The other day, I was pondering my love for growing things and petals. For a moment, I had this perfect understanding of how art and gardening go hand in hand. How I devour the colors and textures in the garden, and feel refueled to create after tending flowers.
It isn’t just live flowers that I have a fondness for.
One of my greatest joys is hanging flowers to dry and also, pressing them in books.
I get so excited, during rose season especially, to create little bundles that will hang about the house…
Colors slowly intensifying as they dry.
Yesterday I stood gazing up at the drying roses…
Their colors so lush and deepened in their dried stage.
I realized that I am inspired to paint, when I see color.
Color is an inspiration in its own rite, isn’t it?
I enjoyed a morning of choosing some of the dried roses to put into my antique cabinet where I keep old collected saints and religious tid-bits.
I felt so inspired.
The melding of the colors, delicious.
I couldn’t believe the total joy and “I want to make something now” feelings that the blues and reds, to pinks and purples + peeling paint were filling me with.
I thought, this is just what I needed.
The deepened colors of dried roses.
Yes, it’s just what I needed, I thought again.
I don’t share my religious beliefs often, if at all.
As I find them to be not only private (although strong and vast), but also we are all so different in what we believe in, that I never want to push my beliefs on anyone.
And most importantly, I respect everyone’s beliefs ardently.
Just look at our household, I was raised Catholic, Mister Lovee Jewish.
So, I have totally open respect for all.
But I will say this, the colors in this antique cabinet, combined with religious bits and bobs that remind me of what I believe in, make me feel so full and happy.
It’s always nice to have a little reminder of something that gives you hope, surrounding you, isn’t it?
I for one love shrines filled with collections.
Religious or not.
Just a smattering of things that can quickly make you feel better, is what it’s all about.
As I dusted each piece, and tucked dried flowers in here and there, I just couldn’t get over this sort of mad infusion of color lifting my spirits.
I marveled at how a light yellow tea rose gained shades of peach and orange.
How coral roses had turned a bright cherry red.
How light lavender roses turned a beautiful purple.
I felt a need to urge you to go collect flowers and dry them upside down.
If you don’t already.
They are so fun to tuck in here and there.
And, during winter months, they are a grand reminder of spring and summer.
A spirit lifter indeed.
Colors and how they affect your mood….
Interesting topic isn’t it?
Color.
Mixing paint.
My brain jumps to…
Pink, red, teal, blue, lavender, yellow, lime green..
Flowers.
Textures.
I think of places.
Mexico, Italy, Morocco, and more…
Color inspirations.
Delicious infusions.
What’s your fave color?
What about your least fave color?
Why?
I love all shades of teal/sea foam green, and pinks, oh pinks!
I am less partial to yellow on my own walls (even though I love the color), simply because I had a yellow room when I was really young.
Yellow bedspread, yellow Holly Hobby wallpaper, yellow everything.
You?
Oh delicious color!!
Makes me want to go straight to India, or paint a wall fuchsia.
Yummm!
Color shenanigans I tell ya.
😉
Love, V
ps: Still feeling a little better everyday after the anaphylactic scare. Some days better than others. Psychologically, sometimes I feel panic stricken, sometimes I feel fine. Par for the course?
Vanessa, my favorite color is lavender. I love it, love it, love it! Reading your post reminds me of how I have been thinking about getting my watercolors out and playing. I’m so glad you’re feeling better!
Just to quote avatar…
“You’re so colorful its making me nauseous!”
Mai said this as she fought the kyoshi warriors.
Sometimes to much color isn’t such a good thing dearie…blind people only see black. It’s not nice to mock them.
Love, Snow White
Definitely par for the course. Glad you’re slowly but surely recovering.
My favourite colour? Scarlet, or fuschia, can I have both? Passion, energy, warmth, love that’s what they mean to me.
My favorite color is red…the color of hate and anger…and your blood.
It is such a distinctive and defining shade…
I also like the color black…black as night. Give me your heart, my dear ,dear snow white….
Much love,
Evil Queen
My favorite color is brown..the color of poop.
Why, you ask?
Well, you see. My life has been a dull series of poopy memories. My entire life, no one has ever loved me. I spend my days laying in bed, contemplating the end.
Bye.
Grumpy
I simply adore your posts darling 🙂 you are a beacon of light upon the world 🙂 which is why my favorite color is yellow 🙂 the color of sunshine 😀
:):),):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
😀
Happy
Vanessa:
You know, I don’t think I could ever pick one color as my favorite. It changes with my moods and the flow of my life. I tend to go toward the pinks, blues and lavenders. I love, love, love, the specific green of Jadeite. Yellow makes me feel sunny. But…I also truly do love black. Black is the perfect compliment to all the lovely colors.
However, if I had to choose one color that is my least favorite, I’d have to say anything that falls within the red to burgundy palette. Hmmmm…I wonder why?
