EMERALD...Pantone Color of the Year 2013

Emerald conjers up visions of the gem for me..not only is it my birthstone but one of my all-time favorite colors!   (Green in general, that is!)  

"Pantone, the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, announced PANTONE® 17-5641 Emerald, a lively, radiant, lush green, as the Color of the Year for 2013." 



I personally also think of the environment...according to Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color  Institute®,  “Green is the most abundant hue in nature – the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “

 "Most often associated with brilliant, precious gemstones, the perception of Emerald is sophisticated and luxurious. Since antiquity, this luminous, magnificent hue has been the color of beauty and new life in many cultures and religions. It’s also the color of growth, renewal and prosperity – no other color conveys regeneration more than green. For centuries, many countries have chosen green to represent healing and unity."

Besides the gem and environment, I think about the green marble used in upscale interiors of the past (and still used in some of the casinos/hotels out and about)...

You are probably asking yourself, "how am I going to use it?"  I have included some inspiration...

 

Emerald will be popular in the fashion industry as well as clothing  and interior accessories.  Below are the chosen colors of the Spring 2013 Fashion Colors.





 
I hope to have inspired you to rethink your use of emerald green by showing some examples of its use.  You could find other inspirations just by googling "emerald green interiors"...
What do you think of with this color?  Where would you use emerald green in your own home?  How about wearing it?



*****Exerpts for this blog post are from http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/pantone.aspx?pg=21056&ca=10.

Amaryllis Center Piece

Beautiful centerpiece for a holiday table.

I promised a post about the beautiful amaryllis flower...and after reading how easy it is to grow  them you will want to do your own table scape such as the one shown...let's get started...

First off, the amaryllis or Hippeastrum, can be grown outdoors if the temperature doesn't go below 10 degrees or it can be forced to bloom indoors at the holidays.  Some people prefer to buy new bulbs each year and you can even buy them at Target. (****They are on sale this week there...) Although, the bulbs from our local flower shop have always produced larger and more flowers!

First time out, if your amaryllis comes pre-potted it just needs to be thoroughly watered with lukewarm water after you have bought it.  I water them thoroughly every week with a small amount of fertilizer added each month.  try not to soak the bulb.  Place in a sunny window and wait for the awesome blooms to come!

The second year actually begins after the flower is done blooming.  Continue watering, trimming the bloom stalks about 2" above the bulb after it wilts and trim leaves as they yellow.  When the leaves do not stand up anymore or you are wanting it to bloom for the holidays again, you will need to place the pot and leaves in a cool dark place for about 2 months.  (Mine go into my basement for these 2 months.)  About 8 weeks before the holidays or the end of October I bring them out of the basement.

Re-pot the bulb in clean well-drained potting soil.  Leave top 1/2 to 1/3 of bulb out of the soil-water thoroughly and add fertilizer about once a month again.  They prefer the south facing windows and 79-80 degrees.  Mine have always taken the 2 months to bloom.  This year I had new growth in a day after re-potting!

For more information, search "care of amaryllis".  There are a lot of varieties and beautiful colors.  I have included a photo with several colors   Give it a try and ENJOY!!!

Christmas Decor for your front Steps

It is that time of year..time to decide what you want to change, add, or delete from your holiday decor...well I have been lusting after greenery arrangements from Grandin Road for a couple of years and decided to do one myself.  (And in the process save several hundred dollars- because I would need two of the arrangements, one for each side of the front door.)  So here goes...supplies needed: 

Various options for greenery and lighting.

• .a vase or pot that you use for fresh, live flowers in the spring and summer.  (The great thing about this is that you don't have to take the pots back and forth to storage.  The one shown is from Target in the Smith and Hawken line.)

• greenery, fresh or faux I have used both and prefer the live stuff, but we have alot of wind so the needles begin to drop before the season is over!

• faux picks of pincones, bulbs, or what ever else you would like  (I have included some plastic lime green ornament balls in the container, but not the picture of the pieces used.)

• lighted branches(mine are from Target) Lots of choices to pick from!

• extension cord, unless you have a receptacle close by

• timer rated for exterior use(again this from Target)  Love this because the timer fairy turns them on and off the same time each day!

There is 1 on each side of the door.