Monday, January 4, 2016

The yellow apology...


Is there a colour you just avoid?
Yellow is was mine.

When we were away on our road trip last month I woke from a very vivid dream on the morning of the second day. In the dream I was standing in a yellow kitchen - a 50's style of kitchen with a large faded and worn wooden table and matching chairs, yellow gingham tablecloth, white vase filled with yellow and white daisies, and a wide yellow floral curtained window above the sink...and I was happy.

Not the happy where you feel gooey and nice about a sweet baby advert on the telly, but the happy that wells up from deep inside your heart and fills every cell of your being. The kind of happy that radiates so wide you feel like you're walking on sunshine and nothing could ever be more wonderful.

The feeling I had deep within as I stood looking over that yellow kitchen took my breath away and I carried it inside me for the next day or two, not sharing a word with Mr E about it until I could no longer access the tangible emotion my dream had evoked.

On the third morning of our trip I told him about the dream and a few tears fell from my eyes as I realised there is a difference between the 'joy of the Lord' I hold dear all the time and in all circumstances, and personal happiness that fills and overflows from the human heart. What a revelation that was!

Emotion aside, the oddest thing about the kitchen and it's furnishings were all the different shades of yellow, and I am NOT a yellow person. I use it sparingly, if at all. I never choose yellow, and I never wear yellow. My response to the question "what about yellow?" is yuk. Every time.

So why did this yellow kitchen fill my happy tank to overflowing?
No idea yet, but I'm sure in time the Lord will bring clarity.

On Saturday I walked through each room of the house looking for evidence of yellow.
Mr E watched quizzically as I hunted in and around, up and down, camera in hand, muttering under my breath "there must be yellow here somewhere" and and occasional "aha!" Wise man, he did not ask what I was doing but quietly headed outside to work on my car. 

Here's all the yellow I found in my home...








When I looked, really looked, at the interior of my home, it was glaringly obvious that those few touches of yellow 'lifted' every scene in which they were placed.

And then in walks Mr E and begins explaining (in male technical jargon that drifts way over my head) what was wrong with the electrical system in my car, and the biggest  'aha' dropped from my lips.
My car is yellow.
And anyone who knows me face to face knows that I love my little yellow Lancer.
The first time I saw one it stole my heart, and many years later (2013) Mr E bought me one. 
It's 12 years old and he cares for it diligently so I can keep driving it here and there for another 12 years.
How odd of me.

I'm re-acquainting myself with Yellow this year, and as you can see I have formally apologised for my less than welcoming behaviour towards it in the past.
 Hopefully it will forgive me and we'll get along swimmingly for ever and ever.

Is there a colour you've avoided?


42 comments:

TobyBo said...

Well... I also had avoided yellow, incredibly, also till a dream. I dreamed about "Why does no one wear yellow anymore?" I posted about my dream and a friend told me yellow is the color of hope. I now seek out yellow in lots of fun places and though I am still not crazy about the color... I AM crazy about being reminded about hope and our reason for hope.

barb's creations said...

I don't like purple yet I have a very dear friend who loves it! I do have purple in my fabric stash but only to use in projects I give away how odd I've never even thought of it this way :) Barb.

Joanne said...

Hi Jenny,
I just thought I would send a big Thank You to you! What a great blog! As it goes in "blogland" I came across your blog via ...via... I don't remember!
It's time to let you know I enjoy reading your creative, heart warming posts on Elefantz!
I'm looking forward to trying Gentle Domesticity BOM this year!
Yellow! A bright and cheery livingroom wall here, the painted shed, checkered tiles in the kitchen, helps brighten up the winters day here in The Netherlands!
Take care,
Joanne

Julie said...

Hi Jenny, great post, loved your apology letter. I think I probably need to write one to purple AND orange. They are my NOT go-to colours. I took part in a purple swap one year & really found it difficult & didnt enjoy it. My Mr's favourite colour is orange ... I dont like orange in the garden much either. But I must confess yellow is a bright cheery colour - I used to have a yellow ruffle along my kitchen doors made from a vintage yellow tablecloth & it WAS definately bright & cheery. I am sure you will come to love it Jenny & you will mix it with other colours in that wonderful way that is just so YOU. x x

Nanna Chel said...

