I Made a Coloring Book!!!!

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A Year of Freedom, Creativity, and Figuring It Out

My first year in Portugal has been not only a great adventure but also a year of self-discovery. I gave up my job and had the freedom to figure out what I wanted to do next with my life. I never had any intention of working in the casino for all those years, but I got stuck. It’s an easy place to get stuck in, and next thing you know, life has passed you by. I knew I wanted to do something with more freedom and to use my creativity. I wanted to do something that would make me happy. So I started this blog, but I knew I wanted to do more.

So Why a Coloring Book?

I love to color!!! My small chest of coloring books, markers, pencils, and crayons moved with us. I love to just sit and zone out and get lost in the pages. And, I know so many other people enjoy it too. One day, while we were out for a walk, Karl told me I should make a coloring book with the tiles. It was like a lightbulb moment! I instantly decided that would be my next project.

Azulejos

One of the most alluring and recognizable things in Portugal is the Azulejos, or tiles. They are gorgeous, and they adorn so many buildings. And they aren’t just for show. They are useful for insulation and for protecting the buildings. But above all, they are simply beautiful, and they are a big part of Portuguese culture.

A Brief History of Azulejos

I did a lot of research about them as I was creating the book, and I learned so much. The tiles were originally introduced to Portugal by the Moors, but years later, King Manuel I made them popular in 1503. He was in awe with their beauty, so he decorated his palace with them. This is now the National Palace in Sintra. From there, azulejos became a symbol of status and style, spreading from royal buildings to churches, homes, and eventually the streets all over Portugal.

It was important to me to do research and learn about them and their history. I wrote a little more about their history in my book. As we were doing our visa process, I learned that I have Portuguese blood, so I have been trying to learn as much as I can about the history and culture, so I can connect more to my new home and to my own ancestry.

The Process

Planning

I decided I wanted to make a series of coloring books. Each one focused on a different part or city of Portugal. Each place has its own style of tiles, and I want to showcase all of them. Naturally, I wanted Tavira to be the first book in the series since this is my home.

Taking Photos and Editing

During my daily walks around town, I would take pictures of all my favorite tiles. They are everywhere, so it was easy to get the pictures done. I then edited each and every picture to try to make it as perfect as possible. Sometimes the lighting would be off, or the alignment would be, so I would have to go find them and retake them. I did all of this on my Samsung and used the native photo editing software.

Turning Tiles Into Coloring Pages

Once the artwork was finished, Karl stepped in and worked his magic on the technical side. He wrote custom code to transform each tile design into clean, printable coloring book pages. This was not a one-and-done situation. It took multiple versions and a lot of trial and error to get the lines just right so they were clear, balanced, and actually fun to color.

Some early attempts were too detailed, others lost the character of the original tiles. He kept tweaking the code until each page felt true to the inspiration while still being simple enough for coloring. It was a surprisingly time-consuming process, but it was also the step that turned the project from a collection of designs into a real, usable coloring book. After many tries and going through each picture for the best one, I had finally gotten them all.

Canva and Amazon KDP

I uploaded all of the pages into Canva, where I could finally see the book come together as a whole. I played around with the order to make sure the flow felt right, adjusted spacing, and double-checked that everything looked clean and consistent from page to page. Once I was happy with it, I saved the entire book as a PDF.

From there, I uploaded the file to Amazon KDP and walked through the publishing steps, making sure all the settings were correct. After one last review, I submitted it for publishing and officially put it out into the world. Seeing it go from an idea to a finished product was equal parts surreal and exciting. And it is now available for sale!!!!!

Link for Amazon US

Link for Amazon Spain

It is available in all markets; one of those links will lead you to the right one for your country.

Tips for Making Your Own Coloring Book

• Use original art whenever possible. It feels more authentic than generic clip art.
• Choose a consistent style so the book feels cohesive from start to finish.
• Think about your audience, whether it’s kids, adults, or a specific theme.
• Double-check bleed settings and page size before printing to avoid surprises.
• Add simple descriptions or titles on pages to help readers connect with the artwork.

Why Making a Coloring Book Was Worth It

Creating a coloring book has been one of the most fun and rewarding creative projects I’ve done. It allowed me to combine art, storytelling, and design, and share something tangible with others. Whether you’re making one for yourself, for friends, or planning to publish for sale, the process is achievable with the right tools and a bit of patience. I’m grateful I took the plunge, and I hope my experience inspires you to try it too.

A Special Thank You

Thank you to my amazing husband Karl, for helping me with this. I would have never had the idea or been able to create it without his help. And thank you to my great friends Julie and Tracy for both your help and your never-ending support. Love you all!

This Is Just the Beginning

I have truly enjoyed this experience through all the stress and difficulties of it. I put so much love into this book; I really hope you enjoy it. Keep an eye out for the next book in the series. Can you guess which city it will be of?

Follow Me

Check out this Instagram reel of Azulejos de Tavira here and follow me here for more of my daily life in Portugal. 💙