Close your eyes and think what the colours of your life are? Blue eyed loved one, cappuccino with sprinkles, red roses, delicate green tea, pink apple blossom, rainbows, autumn leaves….?
Years ago, I went to see Barnum, the musical, at the London Palladium. One of the songs from the show is “The Colours of my Life” and it has resonated with me ever since. Colour is an every day joy for me; from the gentle neutral tones of the undyed yarns to the vibrant pinks from cochineal and Cudbear Lichen and the rich earthy orange from Madder. Opening a DIY Daylight Dye jar and revealing the unique beauty of the colours of the hand dyed skein of yarn is something I don’t ever want to tire of.
Lots of research has been done about the power of colours in our lives. Colour can calm and soothe, stimulate, excite….I read somewhere that restaurants use red a lot in their logos and decor because red is an appetite stimulant! (I wonder if its true about the red dress I love to wear when we go out for a meal….?!)
I don’t know if the red decor thing is true, but colours all around us can definitely affect our behaviour. Do you have a favourite garment? What colour is it? Why do you love that colour? Does it have fond memories, does it make you feel happy, relaxed, glowing…? We tend to surround ourselves with happy colours that we feel most comfortable with in our homes and in our clothing.
Last year I was fortunate to meet a House of Colour consultant, Tracey Moys. She assessed “my colours”, ie those that suit my skin tone and individual colouring the best. It has been an amazing and life affirming experience to do this with her and we have become good friends. If you feel you are searching for the real you, find out more about House of Colour services.
The technology of colours and synthetic dyes is very complex. My love of colour is much more simple, found in nature all around me. Thats why I choose natural dyes for all my hand dyed yarns. Picture a leafy green hedgerow with bright pink foxgloves and campion flowers, the orange, peach and pink of a sunset, the bright yellow of turmeric or saffron and the dark, inky blue-black of a midnight sky. Colour is a tangible, mindful thing for me. I am immersed in it every day, and so are you. Relax and let your eyes enjoy the tones and shades of the colours of your life.
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