The Summer of Color: Week Five . . .

"My Mother warned me to avoid things coloured red"

- Claes Oldenburg

Where has the time gone?! I can hardly believe that we're heading into Week Five of The Summer of Color 4: Smudge, Splash & Pop! I know a lot of us are already dreading the end, but not to fear! There are still two weeks left of challenging color prompts, colorful giveaways and time together in our amazingly creative community. And as far as fun things are concerned, two weeks left is quite a lot indeed. So keep the creativity flowing and the love going 'cause we're headed towards another color conundrum. . . 

This Week:

We'll be working on our fifth - of six - color palettes. Your prompt will include two main colors along with a Smudge, Splash or Pop of a third. Feel free to create anything at all that you'd like, as long as it's based upon the colors of the week. And if you've just found us, welcome! You can read all about the party here, check out our Facebook page here and see all SOC photos in one place over here. Oh, and if you're into social media, please use the hashtag #TheSummerofColorFour so we can all find each other out there. 

Yeah, Yeah. We Wanna See the Colors!

I gotcha. Although I know it looks as if this week's palette was influenced by last week's holiday in the States, I promise this has been in the kitty for a while. Having said that, it is a cool combination, one which I hope you'll love. Ready? Here we go:

Red & Royal Blue

with a Smudge, Splash or Pop of Light Blue

To see examples of the color Red, click here.

To see examples of the color Royal Blue, click here.

To see examples of the combination of the two, click here.

Okay, Cool. Now What?
Now you create! When you're done, you may link your Red & Royal Blue (with that Smudge, Splash or Pop of Light Blue) to the widget below. To qualify for the Red & Royal Blue drawing, please copy and paste your direct blog link or direct Pinterest, Facebook or Flickr feed by this Sunday, (10:00 am Pacific Standard Time), July 13th. Only one link per person, pretty please.

Ready? Okay, Link:

Oh! And What About the New Giveaway?

Right! I think it's another pretty cool one, yes?

Two Craft Smart ink pads in Red and Blue, one set of 10 (adorable) red notecards, one large Recollections stamp in a lattice pattern, three PanPastel Artists' Pastels in Permanent Red, Phthalo Blue and Turquoise, one gorgeous Fabriano 5.8 x 8.25 red journal, two Martha Stewart high gloss multi-surface craft paints in Habanero and Indigo and, for the vintage fans among us, two child's toy blocks (from my personal stash) in the colors and, naturally, a sprinkling of both clear and light blue Swarovski Crystals.

And Who Won Last Week's Giveaway?

I hear tell that it's a birthday girl! That Random Number Generator really knew what it was doing this week. Happy Birthday and Congratulations to:

Ariel

Please email your address to Kdvanvalkenburgh@msn.com and I'll get your goods right out.

And Now?

Ah, you know! I'm looking forward to seeing what your creative minds do with this one. Have fun!

Colorful Kisses,

Kristin xo

The Summer of Color: Week Four . . .

"Pink isn't just a color, it's an attitude!"

- Miley Cyrus

Welcome to Week Four of The Summer of Color 4: Smudge, Splash & Pop! I absolutely loved lurking around your blogs and our Facebook page and reading your thoughts about last week's Lavender & Grey palette. Although it provoked strong reactions (of the love-it-or-leave-it variety) you happily took on the challenge and gave it your all. As a result, I found that there was a lot of experimentation last week, with a variety of new techniques being tried on and tested out. And the outcome? Nothing less than spectacular. You impress me, you do! Thank you for sharing your beautiful work and spirit with us all. . . .

This Week:

We'll be working on our fourth - of six - color palettes. Your prompt will include two main colors along with a Smudge, Splash or Pop of a third. As always, feel free to create anything your little heart desires, as long as it's based upon the colors of the week. And remember, you're welcome to join in at any time. If you've just found us, welcome. I promise you're gonna like it here.

And That Social Media Thing Again?

Oh yes. Please make sure to link your work to the widget below in order to be in the running for the weekly giveaway. The winner is selected from this list so in order to be considered, we must first link here. Other than that, we have a lotta fun in our Facebook group and we can see a lotta art in one place over in our Flickr pool. We even have a hashtag for the SOC4 so that we can all find each other out there. Please use #TheSummerOfColorFour for all of your social media.

And This Week's Palette?

I have a feeling you're gonna love this one. It's fun, bright, and perfect for Summer. Ready? 

Pink & Apple Green

with a Smudge, Splash or Pop of Dark Green

To see examples of the color Pink, click here.

To see examples of the color Apple Green, click here.

To see examples of the combination of the two, click here.

