpeter for her address... waiting for response...

RELEASE NOTES:

It's off to Aberpeter! Thank you for including me.

The book arrived yesterday... I can't wait to get started :)

When I signed up for this ring, I lived in North Dakota. Three weeks ago I moved to Washington. Since I lived in ND for 16 years, I call it home and I will be coloring the Prairie Rose asap.

This did make it to me! So sorry it has taken so long to journal :( I'll do what I can to get it colored and sent along this week.

****UPDATE 5/14/07 - After a monsterously long period of time (so sorry, everyone) this book really did get mailed on May 1st. Everyone's work was beautiful, so I hope this makes it through ok!

I caught this book quite some time ago, I'm not sure when exactly, as I have been in and out of town these last couple of months, had put a hold on my mail a couple of times, and as a result the book ended up buried underneath a bunch of other mail and stuff. I have already colored my state flower and I apologize for not submitting a journal entry right away, didn't mean to alarm anyone. It's been a stressful time for my family these past few months and I have been very unorganized. Anyway, thank you for sending the book my way MandaJo and thank you booknhand for allowing me to participate! The flowers are beautiful and everyone did a nice job coloring. I will contact Thursday5 for an address straight away!

Pictured is a scan of the flower I colored. I colored it with markers before I saw that I was to use either crayons or colored pencils. Again, I apologize! Yikes! The markers did bleed through to the next page a little bit, but not too badly.

Name: Camellia (Cam ellia sasanqua)
State flower of: Alabama
Date adopted by state: August 26, 1959
When it blooms: from June to October
Flower size: 2 1/2 inches to 3 inches wide
Color: pale pink to red petals, green stems and leaves

I wonder if I have any Alabama postcards...

This book is on its way to Thursday5 to continue the ring organized by booknhand. I hope you enjoy it Thursday5, and thanks again booknhand!

Arrived today!
I enjoyed reading all the postcards and have already added one from Ohio. I have a really busy week with a class I'm taking every day this week, a 24 hour relay I'm running for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, a fishing charity event for persons who are disabled that I'm on the board for, and a Bookcrossing meet up on Sunday in Cincinnati, so I might not get to this till next week.

Such fun. I did the Ohio flower-the red carnation. I have PMed the next person and will get it sent out to them.

Update: Has been mailed first class.

We received the book today! Even though we live in Florida NOW, we signed up to color the state flower for our home state of New York! Now we just have to have "TiTi i Libri" send us a postcard from NY to add to the collection in the book!!!!

Edited the same day to add: All done! It was fun! I used to love to color! We even found an old postcard from NY to include, and I'm sending a PM to the next person right now to get their address! The funny thing is, I might actually have it in my e-mail somewhere! Let's see what happens! Either way, it's already packed and ready to go as soon as I get the address!

RELEASE NOTES: Colorful coloring book on its way via FLAT RATE to Terra57 in Hopedale, Mass! Happy Traveling, Book! Happy Coloring, Terra57!

Received this today and will do asap. Thanks for including me. All the pics look great so far and I like the postcards also

Just recieved in the mail today, everyone did a beautiful job coloring and I guess I have to put in a postcard too! I will be doing this soon!

RELEASE NOTES:

Finally sending this book back home, thanks for sharing!

My state flower coloring book ring has come home a second time - YEAH!!!!!

What can I say????

We have some amazing BookCrossing artists. I love looking at the beautifully colored state flowers that you all have colored.

AND

The postcards are a great addition. Thanks for adding them - I can't wait for the book to hit all states then put all the contributed postcards into my postcard collection.

I will make a new forum post for the unfinished states and send it back out for more travels and beauty to be added once I get a list of interested BCers from those states.

Thanks to everyone for you care and diligence in keeping the book moving.

We have 8 new participants as listed in the original journal post for this bookring.

It will be heading off to New Mexico later this afternoon.

RELEASE NOTES:

This book was wrapped and I thought mailed.

When I came across it on my reserved list and saw that no one had many any journal entries after mine, I went searching to see if I still had it.

AND...

Both to my horror (because I really did think I had started it off on it's next leg of travel) and to my relief (because it isn't lost somewhere) I found it all packaged and ready to be mailed.

It will go out this afternoon with other books I am mailing.

Appearently it was part of the things that got ground to a halt when life threw its curve balls at me a short time ago.

I am glad it is traveling once again. It has been on two successful trips so far - let's all hope it comes home yet again.

Arrived on Friday

I thought I would have this done in about a week after arrived but work has been crazy.

The pages are beautiful and I only wish I could have done one as beautiful.

RELEASE NOTES:

I will try to mail over my lunch

Deliver Confirmation number: 0305 2200 0001 1996 7236

Safe and sound in Colorado!! I will be doing my coloring soon :-)

So, I ended up having time at work to color (yes, I keep a box...the BIG 64 choice box even...of crayons at work. Coloring is a good stress reliever :) I probably could have done a better job with the intricate parts had I used pencils, but crayons just have such a nice...smell.

I was a little sad, as my state only has a 1/2 page (and enchantedvalise did such a nice job with the California Poppy, that i fear mine suffers by comparision) But this was BIG fun. I think I am going to order some more coloring books, or just pick some up at the store next time I am out. I haven't colored in a while (even though I keep crayons everywhere) and it really is a relaxing pasttime. Thanks Booknhand for starting this ring :)

**Mailed off this morning...3/7/08

The coloring book has arrived safely - I'm having fun looking through it. :-)

Update - have sent a couple of PM's to the next person on the list. So far no response. 6/16/08.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sent to Lobodyke.

Unfortunately, this has been waiting for me a while because it arrived while I was out-of-town last week. I will "do my part" and send it on its way within about a week. I'm looking forward to it.

I enjoyed doing this =) It was fun looking at other people's entries, as well as the postcards included. I was disappointed that my (transplanted) state's flower is considered a weed by most people though -- goldenrod! I've contacted WhitePine for an address, and will send it on its way ASAP. Thanks for heading this up, booknhand.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I really enjoyed this ~ didn't mean to take so long, but life got in the way. Sorry!

EDITED on 11/6: AArrrgh - got sick and couldn't send this until 11/4. Delivery Confirmation #0307-1790-0001-7765-8052.

almost done coloring . Can not contact candlelitnite

My coloring book ring has come home for a short visit.

The flowers are beautiful - everyone is so talented!!!

Love all the postcards too!

Will soon be relisting this book on the bookring forum to get participants from the states not yet colored.

If you are interested in coloring your state flower, please PM me and I will let you know if it is available.

Thank you to all who have participated so far - your artwork is so colorful and pleasing to look at. Also thank you for taking such good care of this book - it is still in good condition after being passed through 21 bookcrossers.

If you enjoyed this bookring - watch for other activity rings I will start in the future.

Happy reading (and in this case coloring)!