Friday, February 10, 2017

My aha moment about choosing colours...

Stand outside my office door and this is what you'll hear.
Tap, tap, tap, sip, sip, tap tap...

I'm writing patterns and drinking cappuccinos today. 



I did this on Tuesday as well, and thought by today I'd be sewing and singing a happier tune with all my computer work done for the week. But.
On Wednesday and Thursday migraines pretty much stole my hours so everything ground to a halt and apart from a bit of basic food prep in the kitchen Wednesday morning the remainder of those two days have been spent at rest with Mr E and Blossom and Aisha texting through the days to check up on me. Love is such a wonderful thing.

Fast forward to wake-up at 6 am today (Friday) and all pain is gone and I'm feeling rather fresh and sprightly again!

Back to the laptop I have returned and further progress is being made with the next issue of The Stitchery Club.





I even bought a lovely bunch of flowers on the way home from dropping Mr E at work this morning because their gorgeous colours add a smile to my heart no matter how many typing or grammatical errors I have to 'fix' during a day on the computer.





A realisation as I was removing last week's wilted blooms from my favourite vase and replacing them with today's fresh flowers was the increasingly regular appearance of orange, peach, yellow and white amidst the greenery in my weekly bouquets of late.
These are not shades I'd normally tend towards. I usually buy bouquets with more of a pink, red and white palette but at the moment these 'other colours' make me rather happy. 

So I had an idea that before throwing those old wilted blooms into the garden I should choose some threads similar to their hues and put them aside for a 'one day' design, and that's exactly what I did before hitting the office to write. 

The photo on the left is of last week's flowers when they were fresh and vibrant (just so you can see what I mean by having a penchant lately for these colours) and on the right are the threads chosen this morning from the old wilted petals.




I think this is a rather lovely way to choose threads, don't you?

But I should throw in a caution...

One thing I write in every issue of The Stitchery Club is "Choose your fabric first, and then choose your threads to match" and I stand by that.  
There's nothing worse when you've spent many hours on a stitchery and then go hunting for just the right quilting fabric to sew around it (whether in a quilt or as a project) and the colours simply do not blend. 
By having your quilting fabric on hand first you can use it to choose embroidery thread colours that will match, ensuring your finished project will be a beautiful blend of stitchery and fabric at the end.

However, if you're stitching a design to put into a picture frame or only using one tonal colour as a border, then run ahead and find a bouquet that makes your heart beat with joy - whether that be from your garden (oh lucky you!) or like me you purchase a budget bunch from the local supermarket - and gather threads that match your blooms. 

All you need next is a pattern to stitch and some quiet time to enjoy bringing everything together into one lovely project.

Well, there you go, my aha moment this week.




Another thing about flowers and why I buy them for myself, is their ability to lift my countenance when life has taken a toll on me physically, emotionally, in my health, with working from home and trying to balance the home/work logistics...and any number of other challenges.

A cup of tea and a vase of pretty blooms. That's the loveliest down-time, even if it's just 10 minutes before I head out the door to pick up my husband or go down to the laundry to hang the washing on the line. Beauty in it's natural form, God's hand shown in nature, is calming, joyous, and exquisitely divine to behold.

A $10  bouquet two or three times a month is my little luxury, my gift to self, that one small thing which lifts my heart when I'm so darn weary everything can seem too much of an effort.

What's your one small thing?

Share your comments below, and if you like, come join us over here in the Gentle Domesticity Facebook group where we'll be chatting about this too.




Now I'd best return to writing patterns for as much as I try to believe it possible, they will not write themselves. 





Have a WONDERFUL end of week!

Big hugs,


12 comments:

Julie said...

Hello Jenny my friend ... I was chatting to my Mum today & said to her that I wished I could start my lawn mower & it would just take off & mow the lawns by itself. Rather like you with your pattern writing !!! Your flowers are beautiful & I can understand how they lift your spirits. I am so sorry to read of your continuing migraines & hope you are "on the up" now. The little cafe that has opened near me called "The Hummingbird" sells old tin cans wrapped with hessian & filled with a small bunch of flowers for just $5.00. I often pop in & buy a can either for myself or a friend ... they are such a good cheer-up tonic. If I end up with a few of the cans, then I take them back & give to her to re-use. Happy Weekend to you dear Jenny x xxx

Suze said...

