'Bout Time....

Salt River Canyon - Arizona

 It is definitely about time I posted again....We had a wonderful visit with our daughter and grand kids on our little 'spur-of-the-moment-getaway' to Arizona in February; but we both came home with some nasty 'crud' and still aren't back to 100 percent.
Wondering if people our age can ever get back to 100 percent???? LOL 

Besides all of the personal family photos we took, there are several beautiful shots taken at the Botanical Gardens that I wanted to share with you. Not just because they are pretty, but because they show colors in nature that can be reflected in our quilts and crafts. Keep in mind that the plants photographed were in a semi-natural setting in the garden. There is no retouching to the photo colors; they are as mother nature painted them.

While going through the photos, it became obvious that it wouldn't be possible to post them all. So here are a few selections chosen for there natural beauty.

I LOVE purples and lavenders.

Although this is beautiful as is in a garden setting, if we used this in a quilt it would definitely need other colors to make it stand out. Otherwise it would just appear a wash of grey.

Here is something to consider. As much as I love this color, would it be better used as the main focal color or as an accent to something else.
It goes in the photo/color file as 'food for thought'.

How about something a little more contrast? I really like this...well, I like them all, or I wouldn't have taken the photos, but that's neither here nor there.

It's purple/violet against grey again....as nature created and I love it.  But there is a lot more contrast in this photo than the last one. Beautiful flowers. This color combinition could work in a two color quilt if you used the very darkest violet and the lightest grey as in the very center of the photo. But if you were doing anything more than two colors, would you want this as your focal color or a contrast color. Border? Block sashing colors? Just splashed in here and there for dramatic effect? There is a lot to think about when picking color isn't there?

What colors would you want to add to this to really make it pop?

How about a little bright orange?                 
Now that's VIVID!
Do you like it?

Maybe if orange isn't your color how about a little bit of  bright yellow?











Yes the little bee is cute! And, no I did not get stung taking the photo. He was much more interested in the flower than the camera.
   

How about this yellow already mixed with the orange and grey?  Yes, I agree, it's really cool in nature but boring in a quilt by itself.  And YES those things are really sharp!     

 Did someone say...'what about some Green?'

How about Pink?                                  Or more Yellow?                                            Blue?

                                                                                               

And, yes, that really is a bird's nesting hole in the cactus. Cool, huh?

I could go on and on, but don't want you to get too bored here.  These are colors found in a desert setting in February. It's a limited color pallet, but beautiful all the same.

All I wanted to do today was share some fun pictures with you, and get you thinking about the colors you see in nature around you everyday. Appreciate the beauty of nature, and file those images away in the back recesses of your mind for future use in one of your quilt or craft projects.                                

 Now, I'm off to work on a couple of other projects that I will blog about in the next few days. Working on another of the "Professional Tote Bags" for DD#1 and practicing my free motion quilting. Lots to talk about on those two subjects.

Until next time, have a great time sewing and watching for ideas in the nature around you.
Kathy