Ha ha, that is so funny, Jenny. I am not aware of any colour I don't like. I know lots of people dislike orange but it used to be one of my favourite colours back in the seventies. I am glad you and yellow are friends again ;-)

Lline said...

I avoid yellow too. Mostly on me. I turn orange when yellow is against my skin. There isn't any yellow in my house either. I hadn't noticed until you brought it to my attention. Yellow is a great color, but nice primary,lemony, sunshiney yellow is hard to find. Golds, ochors, and pale baby yellows are a little easier to find. Next time you are in a fabric store check out how many yellow bolts you see vs. say blue. I find most of the pure yellows are in batiks and solids. Yellow in a quilt and that's all you see if you're not careful. I'm going to try a BOM that Leah Day is doing this year. It's yellow, red and orange. This should break any yellow fears I have. It hopefully will be a happy, fire quilt. Hot colors make me feel...well just feel. I think I need to check out the other colors in my house and see if I am in a color rut around here. By the way can't wait to see what you have come up with for this year's BOM. You never disappoint.

Chris from WI, USA said...

Hi Jenny & by the way THANK YOU for this new BOM & can't wait to start it.
Now "PURPLE" is a elegant color but I despise it immensely & the only purple that I have is in a tote if a friend needs it to borrow. I have made a purple & chocolate quilt for y niece but only the help from my quilter friends as I couldn't figure all the hues & color in it but the most important thing is that my niece just loved it SO there is hope for me. MAYBE I'll try & use it in your BOM if it fits in so until then be happy, enjoy live & Go bless you :-)

Dolores said...

Red. Don't wear it and don't use it. It was my mom's favourite colour though. I bought her a red wing back chair years ago and I now have it. It's in the basement though and no one uses it. And, like you, yellow is another one. I did think earlier that I should do more with red.

Annie said...

Hi Jenny, Laughed when I read this post. I used to feel this way about orange and browns but then I realised there were some shades of those colours that I loved in a contrast in a project (mostly quilts). And one day, when I was missing autumn leaves of down south, I made myself an autumn leaf quilt with LOTS of orange and brown shades! I love it and put it up every autumn. So I guess that is a reminder to keep an open mind about these things..and a sense of humour!

shirley flavell said...

Giggles Jenny, I was like that with green, am better at it now but don't go to it first. I have always loved yellow, but softly hued. I have a lemon top that I have thrashed to death in the summer. It's getting very close to it's used by date though. So reluctant to give it up. Have always felt that a garden needs some yellow/ orange in it. Just dotted here and there. I feel calm with yellow. Our interior of our home is all in cream to very soft buttery yellow called calm and calmer. Happy New Year to you and yours. Hugs Shirley

Anonymous said...

Well, yellow can take over everything, but I saw a yellow quilt recently that I loved. The background was yellow, so it was really a yellow quilt! I loved it, though. I love the yellow on red Carolina Lily I piece last week. I think I might have less yellow in my house than you have in yours as I don't even have a banana! But I do like its sunniness, and I'll be interested to hear what you think about that dream, as time moves along. I am thinking about what you said about happiness, too. I don't like pink at all, but there are emotional connotations there involving my sisters. I am not crazy about orange, but put it with gray and turquoise, just a little bit of it, and it's really quite lovely. I tend more toward gold than actual yellow, but I have some fabric in yellow anyway. I loved your apology. Thought-provoking but it also made me smile.

Christina said...

I love your apology to yellow, too cute. I too have stayed away from yellow. I have very little of it in my fabric stash. I also stay away from many shades of green.:(~

I look forward to seeing your yellow creations through out the year.

Maria said...

Enjoyed reading your post! Seams funny you don't oh didnt like yellow as it is a happy sunny colour.I don't think I have any colour I don't really like. I do have lots of favorite colours though....
Guess you will have to add a slash of yellow in your header....
Have a happy sun shiny day......

Victoria said...

Yellow! Hmmm, time for a walk about the house to see what I have. So maybe the Postcards from Heaven will be done is a soft aqua/yellow theme...oh...I own 1 fat quarter of yellow! And I thought it was orange I avoided!

Createology said...

I Love yellow as it reminds me of sunshine I so dearly love and need to feel energized. However, I never wear yellow as it makes me look very jaundiced. I also realize it is not a prevalent color in my home. Someday I shall have a lovely blue and yellow kitchen. I love your yellow fabrics and think they may be Lecien which I am trying to find locally. I look forward to seeing how yellow appears in your designing and decor.