I’m so glad you’re feeling a bit better each day. I’ve been down with a horrible flu. Started with a nasty sore throat and I’ve been on the couch for 5 days. I am just now feeling a wee bit better. I even had a fever of 102 degrees. Reading your post about color has made me feel much better!! I think I’ll take a little stroll through my garden and peek at the Sweet Peas.
xoxo
Gerushia’s New World
I’m going to paint my feet like that for my next swim meet!
I simply adore your posts darling 🙂 you are a beacon of light upon the world 🙂 which is why my favorite color is yellow 🙂 the color of sunshine 😀
:):),):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
😀
Happy
@—-> @——>@—–> those are supposed to be roses deary! I LOVE roses and I LOVE the name ROSE! We now live where a ROSE once lived!! @—–> We are on the same mindwave, I was hurriedly looking for something to add in your mail and I pulled out my drawer with religious things and told myself, No, she might not be Catholic and wouldn’t appreciate what I have! hehe @—–>I LOVE all your roses and religious statues! Stay well my friend and UPBEAT, sending YOU love vibes and keeping YOU and YOURS in my prayers!!@——>
Beautiful dried roses.
I love so many colors. I wear a lot of blue cause it suits me (I even wear blue scrubs for work cause we are color coded now). I have lots of purples, yellows and other colors in my garden. Different colors in different rooms of the house. Lately I’ve been all into a red, white and blue color scheme. I keep pinning red, white and blue things to my boards at pinterest. I have red as an accent color in my kitchen and living room.
Your picture of your hand and foot reminded me of something with my granddaughter. She was asking me one day something I could remember from when I was a little girl so I told her and then asked her something she remembered and it was the day we painted her feet with multi colored paints and I stood her on cardboard on the kitchen floor, then we painted her hands and made her hand prints. I think that is the thing about being a grandparent those things she’s going to remember some day.
I’m glad to hear you are continuing to feel better. I so hope you are able to enjoy everything again…and soon! Color is important to me…especially what I wear. I’m feeling good and have lime green and pink on today! heehee! And I’m enjoying my cards from your Etsy shop. I’ve already sent a few out to blog friends! Thanks!
Oh, color makes me so happy! My home is infused with bright, intense color. I love to create with those colors as well. I don’t really have a favorite color–just love rich and deep! Oh, your dried roses are so pretty! I love how they look different from how they did when they were fresh.
My room was pink pink pink when I was growing up. I even had a pink princess style phone in my room!
Glad so glad you are feeling better. I would think it is very understandable to feel kind of panicky every once in a while. You went through a very scary experience, and not knowing exactly what caused it is bound to be difficult for you. I pray that there will be no repeats and that you can do lots of inspired creating with all the beauty that surrounds you!
Awe, a visit to YOU is always a color explosion! A serotonin uptaker, I tell ya! There is always a bit of Pentecost here on your blog, for you speak everyone’s language in their own sense. You are an incredible spiritual being and there is no hiding that! I am amazed at the depth of color in your dried roses. The old, the rusted, and the dried all become beauty in your presence. Excuse me now, for I must go paint my feet. **happy smiles** Deb
I love color! All types of green are the best – chartreuse being my favorite. I’m a huge fan of autumn colors and jewel tones, although pastels are lovely too. Never been to keen on neon. I don’t mind looking at it, but I definitely don’t want to where it. My fair skin reflects them right off my chin.
Glad that you’re feeling better, sweet one.
I love pale pink, teal/turquoise, and a deep red. Those colors (especially the pink and teal combo) make me so happy. I also love white, just because it’s so cleansing. Black as well, because it is the perfect compliment to anything. I am also a fan of deep, royal purple, and gold together. So many different colors and choices…it’t too hard for me to decide!! 🙂
Yes, par for the course but those feelings will lesson and lesson as time goes by and your think positively, balanced and responsibly regarding the allergic reaction.
Wow! Queenie had Holly Hobby wall paper too! Senior year in high school I peeled it all off and replaced it with this wild art nouveau wall paper. A little on the overwelming side… My parents now call that room the French room -lol-
I pretty much love all colors for color sake but there are a couple color combinations that just don’t do it for me… yellow paired with grey… not my fav. It really has to be the right yellow and grey for me to not just say “why?” -lol-
So glad you are doing better. Take it day by day.
Have a great day.
Always, Queenie
I love, love, love color!! I love all colors, but I am drawn toward blues, turquoises, greens, purples, and bright pinks. Though I wear mostly black and browns. And right now I love all fall colors and jewel tones, because they are the colors I am using for my wedding in October. 🙂
It is totally normal to be overly cautious after having a severe allergic reaction. It will fade over time, but you just have to give it time, like all those unfortunate life events. Heal well. 🙂
Hello, Lovely Miss Vanessa and all your colorful ways! I am Sssooo glad you are continuing in your doing better mode!
