#5- Final August Challenge - Lavender Purple - Spirituality

WOW! Here we are in our last week of the "Creative Color Challenge"
I've really enjoyed creating with you all

Week #5 - Lavender. This color is for dearest Chrissy. :-)

When in Australia a few years ago, I spent the day at a lavender farm. The scent and surroundings were so aromatic and wonderous, it is a place I visit often in my thoughts. Since then, lavender scents & colors continue to be part of my daily life, but I am yet to explore the color through art. I have to admit, creating in purple SCARES me (just like it does Chrissy). :-(

So this is our final challenge for August. There's just one little added twist: You may add other colors but ONLY: Sunflower Yellow, Raspberry Red, Turquoise Blue, Sea Green, Black and White and any metallics. (use any or all of these)

Purple represents spirituality, mysticism, creativity, royalty and inner wisdom.
Light purple evokes romantic and nostalgic feelings.

So lets connect with our inner self and spark some nostalgia as we revisit our creative journeys and the colors that some of us have had the joy to explore over the last month.

So excited to see your final entries for the August challenge. Please add your images to "The Creative Color Challenge" Flickr group by Sat 2pm EST (ill be sharing some of the images on my wrap up post next Saturday) Please tag with the words "purple, lavender, creative color challenge, spirituality"

It's not too late to participate! This is the last week of The Creative Color Challenge for August, so email louise[at]britcreative[dot]com to join in and get your name and link added to the participant list and to hear about more Creative Challenges coming soon.

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Week #4 - Wrap Up - One More To Go!

From top left across: 1. Just Jax, 2. Fleuronic, 3. Gumnut Logic, 4. Jaime Barks, 5. Pippin, 6. BostinStuff , 7. Artyherberts, 8. OneLittleHouse, 9. Shannon Olszewski, 10. Leanne Sim , 11. LoveandPeas 12. Exploring Creativity

So how did you find this color? I know a few of us had some issues with how our camera changed our lovely Sea Greens into different shades, I had a little challenge mixing the color myself to find the shade I was after. Then how great was it to be taking part in the double wammy of challenges and also following the theme of "To The Sea" with Cathy Nichols and her Found Art Friday. YAY! I did a separate post for FAF and my final piece can be seen there.

Cant believe the Challenge is nearly over! We have just one more week left, so check back Sunday around 3pm for the final color and final challenge. ooooh what color will it be. :-)

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Found Art Friday - Sea Green & To The Sea

Hey everyone! I'm still deciding whether to add more to this weeks Color Challenge piece, but here it is ready for Cathy's Found Art Friday entry.

How's everyone doing this week?

I decided to keep it simple again this week. I did find this color a bit of a challenge as I couldnt quite get the tone of greeny blue I was looking for, but I love the image of waves crashing, bursting and changing and so "To The Sea' we go before the summer ends.

Look at how different these images are! The one below is from a photo I took and the one above was scanned and looks nothing like the original! Not really sure if either have the exact sea green color I was looking for (again the color is so different in "real life"!) but thought I'd share both with you as I think they create different moods in their own right.

Look out for entries on Cathy's Blog tomorrow and my wrap up post will be up on Saturday afternoon. We then have just ONE more week left for the August challenge.

I have had many people ask me if we are going to do more after the August challenge ends. I would really like to continue with some kind of ongoing monthly challenge, linked to color still but we can definitely have a play with other subjects and ideas. What do you think? I've so enjoyed creating with you all, I don't want it to end. :-)

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Week #4 - Sea Green - Growth & Found Art Friday Fun!

Week #4 - Sea Green and theme = "To The Sea"

(Check out last weeks wrap up post here)

This week we are combining our Creative Color Challenge with the lovely Cathy Nichols and her Found Art Friday for August which has a theme of "To The Sea". Cathy and I thought this would be a really fun thing to do to add an extra twist.

All you need to do is create your piece using Sea Green with the theme "To The Sea" and either blog about it or post your image to the flickr group by Thursday Aug 26th and Cathy will also feature our work on her blog. How lovely is that! (please add a blog link to your flickr upload if you blog about it)

Thanks to Juliette who suggested this color and Cathy for joining in the fun with us!