Lydia said...

Loved this post . . . I love yellow. If i had to choose a color that I'm not crazy about it would be red (she said as she looked into the living room at her red loveseat) LOL Not much of a red fan and yet, when I saw this red loveseat in the window at the furniture store, I was determined to have it and have never regretted it. But that would probably be the limit of red in my life.

kallii said...

Have to laugh as I love all colors except those 70's gold, avocado, and brown...bleck...

And Jenny you used hints of yellow in all the right places :)

Angie in SoCal said...

I was avoiding using teal and circumstances have pointed out to me that I need to use it. Two projects have reared their status to "do me", and now I"m working with teal. You had more yellow in your house than I expected.

Allie-oops Designs said...

Oh Jenny how funny!!! I loved this post. I do like yellow, but it has to be the RIGHT yellow. There are certain shades I avoid. My color peeve is purple - I don't like it at all, any hue of it, [except in nature, and even that's iffy] and you won't find a single spot of it in my house.

I'm thinking my buttery yellow 50's dinette set would look awesome in your dream kitchen....

Águeda said...

:)) Me ha parecido muy divertido este post! Gracias por compartirlo con nosotros. Nunca he evitado un color en mi hogar. Puedes encontrar todos los colores. En mi ropa sí que hay unos cuantos colores prohibidos. La causa es que mi piel es morena y tiende más al amarillo y al verde, que al dorado o tostado o rosado de los cánones de belleza.Así que nunca, nunca verán en mi armario una prenda de color marrón clarito, por ejemplo:)

Valerie said...

I love yellow, more a soft buttery yellow than an in your face yellow. I too hate mauves and purples with a vengeance.

cucki said...

Beautiful yellow x

Sharon - creativity and family said...

So interesting Jenny, I wonder if we all have a colour we avoid? Mine is definitely purple/lilac shades and yet I often love things others have made with this colour. I used to wear it a lot as a teen but for years now I have avoided it and seem to associate it with an elderly Aunt and my Mother-in-law. Not that that is a bad association at all it just stops purple feeling right for me! I do have plans to use purple this month though as in the Secret Santa I took part in I received some lovely purple fibres and threads so I will hope to use them soon and maybe find my love for it again! I shall be looking out for some nice sunshiny posts :-)

Little Penpen said...

What a cute post!! I've never thought about it before. My sis in law told me that every room in our homes needs at least one yellow thing in it. (she 's into decorating) I have a fake lemon in my china hutch, sitting on a little stand. It's one of my fav. pieces. lol

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Me TOO--avoid yellow like plague, except when it depicts the Sun. I LOVE the Sun. I have some left over yarn from gifted projects. Yellow post it notes. Some necessary fabric swatches and of course floss. I can proudly say there is no yellow that was bought for anything but a yellow purpose and crayon boxes. And I will not apologize to yellow., LOL

Kate said...

Jenny, reading your post made me think about yellow in my home and there isn't much although I do have a yellow lemon shaped timer. :D
Back in the day kitchens were usually painted yellow.
This morning I'm working on a pineapple block that needed an assortment of yellow fabric .... there was a dearth of it and what I found is rather bright for a pineapple - better suited to a lemon. So I added some bright green for the leaves and now have a very colourful pineapple that says welcome (not literally). :)
Off hand I cannot think of a colour that I avoid.
I always enjoy your posts. K

Anonymous said...

I don't wear yellow because it washes me out. My kitchen is yellow and red. My bathroom is yellow and blue. I'm thinking of doing my bedroom in a blue with yellow accents. To me, yellow is a sunny color. Colors I avoid in my house is purple and orange. Don't know why. Just don't care as much for those colors. The colors I wear the most are pink and black. Love, love pinks and blues to wear. The look best on me with my blondish hair and blue eyes.

Unknown said...

So funny that you wrote a post about yellow. Yellow is my favorite color.

robin :-)

Sandy said...

I have always loved yellow. When asked what my favorite color is, it is always a toss up between yellow or red. The color I least have in my house (actually don't think I would be able to find anything with that color) is purple. I really need to step out and make at least a small item from purple fabrics. Maybe purple and yellow! ;-)

Apple Avenue Quilts said...

