Championing the makers, artists, and wanderers in all of us.
l had so much jewel-toned goodness to share with you in part 1 of this color story that it overflowed into this whole separate post!
So you can continue to revel in jewel-toned art, nature, artisan goods, destinations, and DIYs.
Continue reading “Color Story: Gems + Jewel Tones (part 2)”
Beyond just decoration, color is elemental.
Think of mineral pigments. The way a body of water takes on shades of what it carries – a cloudy blue glacial stream, a teal bay concealing a forest of kelp, a river that turns mud-brown with sediment. The hue of flames shifting from fuel and temperature changes. Or the impact of heat and chemical makeup on the color of lava, of aurora, of stars.
The rich, saturated colors of rubies, emeralds, sapphires, amethysts, and other gemstones are actually from trace elements within them. It’s those so-called imperfections that create the gorgeous palette we call jewel tones.
With Tucson’s gem show season beginning today, it seemed like the perfect time to explore jewel-toned things to make, places to visit, handmade items to shop, and nature to marvel at.
Updated March 2023.
Originally published January 2020.
While Pantone’s 2020 Color of the Year is Classic Blue, I feel like I’ve already explored that in my 2018 Blues color story. Instead, what’s been on my mind – colorwise, at least – is teal.
It’s a tricky one to define exactly.
Teal resides at the divide between blue and green, undulating from one to the other, like waves over the border between sea and ocean. The side it falls on depends on who is seeing it and how.
You might find dark, dramatic shades of teal in a flowing river, in paint and pottery, in flora and fauna. Maybe it’s made its way into your home.
Teal can feel tranquil. Like a deep breath. Like that time after the holidays but before you’ve completely resumed your regular routine. Like the peace we need more of in 2020.
For now, maybe we can start by simply taking a moment to breathe deeply and take in some gorgeous teal tranquility.
1. A dramatic shade of natural stucco paint made with minerals sourced in Europe. / via Kromoxi (H/T A Girl Inspired)
2. Diving kingfisher near Kirkcudbright, Scotland. / One of over 720,000 photographs Alan McFadyen shot during his 6-year quest to perfectly capture the birds’ dive into the water. / via Daily Mail
3. Detail of VisionShift, Sonia King’s mosaic installation for the HALL Arts complex in Dallas.
4. Mudstone font sample. / I’m not sure whether this festival actually exists, but I kinda hope it does. / via You Work For Them
5. Tips for making a eucalyptus leaf bundle to hang in your shower. (Or purchase a ready-made one.) / Photo via Healthline
6. Prickly pear cactus earrings created by Australian artist Amelia Marks. / via e.g. etal
7. Tiled steps at The Dreamcatcher Guesthouse in Ocean Park, Puerto Rico. / via BLDG 25 + Dreamcatcher on Facebook
8. DIY tropical wreath with paper foliage by Lia Griffith.
9. Ceramicist Gwendolyn Yoppolo shows the lovely variation from different glazes and firing techniques.
10. Hand-printed vintage camper tea towel by Cara Hibbs. (Her Etsy shop, ohlittlerabbit, is taking a break. More fun, hand-screened tea towels here.)
11. Sea lions and pelicans enjoying a sunny day at Old Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey, California. / I took this photo when we were there in 2012. We stayed in a cute little vintage camper that looked a bit like the lower right one on the tea towel above.
12. Lacinato kale + recipe for kale and sausage skillet via The Rainforest Garden.
13. 1960s brushed metal pendant lamp by Doria Leuchten via VNTG.
14. “You Belong Among the Wildflowers” embroidered Tom Petty lyrics wall hanging by BreezebotPunch on Etsy. (Currently out of stock but you can get on the waitlist or request a custom order.)
15. Abstract sketchbook painting of the Smith River in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park (Northern California) by Heather Day. / Her work is more about sensory experience than the literal represensation of a scene. She camped + painted in a spot overlooking this river in 2017. / via VSCO
16. The Vintage Turkish Over Dye Rug by Cadrys is one of the accessories “Interiors Addict” Jen Bishop selected to help your home feel cozy over the winter. (H/T The Home)
17. This adorable little square planter is handmade in Maine by Elizabeth Benotti.
Teal we meet again!
Photo sources: the Monterey and Venice photos are mine. Others are as cited.
This post contains Etsy affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission on purchases – at no extra cost to you. So shop away!
Updated December 2022.
Originally published December 2017.
