Over the last couple of months we’ve been in the midst of a Scottish summer. For those of you who have never experienced such a thing, it means that we’ve had wind and rain almost every day with precious little sun. I don’t know about you, but when the weather is like this I find myself sinking into a colour slump: that state in which you no longer really see colour around you, you become very serious and work-orientated and you forget to have fun.
Fashion-wise, you find yourself wearing almost all black: black tops, black shoes, black dresses, black boots… I think you get the picture! No wonder I’ve been feeling uninspired of late; swathed in all that black, it’s hard to feel particularly creative, optimistic, effevescent, gregarious, vibrant, audacious.
But, you know, I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling this way, so I’ve put together a number of resources just in case you need some help adding that necessary splash of colour:
- Read this wonderful article by the always inspirational Tina Su at Think Simple Now: Train Your Eyes to See Color, Again
- Treat yourself to one of these beautiful books and fill it with colourful observations, quotes and poems: A Yen For Paper
- Watch The Wizard of Oz – that part where Dorothy opens the door of her windswept Kansas home and steps into the technicolor glory that is the Land of Oz is just so good for the soul.
- Check out this Rainbow Flickr Group.
- Subscribe to this blog and join the Redvolution: Spiritual Cowgirl
- Follow Gala’s advice and reintroduce colour into your wardrobe: Fashion Help for Recovering Goths
- Visit a garden centre and take loads of close-up flower shots using the macro setting on your camera: Garden Centre Blooms
- Cut up some old magazines and make a colour collage: Arty Life’s Collage Book
- Eat a rainbow: Color Guide to Staying Healthy and Eating Right
- Get out your felt tip pens and take a trip to Planet Sark.
How do you inject colour into a grey dreich day? What’s your favourite colour and what effect does it have on you? Do you have a signature colour that you like to wear or decorate with?
Yay! You’re back
That picture is beautiful, almost makes me want to caress my screen to feel how soft it is… Great tip about going to the garden center to make macro’s of flowers. That one’s golden.
I love Gala’s post title! Not that I am or ever was a goth, but the title rocks!
Hello Amy!
I’d add – you can write colour too. Which is what you do, time and again.
I loved the description of a Scottish summer. I bet other people wouldn’t believe it – same temperature every day, same grey drizzle, same clothes over and over (and yes I’m draped in black!)
Don’t work too hard or get too serious now!
See you soon
Love Joanna
We just got back from two weeks in Scotland, and instead of the typical 35 degree C heat here at home (Kansas City) we reveled in the cool, rainy weather in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Spean Bridge. The lush greens of Glencoe and the moody clouds over the glens from one end of the highlands to the other made us want to stay forever. I found wonderful color all over Scotland, even in the rain. Sometimes grey can be a very powerful color.
I remember spending one morning in Edinburgh walking in the rain. The muted colors seemed more saturated, deeper and somehow more peaceful than the bright afternoons of Festival and all the daily craziness up on The Mile.
I prefer a nice warm red, not unlike a classic phone box, but finally being able to visit Scotland made all the colors seem more vibrant, more special somehow, even in the rain. I left my heart in Scotland. (And a fair packet of cash, as well.)
Bud Simpsons last blog post..Home again?
Thanks for the welcome back, Lodewijk! I could literally spend days taking macro photos in garden centres – I lose all track of time. Oh, and Gala’s post is a great one – I go back and read it often. It can take a while for the recovery process to really kick in, I can assure you
The weather has just been so gloomy, hasn’t it, Joanna? It really does lend itself to dressing gloomily too. Having bought myself a pair of bright red leather ankle boots though, I’m determined to kick the habit!
Oh, I’m so glad you had a good time, Bud! As much as I’m moaning about the weather here, I really wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. I do think though that sometimes it takes a fresh pair of eyes to see the beauty that those who live here simply cease to see. Next time I’m out in Edinburgh and its dull and grey (dreich, as we call it!), which will be tomorrow, I’ll remind myself of your comment and look at the colour instead of the rainclouds. Thank you
Great to have you back, Amy; your colorful promptings are sorely missed! You even got ME looking around me now, searching to spot that unusual angle, secret view or soothing space to capture with my camera!
I’m with Bud; sometimes the lighting of a grey day can surprise you. Proof that all beauty still remains in the eye of the beholder.
Robert Hruzeks last blog post..Well-Lettered
Amy, welcome back! You have certainly brought colour to a grey Michigan day. Yes, it is grey and raining here too. I love the photo, it is bursting with vibrancy which immediately uplifts. Bringing fresh flowers into the home and office are a wonderful way to brighten those dreary days. That splash of colour provides an instant lift.