So in addition to the theme "To the Sea" added to this weeks challenge, you can create in seagreen, white and black and also add just one or two more colors to your creation - you decide on the colors, but remember Seagreen is still "centre stage." This is quite a challenge as yes last weeks color would of been more perfect, but that's all the fun!

The color green represents the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. Green has strong emotional correspondence with safety. Also associated with love and warmth. It governs growth in general.

I hope that being part of this challenge has fostered some growth. I know it has for me. :-)

Cant wait to see what gets created this week. Please add your images to "The Creative Color Challenge" Flickr group by Thurs 26th to get featured on FAF or by Sat 2pm EST (ill be sharing some of the images on my wrap up post next Saturday), please tag photos with the color "green"

It's not too late to participate! The Creative Color Challenge, is open for 2 more weeks, so email louise[at]britcreative[dot]com to join in and get your name and blog/website link added to the participant list.

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Week #3 - Wrap Up!

From top left across: 1. Joye, 2. The Creative Beast, 3. Heidi Brand , 4. One Little house , 5.Valentina Ramos , 6. Leanne Sim , 7. Cul*ti*vate, 8. Pat Langley, 9. Angie Barrett, 10. Mel , 11. Carola Bartz, 12. Exploring Creativity

WOOHOO! What a glorious color. I enjoyed looking through the flickr pool so much today, so many absolutely amazing Turquoise combinations and what a gorgeous color this is to work in. Did everyone feel some calm and tranquility? I'm so inspired, are you?

I know many of you love this color, so did you find this an easier week? Anyone still find it a challenge? I loved adding some extra metalics to my piece below which is only 8x8 inches so I have this desire to make this into a much larger canvas, what do you think?

Such a great challenge week everyone. Ill be posting the new color and challenge Sunday at around 3pm EST. This week we are pairing up with one of my favourite artists who also hosts a regular challenge to add some more twists! Check back tomorrow for the scoop. :-)

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Happy Everywhere!

The last few days have been a little strange for me. I've been blaming it on our hot, cool, rainy, sunny weather (its been all over the place, a bit like myself!). I realized I was just trying to do too many things and lost my focus. Sometimes...I can be a bit of a control freak (yep im admitting that), so when I lose my structure to my day or week, everything just goes outta whack (sound familiar?). I guess that's just the Ebb and Flow of life and energy. So you know what.....?

I decided to stop beating myself up about it and just
go. with. the. flow.

So yesterday I gave myself permission to stop for a bit. I went to my kickboxing class (first time in ages!), took a long walk (being outside and near trees makes me feel re-energized), sat on my front step with a friend mulling over the day, saying hi to the neighbors as they walked past and finally decided after many weeks of contemplation - to purchase the "Fire Starter Sessions" ebook, by Danielle la Porte. "spark your genius, ignite your business, make it matter" just spoke to me. (yes I admit, im addicted to ebooks/courses too!) One of the quotes she uses is :

"A strength is what you do that makes you feel strengthened! It‘s not necessarily what you‘re good at, or what you‘re capable of—it‘s what feels amazing when you do it!".... "A weakness is stuff you do that makes you feel weakened!"

So simple right?

Yes I know it may seem obvious, but I realized I DO feel weakened when I have too many things going on and I'm "out of control" and exercising, creating, organizing, connecting and being with nature are some of the very things that make me feel strong again. I'm excited to see whatelse comes out of this ebook and I'll be sharing some more ah ha moments with you as I work through this (Anyone else read or reading Danielle's ebook?)

What are some of the things that make you feel strengthened?

Another realization...whether im in the ebb or the flow, structured or all over the place, is that I am very happy to be where I am. I AM Happy Everywhere.

So this is my theme song for the rest of my week. It's so funky I cant help but tap my toes! :-)

On a mid-week note....I am LOVING everyone's color creations so far on this challenge, and it is truly one fabulous group of creative beings. I wanted to stop and say that its a pleasure having you all participate in this. Already a glorious display of turquoise is appearing in the flickr pool...such a delight to the eyes, check it out here. and please pop back on Saturday for the wrap up.

