Creativity Lesson #1 for the NEW Year- COLOR everywhere

Fabulous fabrics that are spendy, colorful and fabulous! I'll take a yard or meter of each!...when that lotto comes through, that is.

OK, here is your chance to think the last time you were in a store, a super Market, or a shop that you were mesmerized by color and hues all around you.
What??? You can't remember seeing fabulous color? Red and green from Christmas do not count and the same goes with blues and golds for Hannkah. I am talking real color, real visual exciting, stimulating, bold color. You don't use real color? What? You are missing nature's best drug for euphoria and feeling great! Nothing can make you feel quite as wonderful as a big bag full of beads, fabrics, threads, wools, yarn or papers all in glorious colors. Want a life in 2008? BUY color and use it!

Ever notice grass and the amazing colors it has in it. Most kids would paint green grass one color of green. Grass has hundreds of colors, and not just green. Greens are exciting and so versatile and so varied! You can never go wrong with green-to wear, sew with or bead or glue.

Hey isn't it fun how something you can put in your stomach can be so amazing to look at?

And glass which is everywhere changes it hues simply by light. NOTE- this is one of the first things painting teachers try to instill in their students. Now why, wouldn't quilting teachers or other art teachers teach about the fabulous potential light plays on our work? It is everything!

Hey, who knew candles could not only smell good but be so beautiful visually! Colors and shapes.
Simple sqauares in a duvet cover become real art and give a restful feel since these colors are cool and remind us to "relax." That's why most sheets are bright red and orange. Though I have owned those...in the 60's. I am not kidding.

How many times do you shop for ribbon for a package and not look at the spools together as one instead of just one at a time. Colors play on each other and this is what we need to know to do a better job in our art!

One can never own enough beads, have enough colors and enjoy the light that plays off of them enough. Anyone can have something in cotton or wool but add some beads and "joila!"

PURE Magic!

I know many of you knit. Has there ever been more exciting color than in a knit shop? Just buying one varied yard could be the creative spark you need for some exciting color combinations elsewhere! Think about it.

Warm (or hot) colored beads, can explode on a surface and it can create heat, sparks, and fire on something quite plain.

Who ever guessed that feathers could be so exciting and so inspiring? Well OK, Dame Edna but not alot of other people....

The beauty of flower is that their petals always vary in color and many times the greens play complementary color games in the flower garden. God truly is the Master of color and design.

Compare the photo above and the photo below....different subjects but both quite exciting and pretty in the same hues.

When paper has holes punched here and there, it lets light play on the surfaces and it makes the colors vary and dance. Here it does just that and layered as this is really is quite pretty.

Purple and yellow are complementary colors. The green below has enough "yellow" in it that these are great complements and would make a pretty quilt or other art given the same color play.

As you can see I am always taking photos of color any chance I get. I have many files of beautiful examples of color combinations and fun things to mix to get great results. All you need to do is play and have fun experimenting and have fun with what is right in front of you.