Lovely post. I wrote on Facebook but I forgot to add that last week my beautiful daughter brought me some multicoloured carnations with baby's breath. The colours leached back into the water and the baby's breath has the palest of pink tinge. Sadly I will throw the flowere away this evening,

Ondrea said...

Oh dear! So sorry to hear that you have had a rough couple of days. It tends to creep up like that just when you think you are rolling along nicely. Many angel hugs. I agree with you regarding choosing fabric first unless there is a single border . Sometimes it is nice to choose a particular colour palette of threads simply because they jump out at you. Colour is mood. I pick my geranium flowers every week and put them in a little white jug or bottle in my guest bathroom that I also use most days. That's why I have recently planted more geraniums in different colours. What do I do when lethargy or fatigue takes hold of me? I phone my daughters and have a chat when they get home from work. I love to hear their voices. Mmmmm, that block is looking gorgeous.

Robin in New Jersey said...

Yeah! The headache is gone.

Those colors are so pretty!

Janice said...

Flowers certainly brighten up an area. I don't seem to buy them for home, but when we have stayed in a little cottage on the Isle of Man the first thing I have done is buy some pretty flowers at the supermarket, place some on the kitchen table and some in the bathroom. A bunch lasts a week, so 2 bunches make the cottage seem so much more homely. I should buy them for home sometimes. Here's hoping those dreaded migraines leave you in peace for a while.

Allie-oops Designs said...

Blasted migraines - so sorry to hear you're still going through them, but glad you woke pain free today!! I'm laughing along with this post, I'm so color-starved right now I had to go get some brights to work with...spring is a long way away it seems. That coral color you picked is one of my FAVORITES.
I wish I could buy a vase of flowers, but they're pricey here this time of year...instead, I'll make my own, on a quilt! Bonus, they'll last longer, lol! One thing I try to do every year is buy myself a dozen tulips on the first day of spring - it's a little gift to myself, and it really kicks off the warmer [and most welcome] seasons for me.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful blooms, Jenny! Could you chose your threads from the blooms and just find a fabric that goes with them before you embroider? Our local grocery has a container of "day old" blossoms which often contains carnations. They are inexpensive and carnations last quite a while so I still get several days from them. I sometimes buy those for a lift. My all-time most sure thing when I need calm and peace is to play the around 5-minute Pachelbel Canon in D by the Academy of St. Martin's in the Field. Close my eyes and just listen to that - better than Calgon in the bath. ;)

Createology said...

So happy to hear your migraines have subsided and you are feeling "sprightly". What a fun word that is. For myself a small indulgence changes from time-to-time. It might be putting polish on my tired old nails...or it might be a cup of tea or glass of iced tea...it might be more often than not, a good dose of chocolate...or MUSIC. Music always soothes my soul. Lovely flowers and thread selections. Happy Blissful Days Dear...

http://thankfullga447 said...

My future DIL gets migraines and it is so painful and she has tried everything. But rest is what she needs and then she is fine. I love getting flowers and buying them but here in the states they can be costly. Cosmos are my favorite.

BunnyeB said...

I would love to win the gift you are giving. Everything you do is always so lovely. My favorite dessert is cheese cake and pies. All varieties! Happy Birthday a little early.
ibtexasbunnye@cablelynx.com

Winifred said...

Your photographs are so gorgeous I can almost smell those flowers. The colours are beautiful. They are a great inspiration for colour selection.
Headaches are awful I don't get migraine but I get awful sinus ones. Thankfully they're more easily shifted than migraine ones but while I have them I feel awful. I can't really imagine how your migraine ones are as they last so long.

At the moment I'm watching my snowdrops flowering at the front door. They're so precious as I have tried for years to grow them from bubs. A church friend kindly gave me a clump to plant a couple of years ago but last year they didn't flower. I watered them through the summer as they are so sheltered and this year I have been rewarded with a little clump. Hard to believe how much pleasure I get from seeing them at the front door as I go in and out of the house. Seems like they herald the spring and new life. I am going to pick one to put on the window sill as it seems such a shame I only see them for seconds as I go in & out of the house.

Take care Jenny

Anonymous said...

I found your site a couple of days ago, ordered a couple of patterns, and downloaded a few free ones. I'm just starting to embroider, and of course, I went to the internet for some help. That is when I came across your site. I am creating a shortcut to my desktop so that I don't lose or forget this lite. Thanks for all your tutorials and patterns. Barbara