Yes, I Do Love It! 

Right?! Okay, you may link your Pink & Apple Green (with that Smudge, Splash or Pop of Dark Green) to the widget below. To qualify for Pink & Apple Green drawing, please just copy and paste your direct blog link or direct Pinterest, Facebook or Flickr feed by this Sunday, (10:00 am Pacific Standard Time) July 6. Only one link per person, please.

Here We Go:

And The Pink & Apple Green Giveaway?

Um, there's Montana Paint Cans in there! Can you believe it? Pretty cool if you ask me:

A set of Recollections Sticker Frames in pink and green, a set a tiny alpa stamps (perfect for on the go!) by Studio G, a set of pink lucite alpha embellishments by Recollections, a set of beautifully glittered adhesive chipboard letters by Recollections, two spools (5 yards each) of jute ribbon in both pink and green chevron, three cans (400 ml) of Montana Gold Acrylic Spray Paint in Shock Pink Light, Green Apple and Shock Green Dark, a set of 6 Montana Level Caps in order to customize your spray width and, last but not least, a sprinkling of both pink and iridescent Swarovski crystals. 

And Last Week's Winner?

I think she's gonna be happy. Congratulations go out to our first International winner this year:

Laugh An at DrawingPaintingMiss

Congratulations! Please email your address to KDvanvalkenburgh@msn.com and I'll happily send your Lavender & Grey goodies right out. 

And Now, On With The Show!

I can only imagine what you'll get up to this week. . . . 

To the Love of Pink,

Kristin xo

The Summer of Color: Week Three . . .

"When hope is fleeting, stop for a moment and visualize, in a sky of silver, the crescent of a lavender moon. Imagine it - delicate, slim, precise, like a paper-thin slice from a cabochon jewel. It may not be very useful, but it is beautiful. And sometimes it is enough."

- Vera Nazarian

Can you believe that we're already on our third prompt for The Summer of Color 4: Smudge, Splash & Pop?! The last two weeks have just flown by in a frenzy of community, creativity and color. I love seeing all the friendships being forged on our Facebook page and Flickr pool and am thrilled with all of your excitement and enthusiasm. Thank you for sharing your work with us, for being so supportive of one another and for continuing to help spread the word about the pretty rockin' party we've got going on. . . .

This Week:

We'll be working on our third - of six - color palettes. Your prompt will include two main colors along with a Smudge, Splash or Pop of a third. As always, feel free to create anything at all, as long as your work is based upon the colors of the week. And if you've just found us, please join in! Each week stands on it's own, so you can come out and play anytime. 

A Bit About Social Media:

As many of us have commented, it's really busy around here! Between Facebook, Flickr, Pinterest and this blog, there's so many ways to share our work, that it can sometimes become confusing. So to reiterate, you will always start here. Each Monday there will be a new color prompt announced on this blog, along with information about the weekly giveaway and the notification of the previous week's winner. You can then pop over for some chit-chat in our Facebook page or (pretty please) pop your photos into our Flickr pool. Our Flickr pool was started from the beginning of the SOC, and at this point (I'm thrilled to report), we have over a thousand colorful creations to drool over. But - and here's the important bit - please, please, please make sure that you link your work to the widget on this blog in order to qualify for the weekly drawing. The winner is generated from the link list, so in order to win, we must link. Oh! And one more thing. We have a hashtag for the event that will help us find each other out there. Please use #TheSummerOfColorFour for all your social media. 

Whew! Okay, On With the Show:

The elegant, somewhat monochromatic color palette for Week Three of the SOC is:

Lavender & Grey

with a Smudge, Splash or Pop of Plum

To see examples of the color Lavender, click here.

To see examples of the color Grey, click here.

To see examples of the combination of the two, click here.

Oh Yes! That's Super Pretty.

(I totally agree). You may link your Lavender & Grey artwork (with that Smudge, Splash or Pop of Plum) to the widget below. To qualify for the Lavender & Grey drawing, please just copy and paste your direct blog link or direct Flickr, Pinterest or Facebook feed (or whatever else that can link ;) by this Sunday, (10:00 am Pacific Standard Time) June 29th. Only one link per person, please.

Ready? Okay, Link!

Oooooh! What's in the Picture?

Your Lavender & Grey giveaway:

A set of four Craft Smart White Taklon brushes, 2 pieces of felt in both lavender and grey, gorgeous glitter card stock and foil paper in lavender and grey, a General's Kneaded Eraser, Sculpey oven-bake clay in Spring Lilac and Silver, a set of ATC Glitter Mix in Violet, a gorgeous 6 x 6 stencil feather stencil by Balzer Designs (I so want this!), three large Liquitex Basics acrylic paints in Neutral Gray, Brilliant Purple and Deep Violet, a set of Luggage Tags in lavender leather (can't you just picture these with a piece of your art in them?) and, naturally, a sprinkling of Swarovski crystals in both iridescent purple and clear.