Karen Swims last blog post..Perception and Art
Amy,
Thank you for the color-themed links. I learned about new ones and got reacquainted with old ones. Even in sunny climes like mine, we have to keep focusing on the colorful rather than the gray.
Flora Morris Brown, Ph.D.s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday
*waves* Hi Amy! Well, I think if you are all dressed in black you should wear some orange with it. Like a scarf. Good against wind too.
It’s good to see you back, hope you will write more.
And yep, colours are all important. Thankfully we have none of this dreich weather here, we keep it for the winter
Welcome back, Amy! Your picture is wonderful! Here in Berlin we had a grey day too, with occasional drizzling rain and only a few sunny spells. My favourite colours are yellow and pink. Taking photographs of summer flowers is something like trying to keep summer from going away…
Ulla Hennigs last blog post..Guest Post on Joyful Jubilant Learning
Yay! So glad to see you back! I’ve missed your posts.
Such a beautiful picture… we’ve got a gloomy day here as well (although no rain, luckily) so your photo is definitely brightening my day.
Allisons last blog post..Taste and Create 11, A Little Foodie Love
Thanks Robert! Good to know I’ve got you looking out for that next photo opportunity
Oh I love fresh flowers, Karen. My mum bought me some beautiful yellow roses with red edges around the petals. Just beautiful – like a sunset in a vase.
Fancy sending some of that sunshine over to Scotland, Flora?
Hi Roland! *waves back* You know I do love a good scarf and a sunshiny orange one sounds just perfect.
Thanks for the welcome, Ulla! I think in Scotland we’re still trying to persuade ourselves that summer arrived in the first place let alone keeping it from going away
Thank you, Allison! Glad the photo of the orange begonia brightened your day – it certainly brightened mine
Welcome back Amy, your colorful, cheerful words have been sorely missed. I take a walk in the back yard every day to see the plumeria blooms and really should practice more macro shots, thanks for the reminder.
My favorite color is green, it matches my hazel eyes. Green like the color of fresh spring grass just seems to make me happy!
Amy!!
You have no idea how much I missed you, I kept going back to old posts just for my walk through your beautiful posts. Glad you are back!
I went to the botanical gardens on Sunday with my husband. We took lots of pictures and just strolled about absorbing all of the colors and the perfect weather day. I wanted to fully appreciate it before the midwest winter is on us again. At least I can look back and know I spent my summer well.
As far as signiture colors? Indigo blue and purples and vibrant reds are the colors I am in and surround myself in. I gave up black when I lost fifty pounds. I wear it if I need to for specific occasions, but not as a color. I am celebrating life from now on.
Wendi Kellys last blog post..Wide-Eyed Walking
Thanks for the spectral links, Amy.
Although I agree with my comment cohorts above – the return of your colourful commentary at large, will suffice for many of us.
Ed Illigs last blog post..Top 20 New Olympic Sports
Hello, I was looking around for a while searching for rainbow books and I happened upon this site and your post regarding dinary » 10 Tips For Adding A Splash of Colour, I will definitely this to my rainbow books bookmarks!
Great to see you’re back blogging again, and I enjoyed this post and your links
Lady Julianne le Fays last blog post..Book Review: The Goddess Guide
Hi Amy, What a wonderful splash of colour!! It is so great to hear from you again.
We’ve had a cold winter here (for us: ) and since I love colour I am always looking for more colourful inspirations. I have actually lived in greys for the past three months – black isn’t that good on me any more. I will definitely have to follow your links for an injection of colour.
I know it’s not a coincidence that I read this tonight. Today I splurged on a new lightweight jacket – in brightest orange! Now I don’t feel quite so extravagant – I know WHY I needed it. Here’s to feeling more creative, optimistic and audacious!
Karen Wallaces last blog post..Spring, Reinvention and Calm…
I love green as well, Karen, and I’m always so astonished at just how many shades of it exist in our beautiful world.
Thank you so much for the lovely welcome back, Wendi Kelly
I love bright colours too, but I seem to revert back to black when I’m not vigilant!
Thanks Ed! Glad to bring you some colour
Thanks and welcome, Daniel! Hope you come back again soon.
Thanks Julianne. All of these lovely encouraging comments have put me to shame about my lack of blogging! Must try harder
The jacket sounds fabulous, Karen, and in my opinion totally justifiable!