Cloverdew Creative

A canary’s song, the bright sun on a cold winter’s day, a warm glow from a lamp to read by. What comfort and joy yellow brings to our lives!

1. ” Yellow Peppers “, 2. Yellow Leaves, 3. Yellow Rose, 4. Yellow Pom Poms again, 5. Yellow, 6. yellow pencils, 7. Yellow Hydrant, 8. yellow river, 9. Yellow balloons

For years, women used yellow ribbons to welcome home their men from war. Even today, they are used to embrace loved ones returning. Yellow is the color of creative and intellectual energy. Yellow symbolizes wisdom, joy and happiness. Yellow is representative of optimism and enlightenment. The color stimulates the long and medium wavelength cone cells in the retina. It stimulates the brain and nervous system, activates memory, and encourages communication. Yellow is often associated with food (see: McDonald’s Golden Arches).  Yellow is the color of the third chakra and is often associated with the South cardinal direction.

In design, yellow is used to add brightness, to evoke pleasant and cheerful feelings, and to generate muscle energy. Bright yellow is an attention-getter because it is the easiest color to see (even most colorblind people can see yellow). When used with black, yellow creates a warning sign.

As with red and orange, yellow is often used to emphasize elements of design that are most important. Yellow is best used sparingly, since it can easily overwhelm.

• For more about the benefits and effects of yellow in web design, read about the Anatomy of Colors in Web Design: Yellow and the Sunshine Feel.
• Look to pops of yellow to invigorate your interior design.
• Activate your Manipūra (मणिपूर) or yellow chakra to aid with dynamism, energy, willpower and achievement.
• About.com reveals How to Use Yellow in Feng Shui.

What emotions do you associate with yellow? Does it make you hungry? Angry? Mellow? Will you add it to presentations to emphasize import or will you use it to brighten a room? I’m looking forward to brightening up my room with daffodils this spring. Meanwhile, I’m enjoying the sight of the sun on clear, cold winter days. 

Fresh pumpkins. A bright evening sun on a summer’s day. Orange evokes brightness and happiness. Even the scent of oranges, the fruit the color is names after, is said to be energizing.

1. Orange flower, 2. orange vintage, 3. Orange Overload, 4. Orange Sunbrellas, 5. orange, 6. orange walls, 7. Orange on Orange, 8. Choco Orange Macarons, 9. Orange & Blue

Orange is the color of luck. It is the representative of the second chakra. It evokes the warmth of fire. Orange is full of energy. At its best, orange strengthens confidence and contributes to creativity. Orange stimulates. It increases activity, appetite, and socialization. It is a “love it or hate it” color, demanding action. It is a color of enthusiasm and joy, celebration and festivities!

In design, orange is used to create energy and is often used with and juxtaposed to blue and green.

As with red, a little goes a long way. Use sparingly for a little life or an abundance to give life to a project.

• For a little orange in interior design, check out this post from Cottage Home Decorating.
• If you’re looking for inspiration, try Color In Design: Orange.
• The Llewellyn Encyclopedia offers an article on the Seat Chakra, also known as Svadhisthana, which is associated with the color orange, emotion, sexuality, pleasure and polarity.
• About.com tells you How to Use Orange in Feng Shui.

How does orange make you feel? How will you use it in your life? I’m enjoying bright orange sunsets and fresh oranges in Florida to bring more joy and energy into my life.

Lately, I’ve been overwhelmed by the number of posts coming from some particular blogs and email lists. The oversaturation in media isn’t helping my creativity blossom, rather it’s hindering me from hearing my own thoughts. It’s not because I’m subscribed to too many feeds or because I’m taking in things from too many channels, but because I am getting so much from particular sources. The sources are ones I used to feel gave me wisdom, but now I have the distinct feeling of wading through muck.

Recently, I read a great post on Quora from Lucretia M. Pruitt entitled Welcome to Quora. Do Yourself a Favor and Slow Down. A post from Lauren Vargas at the Root Report soon followed, where she stated that There Is No Such Thing as the Status Quo. In her blog post, Lauren says, “Instead of thinking of how many social channels can I participate in, think about how should you be participating in those communities…if you should be there at all. Take this much needed breather to assess how you respond and why.”

What a perfect response! I urge you all to take that into consideration when creating your own communities, blogs, and Twitter accounts. How many do you really need? How many do you want? Is more always better? I think not.

This is not a new discussion. It’s been had over and over and over again and, with regard to information, there is such a thing as pushing too much on your followers and friends. If you have something important to say, by all means, SAY IT. But think long and hard about the push of information over this web space and ask yourself if your post is necessary; if it is not necessary, is it helpful, wanted, craved? Because, if it’s just chatter, why not benefit your audience better by giving them something they really want.

I’m stepping back myself. I’m thinking, processing, dreaming, and creating. And when there’s something really good to share, I’ll share it. Until then, my friends, may the muses bless you with important, compelling blog posts.

What woman doesn’t feel better about herself when she’s wearing the perfect shade of red lipstick? Such a simple, yet complicated little accessory. Finding the perfect shade can be a challenge, but there’s a certain amount of accomplishment that comes with finding it. It’s such an unexpected little pop of power!

1. **Red~Star**, 2. Red Shoes in Tree, 3. Madagascar Red Fody, 4. Red Velvet Cake Balls, 5. red riding hood-less, 6. 060/365 red, 7. Three reds, 8. Summer Berries Red Current01, 9. iPod nano PRODUCT Red

Red is often associated with stop signs and traffic lights – and for good reason. Red is a show-stopper. Red attracts. Red pops. Scientifically speaking, red is a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm (wikipedia). Red is often associated with courage, happiness, heat, energy, and love, as well as passion, anger, blood, and pain. It’s no wonder red is seen as a powerful and intense color.

In design, red evokes urgency. It is known to raise blood pressure and respiratory rates. Red pushes for action.

A little red goes a long way. Use sparingly for tempered passion or in abundance for a bold statement.

• Some great examples of bold red websites in a round up from Tutorial Blog.
• Indeziner gives a 45 great examples of Using the Color Red in Web Design.
• About.com tells you How to Use the Color Red in Feng Shui.
• The Llewellyn Encyclopedia offers an article on the Root Chakra, also known as Muladhara, which is associated with the color red and survival, solidarity, grounding, and the body.

What kind of emotions do you associate with the color red? How would you use red in your life? Today, I’m wearing red lipstick as my only pop of color. And, in my opinion, it only comes second to one accessory I know – confidence.