Color Buzz

Seasonal Tree Colors

By Michèle Coppin

Time to trim the tree! This season, the holidays have been touched by a rainbow. Along with the traditional red and green, an array of elegant, whimsical and dramatic palettes have emerged.

Forests of ribbons, bows, birds, flags, flowers, feathers, candy, clouds, dolls – all combined in exquisite and unexpected explosions of color.

To decorate your dream tree, choose a theme close to your heart and then select your favorite colors. Mix and, Voila! There is no limit to the possibilities. Here are some beautiful specimens I have come across this season:

Seasonal landscapes of pink and purple are tinged in frosted shades of icing:

Holiday Food Color Inspiration

By Veronique Habermann

Inspiration for color palettes can come from anywhere. As I have been getting myself into cooking mode for the big Thanksgiving holiday, I also realized how inspiring browsing through cookbooks can be. On an empty stomach, all I could think about at first was lunch, but after I fixed myself a nice sandwich (turkey, of course), I let my senses take on the beautiful show of colors. I even researched paintings that were inspired by these foods. Here are some inspiring images along with color palettes inspired by each image:

                                   
                Orange Nut 2004-1C                   Autumn Blaze 2002-1A

                                   
               Golden Spell 3004-1B                  Almond Cream 3001-4C

                               
         Whipped Strawberry 1006-1A          Mystic Taupe 1002-9A

                                
               Autumn Fog 4007-1B         Lyndhurst Castle Sand 5008-1C

                   
     Plumberry 1004-3A        Market Flower 1005-3C         Homestead Resort
                                                                             Parlour Raspberry 1006-3B

                   
  Dusky Purple 1003-5A        Coffee Whip 2008-3A      Toasted Honey 2006-1B

                                
                      Carolina Inn                        Jekyll Grand Dining
              Lobby Yellow 3008-6B                  Sea Mist 5006-3C




                               
               Heirloom Red 1010-3                Pensive Plum 1002-3A

                                
                Perfect Plum 1011-7                Plum Passion 6007-5B




                   
   Berry Blush 1004-1A            Quite Red 1011-3          Hint of Cherry 1004-1B




                               
               Sassy Green 6009-10              Everglade Glen 6003-6A
                                
                Fresh Pear 6007-7C                 Desert Flower 6008-5A

Autumn Cornucopias

By Veronique Habermann

Cornucopias are, to me, the most appealing symbols of Thanksgiving. Cornucopia means horn of plenty in Latin. The traditional cornucopia was a goat’s horn filled to the brim with fruits and grains. In Greek mythology, Amalthea, the goat that suckled Zeus, broke one of her horns while playing with him. To make up for it, Zeus returned her horn with supernatural powers, which would give the person in possession of the horn whatever he or she wished for. Zeus also set the goat's image in the sky, which we know as the constellation Capricorn.

 

A weaved basket version, filled with miniature, assorted color gourds makes a great Thanksgiving table centerpiece, but when it comes to centerpieces, the sky is the limit. I like to have a set on the appetizer table filled with fruits and cheeses spilling out of the cornucopia onto a cutting board (I am French after all!). It is also a very festive way to display fall flower bouquets.

Tattooed Mom’s

By Megan Leblond

Philadelphia has a great restaurant, Tattooed Mom's, located at 530 South Street. The fabulous menu includes corndogs, tater tots, mac and cheese, pirogues and tacos. The eatery provides comfort food to many local and visiting patrons. Listed as a dive bar, Tattooed Mom's is, in my words, 'basically fantastic'. The simple food, bowls of candy, cheap drinks and sensational green walls lends to conversation and fun.

The best part is that friends can wander into the joint and have a truly relaxing afternoon in the low-key atmosphere. The bright green walls were calm and soothing with an air of fancy. When I’m there, I feel like I’m in a punked-out American version of an absinthe bar. I was surprised how reassuring the bright green seemed and how the walls evoked a sense of well-being with just the right amount of edge – like being enveloped in a chic urban forest. The color is stimulating and creates a sense of place I won't soon forget. You should really check it out if you are ever in Philly.  

Here are some images of Tattooed Mom's and some other gloriously green rooms:

Classic Summer Drinks

Margaritas, Fuzzy Navels, Mimosas, Daiquiris, Planter's Punch – all classic summer drinks that serve up both a kick and a splash of color to any party.  

Soft lime greens, bright parrot blues, deep oranges melting into pinks…all sing a chorus of summer colors. Whether your drinks involve alcohol or stay virgin, their rich, festive colors are sure to enchant and transport you away from the everyday. Isn't that what summer has been all about since we were little?

If you dare, it can be real fun to paint a room that offers up an "endless summer." Some people refer to these spaces as Florida Rooms. Try Mermaid's Song, Cantaloupe Smile, Peach Punch, or Lime Mousse to capture the summer party vibe all year long.

