"out with the cold, in with the woo"…



~E. Marshall, "Spring Thought" …a popular quote, these days. I always felt that spring is the earth beginning a very long and much needed exhale. And, that is why it feels so exhilarating. Who can not be inspired by all of the freshness in color ---bright and soft, all at the same time! I could not. I’ve been clicking away for several weeks now, bringing my phone or camera with me every time I step outside. All of the soft vibrant colors have motivated me to try out a new collection.


These photos are what initiated my enthusiasm. While I had them open in my photo editing software, (I use several, but this time I was using Gimp---a free open-source editing program you can download) I used the color-picker dropper to pick out colors, one by one, from within the picture and used the spray paint tool to create color swatches. While working in our studio, I kept these photos and color swatches close by and created our spring collection.



"Spring is a heart full of hope and a shoe full of rain." ~unknown






The shadowbox is a new project we’ve been playing with. Jeff made the box from scrap pieces of plywood, and in place of the top he attached an old wood picture frame. Then, he did his magic, by applying paper tape over the frame and sides of the box. From there, I took over and gave it a white-wash with wood glue and craft paint. (It’s not quite finished yet, and still needs some layers of clear coat, but you get the idea…) I chose what photos I wanted, printed them up in different sizes and glued them to pieces of cardboard. Before gluing these to the inside of the shadowbox, I cut smaller pieces of cardboard and stacked them underneath the photos to raise them at varying heights.

If you would like to create a color palette from an inspiring photo of your own, an easy way to do it is online at the Big Huge Labs website. They have a color palette generator that will create a color palette from any photo. Here is a screen shot of a photo I uploaded to the webpage. It’s one I took of our white rabbit sign we have hanging on our fence. I love our white rabbit; it won’t be long before he is hidden behind all of the philodendron. But, every winter it dies back just enough for him to appear by Easter.  

My favorite springtime quote is from Margaret Atwood ---
"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt."
I love the sound of that and only wish I had the time to smell like dirt everyday.

~dale

5 comments:

  1. This collection is turning out amazing, and that is such a clever idea to build a palette from pictures you love!

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  2. I am in love with your vases...the colours are lovely and I think I might buy one :)

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  3. Gorgeous, gorgeous post Dale. The colours of the photos and the vases are just exquisite. And thanks for the pointer to the colour palate tool - I can't wait to have a play with that. The Margaret Atwood quote inspires me to keep thinking about setting up our kitchen garden this Autumn. Yep the leaves are changing and the air is cooling over here just as you all start smelling like dirt over there. Lucky things!
    xx

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  4. Beautiful! And thank you for letting us into your process, showing us how you create a palette inspired by your photography! And for transmitting the thrill of spring!

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  5. Thank you, so much, for the kind words and I hope everyone's holiday weekend is as beautiful as it is here in florida---no matter what hemisphere you are in. The beginnings of spring and fall always brings elated feelings for change.

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