keeping a color journal

I am TOTALLY immersed in color over here- partially because of the online class that I am teaching right now but also because I am working on projects for my book, new work and challenging myself to understand and grow with color (a daily ritual in my life!). For me it is a MUST to practice, understand and work with color theory and I thought I would share a peek at my color journal and color notes. I keep a "color only" journal with me at all times and I also keep a digital color journal full of photos, inspiration and digital color palettes. I have found that when you work on a better relationship and better understanding of color in your creative life, the easiest place to start is by keeping journal. Keeping a journal that is dedicated only to color observation and reflection is a really wonderful way to build up a resources of information and a way to be more intentional when working with color. Here are a few tips for starting a color journal!

Carry a journal everywhere you go- it doesn't have to be fancy just a place to record inspiration.

Incorporate swatches of color and color combos.

Collect scraps of paper, photos, fabric, paint chips in colors that you like.

Pay close attention to the colors that you enjoy, photos that pop, fashion that you love and record your findings-

How does a color combo make you feel?

What makes you notice certain colors?

How could you incorporate those colors into you work?

Practice with your favorite colors.

Pay attention to the colors that you use in your

work and make note of your discoveries.

Use photos for inspiration- build a color palette from your favorite photos.

Look to the latest fashion trends for color inspiration.

Practice, practice and practice some more!

Challenge yourself to practice using and creating with color in different mediums and tools.

most important...HAVE FUN with color!!

the evolution of an idea

My brain is always going (and going and going and going) and often my struggles are not about the lack of inspiration but about too much inspiration, too many ideas and not enough time! I am convinced that I have some kind of overactive brain problem or maybe just hyperactivity. Anyway, when I least expect it I always seen to find something that sparks one of those ideas that I just can't get out of my head until I make it real. This is exactly what happened with a purse that I recently created.

I have been walking and running by this manhole thing in our neighborhood for over a year and every time I pass it I am inspired.

There is something about the design, the color and the shapes that I love- it is perfectly simple. I knew every day that I passed this spot in the street it would eventually be incorporated into a purse. I finally I snapped couple of photos and got to work! Here is a peek at how it evolved-

curry chicken salad sandwich

Lunch seems to be the easiest meal for me to skip or even go rogue with (do you know how easy it is to eat a whole bag of animal cookies when you are home by yourself all day?) Currently I am working 12 hour days so it is a MUST to eat good meals to keep me productive and energized to create all day long. One of my favorite meals for lunch is a curry chicken salad sandwich- it is easy to make and full of flavor.

Start with chicken that is shredded or diced.

Add curry powder- the amount will depend on how big of a batch you are making and how much flavor you want. I used about 2-3 teaspoons of curry powder for a small/med batch- which is quite a bit- I like lots of spice! If you are not familiar with the flavor of curry, start small- you can always add more flavor at the end.

Add a smidge of cumin- when I say smidge I mean just a TINY pinch or dash- it will go a LONG way!

Add a squirt of honey,

cranberries,

and chunks of apple.

Last, add mayonaise- I have a hard time with mayo (it grosses me out) so I try not to use a lot and I use a lighter version.

Mix everything together.

The key to a good sandwich is good bread- don't be afraid of bread! I used some fresh bread from my favorite bakery and added the chicken salad.

Enjoy!

updates from the studio

Things are moving fast over here and this last weekend I hit the wall...hard! I have not been sleeping very well and my problem isn't about feeling tired (I'm exhausted) my problem seems to be that I can't turn my darn brain off- it is filled to the tippy top with ideas, deadlines, planning, budgets, dreaming, projects and SO much more. I keep waking up in the wee hours and my brain just starts going....Did I email that person back? Did I ship that order? Should I use purple dye or blue dye for that fabric? Can I really make that deadline? Did I remember to book my hotel? Did I remember to charge my camera battery for the morning? Did we lock the front door? Why is my husband snoring so loud these days? And my brain just keeps going until I am wide awake and starting my day at 3:30am. Well, this weekend it caught up with me and I crashed on the couch while working on the computer and watching the X-Games. Thankfully my husband covered me in a blanket and let me sleep a good part of Sunday away. (He then proceeded to snap photos of me sleeping- he has a new camera and I am not joking when I say that he sneaks around taking candid photos everywhere- it is turning into a problem!)

This week I seem to be back to a normal sleep schedule, I have been making progress with my to list and once again it is time for a pause to share a handful of updates!

At the end of this month I will be traveling to Chicago to teach at the first ever Cloth Paper Scissors CREATE Retreat and I am so excited!

My classes only have two more spaces left- Larger Than Life and The Trashy Clutch

so if you are in the Rosemont/Chicago area I would love if you joined us!!!

I am so excited to share that I am in three Stampington and Company publications that are all on stands now! Thrilled to be featured in the recent issue of Artful Blogging!!

Graffiti shoes in Altered Couture!

And a few of my past projects from past issues are included Hand Crafted volume six!

I will be closing my Etsy shop for the month of August and will reopen in September. I am in major work mode over here with my book and this month is crucial for me with deadlines. So closing the shop made the most sense in maintaining a little bit of sanity! But I am planning to open in the fall with ALL new stuff, a new look and more. I will keep everyone updated!

Color Your World -my latest latest online class is underway and so far I am having such a creative blast sharing my favorite color theory and inspiration!

So far we have covered basic color theory, creating with monochromatic color schemes, looking for color inspiration and now we are on to incorporating more than 1 color in projects. There is still time to join in on the colorful fun! click for more details

And last...I am SUPER excited to have joined the blogging team over at I Love to Create and once a month I will be posting some creative tutorials with their products. Stay tuned later this month for more info!!

ok that is all for now...time for a cat nap!

monday in the studio