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Week #3 - Turquoise Blue with a Twist! - Tranquility

Week #3 - Turquoise Blue

After all of the red passion from last week (check out the wrap up post here), we are going to calm ourselves down with the color of gems and oceans in paradise. This blue reminds me of lakes in North East Spain, the Pacific Ocean (all those lovely vacations in Australia) and Mermaids (?).

This week I'm adding an extra twist, but still a restriction! You can use black and white but also anything with a metallic influence, so gold, silver, bronze, copper etc. These could be colors, found objects, contrasts in light and photography, but the turquoise is still center stage in your creation - so yes still a little challenging. :-).

I'm excited...are you?

Blue is often associated with depth and stability. It symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven. Tranquility, peace, thought and communication.

Blue is considered beneficial to the mind and body. It slows human metabolism and produces a calming effect.

So excited to see your calming creations. Please add your images to "The Creative Color Challenge" Flickr group by Sat 2pm EST (ill be sharing some of the images on my wrap up post next Saturday night before posting week #4 on Sunday which will also have an additional added element!)

It's not too late to participate! The Creative Color Challenge is open all month, so email louise[at]britcreative[dot]com to join in and get your name and link added to the participant list.

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Week #2 - Wrap up!

From top left across: 1. Moyra Scott, 2. Gwynnie B, 3. Kylie Law, 4. LoveandPeas, 5. Kristy Smythe, 6. Sweet Myrtle, 7. Brigid Gallagher Davies, 8. Creative Kismet, 9. lulapieclothing 10. Arty-San, 11. ImagesbyJax , 12. Trulyana

Another fabulous week of gorgeous color creations! Well done everyone, more inspirational work.

How did you find this color? Did you feel passionate creating in it? Did it stir anything inside? Or did you find it quite a challenge?

I decided to keep it simple this week with the color being the backdrop and using white to create the imagery over the top. I found that I had to leave my piece and come back to it each day this week and now I'm pretty happy with the finished product. Here is my entry:

Raspberry Red/White Bloom. Prints available here.

Well done everyone! Ill be posting the new color and challenge Sunday at around 3pm EST. There will be a little twist for week #3, so get ready to explore the next color in a slightly different way. :-)

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Do you feel it too?

Hi everyone, hope you are enjoy August so far.

For those of you deep in this color challenge with me, how are you feeling?

I went for a lovely long walk on Monday (without my camera!) and I have to say, the world looked so differently to me. I was noticing more yellow out there. More ladies were dressing in cute yellow, white & black dresses, saw more yellow taxis, flowers, products and so much sunshine color!

The realization for me was that I was noticing it more...was it always there and i didnt see it? Was it because i was so focused on yellow and creating in it (how scared i was of that color last week) that my eye was "tuned in".

This excited me so much that I had an urge to just paint, a big canvas, huge! and just go for it with color and shapes and well whatever came to me....it was liberating. I wanted to pair colors together I had never thought would go....something was different. (sneak peak of a part of the painting in progress above!)

Are you feeling it too?

I hope your raspberry creations are going well. Here's a sneaky peak of one of mine.

I'm also pleased to announce comment no3 was randomly selected for this months First Friday and so Caryn Lynn is the winner of the Duffy Daffodil Bulbs- congrats! Caryn, please email me your address to info[at]louisegale[dot]com. Caryn commented "the little finches that perch themselves on top of my sunflowers to snack on the seeds are my most favorite yellow thing right now"

See you on Saturday for this weeks Raspberry Red Wrap Up!

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Week #2 - Raspberry Red - Passion

Week #2 - lets get fruity with Raspberry Red!
(color suggested by Maisy)

Click here to read & comment on week #1 Wrap up.

One of my summer faves is to pick and eat raspberries. Growing up in England, we used to have raspberries and blackberries at the top of our garden. Yummmm. They make my taste buds go crazy and face scrunch up but I LOVE them.

So this weeks color is inspired by those tart berries. Create in all this fruity goodness. (Remember you can only use shades and add black and white to your creations if you wish)

Red is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love. Red is a very emotionally intense color. It enhances human metabolism, increases respiration rate, and raises blood pressure.