          

Mermaid’s Song 6001-9C  Cantaloupe Smile 2007-2A

        
Peach Punch 1008-2A        Lime Mousse 6008-9B

For a great summer drink, try:

Mango Melon Colada, from Martha Stewart's Living Magazine Issue #11, July/August 1995.

• 1/3 cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, and cut in chunks (about 2 cups)

• 1 mango, peeled, seeded, and cut in chunks (about 1 1/2 cups)

• 3 tablespoons cream of coconut

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• 2 tablespoons superfine sugar

• 4 ounces light rum

Process all ingredients and 2 cups crushed ice in a blender until smooth, about 20 seconds. Pour into 2 glasses; serve immediately.

Friday Project Series: A Beautiful and Useful Cork Board

By Michèle Coppin

Little notes and lists float around drawers and table tops while bags and boxes of semi-precious collected treasures gather dust in closets. Combining these would result in more space and clarity, like perhaps turning the old corks and seashells into a board on which to pin my memos.

I started by cutting the corks length-wise and gluing them on a stiff square piece of cardboard in a random pattern of horizontals and verticals.

 

I like the colors of corks, their gradations of ochres and browns, with the vineyard's name printed down the side and the faded pink stains of wine.

 

From my seashell collection, I chose brown, gray, white and beige specimens to create a border. I glued a variety of sizes and shapes all around the corks.

Thanks to color, the contrasting textures of warm earthy corks blend with the shiny hardness of the shells.

Finally, I pinned forgotten invitations, future plans, memos, photos and souvenirs.

Of Bees and Honey

We at Beehive Studios are very fond of bees and honey. Bees are the most important pollinating insects and are even known as symbols of immortality. Their social structures and work skills have fascinated mankind for centuries, making them the emblem of industry and the inspiration for our blog. They also inspired Napoleon, who included the honeybee on his personal crest.



Beekeeping is also one of the oldest forms of animal husbandry, as bees were kept in beehives since antiquity. Indeed, Greek honey is delicious and quite famous.



Golden, sweet honey has always been held in high regard. The Bible refers to heaven as the "Land of Milk and Honey." In ancient times, honey was considered the food of the gods and the symbol of wealth and happiness. In the Middle Ages, honey was fermented and made into mead, one of the oldest alcoholic beverages.

Friday Project Series: Kentucky Derby with a Mint Julep

The crowds have gathered, tickets clutched in their hopeful hands.  Hearts and hooves are pummeling. The gates open and out rushes wild forces of energy in the form of horses riders. Bright, gorgeous colors streak across the dirt and dust, moving forward, vying for the first position.  

And so will begin the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby this Saturday. The colors or “silks” that the jockeys wear date back to the time of King Charles II in the late 1600's.  Back then, simple color blocks were worn in order for the king, lords, dukes, etc., to keep track of their horses running across the English plain. Today, there are many owners represented and the colors and color combinations get more and more interesting.  

There are some great classics such as the devil's red and blue of Calumet Farm worn by the jockeys of past Kentucky Derby winners Citation and Ponder. Allen Paulson's patriotic red, white and blue colors were worn by the rider of racehorse Cigar.

Rich Color in the Dead of Winter

By Megan Leblond

                       

We have been covered in white snow on the East Coast for the past few months and the wind continues to blow. Despite the desolate surroundings, color is available! One simply has to toss on a coat, hat, gloves and scarf, and venture into town for an array of pleasing colors available in the produce section of the grocery.  

Many glorious colors are available by way of winter fruit. Ruby red grapefruits, key limes, and blood oranges can help to bring passion to our winter doldrums, and add a pop to color projects. 

My favorite is the blood orange. I have a fabulous recipe for wild rice, leeks and blood oranges that I can only prepare in winter due to the fruit’s availability. The black wild rice, green leeks and deep red tones of the oranges make for both a bold color combination and unique dish. 

   

A blood orange’s crimson fruit is the result of a pigment common in flowers, but it is rare in fruit- an antioxidant called anthocyanin. The blood orange originated in Italy and Spain, but is now grown in the United States in Texas and California. The fruit is virtually seedless, which makes it easy to cook with. The beautiful fruit is available December through March to seduce our eyes and taste buds.  

If you have a bit of the winter blues, try working with the deep color of the blood orange to warm your spirit. Try the blood orange tart recipe from Smitten Kitchen or use one of the Valspar colors reminiscent of the flower fruit!  If you are totally snowed in, The Orange Store will ship!   

                  

                  If you would like to bring these colors into your home, try:

                                    

                         Orange Glow 3001-1A         Berry Blush 1004-1A

                                   

                    Whipped Strawberry 1006-1A   Montpelier Red Velvet 1009-6

Color of the Week - Swiss Chocolate

Swiss Chocolate is one of Valspar's darkest and most sophisticated browns. This very deep color is versatile and can be paired with light pastels, neutrals or bright colors, such as Martha Stewart Chamois Cloth. It would function beautifully as the upper or lower portion of a chair railed wall. Also try this sultry color in a living room or den for a warm and relaxing space.
                                             
                                       Swiss Chocolate 3010-10