The Hidden Gem

Connect and Color® is an innovative opportunity to foster creativity, problem-solving, and togetherness. The results produce a unique, inspirational design that is printed as Keepsakes to share with others. It’s great for team building and anytime you want to strengthen your community.

That’s my elevator pitch in a nutshell. After a few years of trying to describe the essence of what I do, this is the heart of it. As much as creativity and coloring is emphasized, the problem-solving portion is also essential to Connect and Color®. It’s really a hidden gem!

It balances out the creative aspect of the event. Not everyone loves to color, but some people enjoy solving puzzles. If you want to discern who the problem solvers are in your group, you will see them emerge at this time. They are laser-focused and organize the pages, according to font, words, images, etc. They lead and collaborate with the other problem solvers.

I have been researching the benefits of puzzles as they are trending right now, for good reason. A LinkedIn article from December 4, 2025 states that “The jigsaw puzzle market is recognized for its therapeutic benefits, including stress relief, cognitive stimulation, and improving concentration and problem-solving skills.” A Connect and Color® can be challenging to solve because of the unexpected ways that the pages are colored and because the design is a surprise. It’s not like you can look at the cover of the puzzle box to give you clues as to how the pieces go together. This is perfect for nurturing cognitive stimulation and problem-solving skills.

When you get stuck solving the puzzle, you have the collaborative effort of the group. What could be better? Conversations naturally spark as you look for clues as to how the pieces fit together. When you solve the puzzle, there is nothing like hearing everyone recite the surprise message that has just been revealed. A sense of shared accomplishment. Collaboration. And something remarkable that I speak of often during events. Two pieces that end up next to each other in the finished design are colored in a similar fashion. Before coloring, the pieces are jumbled up when they are distributed, so there is no way of knowing how everything fits together. Similarities are just remarkable, and I think it shows how much we are all connected to each other on a deeper level. (Caution: Be mindful of any missing pieces during the puzzle-solve. My heart sank when I thought we were missing a piece during a recent event, but it turns out a mischievous participant hid it! We were all laughing at her antics once she revealed the missing piece. Very fun!

What is the missing piece in your group/organization/company/family? Are you looking for deeper connection, enhanced creativity, better problem-solving skills? Connect and Color® is the spark to make 2026 a year of togetherness, laughter, and good memories! Let’s connect and learn how we can best serve you.