So this week, emerge yourself in this color, soak it up. Be strong, powerful in your creating, throw in a little passion and lets get that heart rate up with doing what we love.

So excited to see the passion. Please add your images to "The Creative Color Challenge" Flickr group by Sat 2pm EST (ill be sharing some of the fruitiness on my wrap up post next Saturday night before posting week #3 on Sunday)

It's not too late to participate! The Creative Color Challenge is open all month, so email louise[at]britcreative[dot]com to join in and get your name and link added to the participant list.

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Week #1- WRAP UP!

From top left across: 1. RemembermeEmily, 2. SailorGirlJewelry, 3. Dana Barbieri, 4. Fancibags, 5. Michelle Prosek, 6. Joye, 7. Fleuronic, 8. Becky Klier, 9. Juliette Crane, 10. Kristin Dudish, 11. Gumnut Logic, 12. Shannon Olszewski

Wow! So much sunshine was created, above is just a few of the great creations posted. Please check out the flickr group for more and to leave comments on everyone's entries. Well done to all who created some loveliness in Sunflower Yellow. If you are a little behind, no worries, you can continue to post to the group as and when.

Here's my mixed media creation. I myself found this color quite a challenge! But once I got going, I really enjoyed yellow. :-)

What did you all think of creating in this color? How did you get on? Was it difficult, easy, eye opening? Did you discover something?

Please leave your comments below to wrap up our yellow challenge for week #1
Check back Sunday 4pm EST for the next color! woohoo!

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First Friday Find & Giveaway - AUGUST

Welcome to First Fridays Find and Giveaway for August. A monthly feature where I'll post some fun, inspirational or useful finds and also offer a fabulous giveaway from myself, sponsors or the universe in general!

This month's FFF&G is all about COLOR!

A SUPER cool COLOR website I found called "ColorLovers", they have some fun pallets, patterns and lots of really funky inspirational blogs about color. This is by far one of my favourite finds. I spent hours on here, soaking it all up. Here are a few blog posts about color I loved! (i hope you like them too)

Click below for some finds:

• Colorful Weddings: Not all Bridal Gowns are White.
  
• Travel By Color (such an interesting way to think about your vacation)
• Photographic Color Compositions
• Martin Scorseses favorite light and color films.
  

First Friday Giveaway
I'm giving away some lovely "Duffy" Welsh Daffodil bulbs which can be planted in late summer/early fall, and will bloom in the Spring. ahhhhh. So you will have some lovely yellow sunshine of your own.

To win, simply leave a comment below and name your most favorite Yellow object, poem, place, etc....or check out the colorlovers website and share a blog post there you love...:-)


The lucky winner will be chosen at random on Weds.

See you Sunday for the Creative Color Challenge Week #1 Sunfower Yellow results and the next COLOR! YAY!

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Week #1 - Sunflower Yellow - Energize

Welcome to WEEK #1 of The Creative Color Challenge.

There's nothing I love more than seeing a field of beautiful sunflowers, and although creating something in yellow feels a little scary for me, I'm up for the challenge! - So this weeks color is inspired by those pretty petals of sunshine. Brighten up your week by creating in all those shades of yellow under the sun. (Remember you can only use shades and add black and white to your creations if you wish)

Yellow is the color of sunshine. It's associated with joy, happiness, intellect, and energy. Also concerned with clarity, well-being, confidence and optimism.

So this week, emerge yourself in this color , soak it up. Smile out loud, know that you are enough, look after yourself, be confident in who you are and optimistic that everything is going in the right direction and that whatever you create will be energizing and beautiful.

I'm going to be using Amsterdam Acrylic Color - Cadmium Yellow 271 (from the expert series)

So excited to see the sunshine together. Please add your images to "The Creative Color Challenge" Flickr group by Sat 8pm EST (ill be sharing some of the sunshine on my wrap up post next Sunday) and please add keywords "yellow" and "Creative Color Challenge" when you upload to flickr.

It's not too late to participate! The Creative Color Challenge is open all month, so email louise[at]britcreative[dot]com to join in and get your name and link added to the participant list.

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