Color in my mind surely keeps my heart a pumping and I know that my palates of favorites change with the seasons mostly. I do love shades of green daily and I must be surrounded by it to feel alive. I love trees and since moving to AZ from CA., they R a necessity for me to live here. This summer turquoise and orange seem to be what I have gravitated towards. As a child my bedroom was shades of greens with white daisy flowers. My furniture was a painted in white and yellow. I loved it and it always made me feel cool and happy. My dad carved flowers on the wooden headboards of my bed and painted them in pastels.
Gosh, I am tearing thinking about this sweet memory. How special, thanks to you, Miss V! Sending U continued wishes of Health and Happiness! 😉 & <3
My favorite color is…well….I won’t tell you! ……please, don’t make me!
This is the most beautiful post ever! I love your shrines so much, and your roses just add magic to them! I can’t stop looking at these photos!
Color feeds me greatly….I NEED color around me. Recently I thought of going neutrals in my house and then after a short time I could feel the missing color and how it was affecting me and now I am infusing it back! Same with art….must have colors….fuschia, lime green, aqua, turquoise, red on and on! I so can see why those roses and your treasures inspire you so.
Oh to go to places where color is rampant everywhere you look….a deep immersion that would feed body and artistic soul!
I am delighted you are better and better….and it is par for the course feeling moments of trepidation as that was truly a scare. BUT that will pass for sure!
Wouldn’t the world be a better place if everyone respected each others beliefs without judgment??
Taking a break from my reunion stuff…can be you believe 40 years?? I certainly can’t…
XOXOXO
We filled our christmas tree with white lights and roses of all sizes and colors this year. Then they dried right on the tree and it was sheer heaven to gaze upon them. All nestled in evergreen. The scent was so fresh it was like a dream. The yellows and pinks were like fine sparkling wine glistening with the lights. The reds, purple and orange exploded with joy.
The whites were so transparent and sheer. At the top was a glorious bouquet that called our attention to the heavens and it was as if angels were swooping all around the top of the tree. Then we decorated the house with the ornaments and hung some from ornament stands. It was all constantly changing as the whims flew. Friends would bring bouquets and would add more flowers for the tree. Lovely to have dry and fresh swirling in a dance of color.
By the way I hope I did not insult you when I thought you may have had a similar reaction as my dear friend Matina with your allergic attack. I was just channeling a thought.
xoxo Pink is a pure love of mine.
I, too, am a lover of color….and a fellow Arizonan….I might add. Loved stopping by here today with your riot of color!
xo
Jo
P.S. I forgot to tell you that I LOVE the word “shenanigan”!
xoxo
Kim
So so glad that you are feeling a bit better.It looks like all of your lovely flowers are conspiring to cheer you to recovery.
Oh and by the way, thank you for sending the beautiful labels I ordered. I love them!
🙂
You are so right about colour it has such power to change moods. I struggle to pick a favourite colour, but then I always think, why do I have to pick a favourite? They are all lovely 🙂 x
My world is made up with thoughts of color also. I love it all. Your shrines are totally awesome, each one unique in it own right. We all have our own shrines, none over powering the other.
I am so very happy that you are feeling better. Like I said before…one step at a time. I am sending you warm breezes and much sunshine for your speedy recovery.
Oh, I feel just the same way about flowers, color, all of it! My little one got roses for her dance recital and they’re just about at the stage where they need to be hung to dry. I have my wedding bouquet all dried and in a cabinet.
I love your cabinet of relics as well. I think there is something so lovely about old religious paintings and icons. I have a Virgin Mary who holds court over my herb bed 🙂 it always makes me smile, and perhaps makes the herbs just a little bit better!~
Your space for the saints and Marys are beautiful. The dried roses give it an extra glow.
I love color. I always use color therapy especially when I’m sick or tired to give me a magical boost.
Gorgeous! And I love that you have a little shrine of sorts. I did in my Paris apartment, but still searching for the right space here. I, too find the religious icons, crosses (my collection of Spanish crosses) and prayer symbols (Italian and French) and Madonna crowns soothing and reassuring. Some of them are in my cabinet d’curiosities, but I’d rather have a dedicated space. Must be more creative!
As always, you are an inspiration, dearest V. xx
Loveliness. I will keep it short because I’ve been leaving you novels on the last couple of posts.
I am not particularly a religious person but I find such peace and beauty in the image of Mother Mary. I have amassed a little mini collection of Mary statuary. I think it’s beautiful, and so very traditional. Like things that would be in older folks’ homes, with other collections of beautious things.
Look at your paint-laden hands!!!! 🙂 So beautiful! Color is amazing. My favorite colors – they tend to be dark and somewhat earthy…rich reds, dark greens, earthy browns. I suppose I am fond of most colors – but for some reason I am not a fan of light blue. LOL xoxo