Choosing colors is one of the most difficult parts of any project. Fortunately the ultimate artist, Mother Nature, has already done most of the work for us. Below are assorted nature photos to inspire your exploration of the infinite possibilities of color.
The Color Wheel
A Color Wheel – all the colors of the visible spectrum, that is, visible to the human eye.
Primary Colors
Primary Colors: Red, Blue, & Yellow – base colors found in nature.
Secondary Colors
Secondary Colors: Green, Orange, & Purple – are made by mixing two primary colors together.
Black & White
White & Black – produce shades of color from light to dark. Black and white is a classic combo often used in the textile and interior design industries. Turn the ordinary to extraordinary by adding brilliant jewel tone colors, such as sapphire blue, emerald green or ruby red.
Complementary Colors
Complementary Colors: Opposites on the color wheel (red & green; purple & yellow; blue & orange). When used together, they produce the highest contrasts.
Rainbow
All the colors of the spectrum – Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue & Violet – in that exact order can be seen in this rainbow. If you want to create a realistic rainbow effect, be sure to get the color order correct.
Fresh Picked Fruit
Pastel Red, Green, Fuchsia & Orange – These are great spring and summer colors.
Tropical Fish
Golden & Reddish Browns with White, set against a Green background – Brown & White are another classic combo, which look great with jewel tones.
Hibiscus Bloom
Red, Orange, Yellow & touches of Pink & White – Warm pastels with a dramatic red center attract attention.
Molten Lava
Black, Orange, & Yellow – These colors remind me of my favorite holiday, Halloween.
Floating Lotus Blossom
Pure White & Yellow offset by Green, Blue & Black – White is such a cool, crisp color in summer, and coordinates with any colors in warm or cool tones.
Field of Tulips
Orange, Green, & Yellow contrast with Blue – Pastels come alive with a punch of color.
Peacock Feathers
Blue, Green, Gold, & Black – Exotic & luxurious is the vibe created by these colors. The electric blue set against the black makes a bold statement with the naturally shimmering gold and green.
Cherry Blossoms
Pink & Blue – In the case of these cherry blossoms, bold colors would be overpowering. Such tiny, delicate blooms call for gentle, soft colors. Is it any wonder these colors are often used for baby nurseries?
Pansies
Purple, White & Yellow – The frilled purple petals resemble watercolors, while the yellow centers look like they were hand painted in this striking palette.
Rainbow Lorakeets
It’s hard to believe that one animal could have all the colors of the rainbow, except purple, and yet here it is in two small parrots. If Mother Nature can come with this, imagine what you can do.
Spiral Stained Glass Windows
Blue & Red with Green, Orange, Purple & Yellow accents – The spiral draws your eye toward the center, while the blended colors move you along one frame at a time.
Sunset #1
Purple, Yellow, & Blue – Cool colors of evening (blues & purples) provide the dramatic backdrop for the vibrant yellow sun setting at the distant horizon. This palette has a dreamy, relaxing quality.
Sunset #2
Red, Yellow, & Orange with touches of Pink & Purple – Blended warm colors have an energetic, motivational effect.
The next time you are looking for some color inspiration for your next project, take a look outside. Mother Nature has provided a feast for the eyes. Don’t be afraid to experiment. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. To learn more about color, please read “World of Color – Part 1” and “World of Color- Part 2.”
Happy Crafting!
It’s the night before Christmas, and little feet tiptoe toward the tree for a sneak peek at the presents. We may not have done this, but we thought about it a lot. It’s human nature to wonder -What’s inside the box?
If your name is Mrs. Claus, you probably don’t need help wrapping gifts.
In fact, Mrs. Claus probably has a gift-giving closet that looks like this one. For the rest of us, there’s still a lot of shopping to be done and presents to be wrapped. Department stores typically offer gift wrap, but it can be pricey. Many retailers have eliminated this service and the gift boxes as well. Shopping malls offer gift wrapping, but the lines can be very long. Fortunately there are lots of solutions to make your gifts look beautiful.
Gift bags are probably one of the best inventions of all time. They’re sold just about everywhere, including the food stores, so when you’re running around last minute a gift bag is easily on hand.
These burlap bags are dressed up with the addition of berries and glitzy red ornaments.
This red and white gift bag has a built-in drawstring.
Amazon provided these festive gift bags, which my family passes back and forth for various occasions all year long. Unfortunately there’s no way of knowing which color you might receive, and some items are wrapped in paper instead of a bag.
A metal box is an intriguing way to package a gift.
Porcelain boxes come in a variety of shapes and colors for every occasion. These are perfect for jewelry or other small items, and can also be used to conceal a cash gift.
For the baker in the family, this fluted glass jar and lid will hold your gift now, and will be perfect for holding baking ingredients in the future. It could also be used as cookie jar.
Gift baskets filled with the recipient’s favorites is always a welcome surprise. You can purchase a roll of colored cellophane wrap or use regular plastic wrap to cover the entire basket, and tie a bow on top.
Some stores provide colorfully printed boxes, which are suitable for gifts any time of year, and can be stacked and tied with a pretty ribbon.
When using standard wrapping paper, you can always wrap the lid separately. By doing so, the box can be reused for years to come.
A floral pine cone stem and some ribbon were all that was needed to complete this package.
Don’t forget to add a gift tag. Some people save the pictures, from last year’s holiday cards, and use them as gift tags on this year’s presents.
For an all-natural look, recycled paper can be used, with twine instead of ribbon, some evergreen and a pine cone from your backyard.
A silver bow makes a statement on this aqua and silver wrapped gift.
A glittering gold bow makes the perfect topper for this dancing reindeer package.
A 3-dimensional snowflake has sprung to life from this pretty wrapping paper.
For a glamorous look, combine sparkling red paper, gold studded ribbon, and a shiny gold bow.
This perfectly coordinated metallic ribbon and paper is suitable for gifts any time of year.
Sometimes a really great topper steals the show. A bow like this one will be appreciated for sure, with its petal-like layers in full bloom and wisps of green ribbon leaves peeking out beneath. There’s a very interesting pattern of wildlife, holly sprigs, and guitars intertwined among the curvilinear vines.
Our May Crafter of the Month is Lisa, from Kaanapali, HI. Her passion for creativity started with a package of eight oversized crayons for kids and several coloring books. This led to a lifelong love of all arts and crafts. There’s always a project in progress and others waiting in the wings. Inspiration can strike at any hour, day or night. When it does, Lisa dives right in, eager to see where the journey will take her. Below is a small sampling of her work.
Crafts Inspire Me 