Since my recent autumn and indigo color palette article received such a great response, I thought I’d keep up the color-themed posts with a more wintery entry this time.
Currently on my mind is the combination of vibrant greens (from kelly to forest) paired with softer golds – think mercury glass, champagne, heirloom jewelry, candlelight.
While this combination could go modern, I particularly love it as a complement to rustic decor. It looks fabulous with natural materials like birch bark, adding just enough sheen to make it all feel chic and festive.
For a woodsy vibe, you can bring in the classic evergreen boughs and pinecones or whatever’s growing outside your door. Twigs, olive branches, rosemary sprigs, eucalyptus leaves, berries, potted cacti, or mossy driftwood could all work well.
1. Campground in Pinetop-Lakeside, Arizona. 2. Woodland cakes with sled. 3. DIY gold pinecone garland. 4. Rustic elegant table. (H/T Apartment Therapy)
Here are more ideas for places to visit, projects, products, and recipes in this palette.
5. Mercury glass ornaments. (Shop similar ones.) 6. Gingerbread terrariums 7. DIY gold leaf pinecone garland. 8. Grönkålsallad (cached) – kale, orange, and chèvre salad.
9. Recipes for Christmas cookies topped with sprinkles. 10. Decorated wine glasses (+ other New Year’s Eve crafts.) 11. Sequin table runner. (Shop) 12. Homemade olive branch wreath with bells.
13. Woodland tablescape with wood slice chargers + place card holders. 14. Rain drops on the window. 15. DIY Hanukkah Gelt (chocolate coins). 16. Luminarias at Tucson Botanical Garden. (If you’re in Phoenix, you can see Luminarias at DBG.)
17. DIY Natural Branch Menorah. 18. How to make asymmetrical wreaths. 19. Gold circle garland. (Tutorial)
20. Spinach mushroom polenta. 21. Holiday bar set-up (similar: glasses, sugar stirrers, fillable ornaments.) 22. Decorated cactus.
I hope you enjoyed this taste of the holidays!
Each photo links to its source, except for 1. + 14., which were taken by me.
This post contains Etsy affiliate links, like this one: favorite Christmas ornaments and decorations!
Somewhere in the neighborhood of Kelly green, a bit lighter than emerald, you’ll find Clover. It’s the color of lots of leafy growing things and glass bottles, and it brings an eye-catching vibrancy anywhere you add it.
A few places and projects that look great in this green…
1. Jungle Garden at the Huntington Library in Southern California. / from our 2016 Pasadena trip
2. Tips for building an A-frame Cabin on UO Journal. / Photo: Carey Quinton Haider
3. Embroidered aerial views of the British countryside by Victoria Rose Richards. / via @chromato_mania / +See more modern embroidery projects.
4. Cauliflower tacos we enjoyed at The Coronado in Phoenix. (They’re delicious!) / from a date day in 2019
5. Assemble-it-Yourself wind chime kit from an artist who makes beachy glass bottle sculptures, jewelry, and wind chimes in the Florida panhandle. / via Lifting Up Spirits / +More wind chimes you can make.
6. Decorating with statement leaves by Justina Blakeney. / via The Jungalow
7. The Secret of Kells poster by Jessica Seamans. This is her interpretation of the film (which I haven’t seen yet), and I love its detail and rich shades of green! / via Mondo
8. Clever paper cacti printables! / via The Crafted Sparrow / +More cactus crafts.
9. La Bobia restaurant, Madrid. / from an extended layover on the way back from Italy
10. Tips for freezing jalapeño peppers. / via Pepper Geek
11. A rowboat (adorably) called the “Toad.” These are made in a village northwest of London by a family that has been making and selling small boats for over 40 years. / via Heyland Marine
12. DIY faux-leather pouches project and tutorial by Claire Brander. / via Fellow Fellow on the Internet Archive
13. Delightful handcut paper plants and flowers by Tania Lissova in Tyumen, Russia. She sells prints of her work on posters, cards, and stickers – as well as her original pieces – in her Etsy shop. / via Lissova Craft
14. Neat pattern with dimensional hexagon tiles from the Atomic Subway Tile series, crafted in the Midwestern U.S. / via Heritage Tile
15. The World After Us: Imaging techno-aesthetic futures is an art exhibition that looks at the way growing things might take over our discarded tech in the far future. It features plants and fungi sprouting from electronics like laptops, keyboards, and phones. / via Nathaniel Stern
Photo sources are included in their descriptions. All the photos I took were from before the pandemic.