I think for me I avoid purple. My Mom loved it and so does one of my daughter-in-laws but for me it just does nothing. I have used it and made a few lovely quilts with it but I just do not think it will ever be a favorite. In contrast I love yellow. All my walls are yellow. For me it bright and happy and mood lifting. The kitchen in your dream sounds so wonderful. Thanks for sharing!!!

Brenda said...

Good Morning Jenny! Oh My Goodness, I have been delighted by your apology, intrigued by your dream and waiting to find out more (as it is revealed to you and what you reveal to us)entertained by Mr. E and the peculiar part, yet very important and so brilliantly written part, drawn deeper into the post with the photos and your descriptive written post all the way through to each of the comments that were just as fascinating!

I truly avoid 3 colors in decorating, wearing and quilting. They are yellow, orange and pink. After looking around our home though, I see a touch of all colors. I am a scrappy decorator just as much as a scrappy quilter. Never had really connected the two together before. LOL. You are such a magnificent story teller! I truly thank the Lord for leading me to your site. Thank You for sharing this post today and starting my day off with a fabulous smile and much to think about! Have a wonderful creative day!

wendy said...

Actually, there are 4 colors I avoid. One of them was yellow but I am finding that I like little touches of it here and there. I still refuse to wear it though. The other colors are purple, red and orange. Maybe I should apologize too!

Anonymous said...

Hi Jenny, Orange is the colour I have tended to avoid in the past, until I learned from early quilting classes that a touch of orange in a quilt with floral prints in it will lift the other colours. I then noticed how much brighter the Winter & Spring garden looked when the English Marigolds (Calendula) were in bloom - they would spread across th empty spaces like weeds, but they really lifted the spirits.

Regards,

Marian

Lin said...

My yellow and blue dining room (yellow walls, blue curtains and tablecloth) is my favourite room with a warm and sunny feeling. However I recently wanted to make a black and yellow crazy block and I had terrible trouble finding yellow fabrics in my stash. Strangely, green is a colour I tend to avoid - no idea why. xx

Farm Quilter said...

In my decorating, quilting and dress, I tend to use more of the cool colors, except for the pink my daughter has caused me to love! Loves of blues, purples, greens to be found, but very little with reds, oranges and yellows. Does it count that my laundry room is yellow?? Of course, I inherited it like that, not my choice at all! We had a yellow kitchen when I was growing up that I hated! I do use oranges and yellows with my beloved greens and purples, but they are complementary colors and look so fabulous together. I wonder if there is a personality test that incorporates our color likes and dislikes???

Farm Quilter said...

http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/personality-color.html

Interesting, but I don't know how accurate it is!

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

Our kitchen was bright yellow when I was in high school. Yellow countertops, with yellow accents. Bright and sunshiny. (my bathroom was bright orange). I painted our guest bathroom walls a pale, buttery yellow, and it looks great! I strongly dislike grey. I've never liked it (it makes me feel grey and sullen and dull). I did buy some grey fabric (almost blue) for a quilt, but, haven't started it yet.

Unknown said...

I must admit to certain shades of glory Orange sets my teeth on edge as well as some maroon reds

StitchinByTheLake said...

I'm sitting in my yellow (and red) bedroom as I type this....yellow walls, yellow & red quilt, yellow forsythia (silk) blooms in a red vase, a yellow prayer shawl draped on my gray prayer chair....I could go on. I once had a decorator come in and rearrange my living room furniture. I love antiques, and primitives make my heart skip a beat. She did a walk through of my house to get a feel for my "style" (I really have none) and when she entered my bedroom she threw up her hands and said "you've got a whole other thing going on in here!" :) I don't wear yellow but I love the way the sunshiny walls make me feel. Now purple, well you'll find nothing purple in my house! blessings, marlene

Robin in New Jersey said...

That yellow fabric is gorgeous! I avoid orange and purple. Last year I bought some pretty purple quilting fabric but haven't done anything with it yet. Several years ago, we painted our front entry way a pale shade of yellow. It adds a little color and brightens up a dark space.

Susan said...

Yellow is my favorite color--reminds me of sunshine, daffodils, roses, forsythia, and even dandelions. I don't really tend to ignore certain colors, just certain shades of different colors. RIght now as I look out my window, I see a light gra sky, bare trees with snow falling.

gwen said...

My fave for the kitchen