Now, Spill it. Who Won Last Week?

Last week's winner of the lovely Coral & Teal giveaway is none other than . . .

Denise of Coffeeberry Cottage

Way to go Denise! Please email me your address and I'll get your new supplies right out!

Now What?

Now you play! I can't wait to see what you all think of and do with this pretty, pretty palette. . . .

Colorful Kisses,

Kristin xo

The Summer of Color 2014!

"Just Play. Have fun. Enjoy the game." - Michael Jordan

And. Play. We. Will.

Hellooooooooo and welcome to The Summer of Color 4: Smudge, Splash & Pop! Whether you're an SOC veteran or if you're joining in for the first time, I promise this will be a summer event to remember. So get your party supplies out and your creativity caps on: it's gonna be a colorful ride. . . .

What. What?

That's right: we're gonna have a party. Think of it as a blog block party featuring six weeks of luscious color prompts, weekly linking opportunities, beautiful giveaways, creative inspirations and an amazing artistic community. (It's the kind of thing we arty people dream of).  

Oh, Fun! How does it work?

So glad you asked. From next Monday on, there will be a color palette announced here on this blog. As you may have guessed from the name, this year, our color prompts will have a little twist. Or perhaps I should say a little smudge, splash or pop: 

That's right, in addition to a two-color combination that I know you'll love, there will also be a third color thrown in for fun. Your goal will be to create whatever you'd like using the combination of 2 main colors and 1 accent color that I assign. And whether you smudge, splash or have a pop of that third color on your piece is up to you. As always, you'll work in your preferred mediums - creating anything your little heart desires - with color being the only stipulation. 

What do you mean by our "preferred mediums"? 

There are so many ways to participate in The Summer of Color. You can create anything that you want, as long as it's based upon the colors of the week. You may choose to develop a body of work using the same materials each week or mix it up and create something new each time. The sky's the limit. 

Ok! But what kinds of things will we be seeing?

Oh my. There's so much. In years past, we've seen jewelry to journals pages and everything in between. If you're not sure of what you want to do, check out the following links for inspiration:

Altered Books

Art Jewelry

Art Journaling

Assemblage Art

Artist Trading Cards

Bunting Flags

Canvas Art

Collage Art

Digital Art

Greeting Cards

Inchies

Knitting

Makeup Artistry

Moo Cards

Nail Art

Needlepoint

Origami

Photography

Poetry

Postcards

Project Life

Scrapbooking

Sewing

Quilting

Did I miss anything? Surprise me! The thing is, if you have an art form you love, play with it. If there's something new that you've always wanted to try, perhaps now's the time. 

I've got it. Now, how does it all go down? 

Good question. Every Monday from next week on, I will provide a color prompt here on this blog. You will then have until Sunday of the same week to complete your piece based upon that prompt. You can share your work through your blog or via Flickr and then copy and paste that direct post or flickr feed here. Mister Linky will be up as of next week. There will also be a rather fabulous giveaway each week for those who participate. The winner will be selected at random (via a Random Number Generator) from the link list and announced the following week.  

Is there a time limit?

Kinda. You're welcome to share your work at any time, however in order to qualify for the weekly drawing, you must link your pretty little things to this blog by Sunday, 10:00 am (Pacific Daylight Time). Also, this is meant to be fun. If you're away or can't participate every week, please don't worry about it. Each week stands on its own, so like any other party, just come when you can.

Who can participate?

Anyone who has a blog, Facebook or Flickr account can play along. You may even want to include the kiddies. Also, this is an international event. Should your name be selected for a drawing, I will happily mail it to you, no matter where you live.

Um, what about the cost?

Silly you! There is no cost. Just a lotta fun.

What about social media?

Oh yes, glad you mentioned that. There is a Facebook group and a Flickr pool created especially for our event. I've also created a hashtag that you can use for all other social media outlets. Just tag #TheSummerofColorFour to keep us all on the same page. And if you're as addicted to Instagram as I am, you can check out my page for colorful quotes, giveaway hints and basically all things related to the SOC. 

So what do I do now?

For this, the introductory week, I'd be so grateful if you'd help us spread the word about The Summer of Color. Since the whole idea is to foster creativity, community and connection, the more of us who come out to play, the better. And guess what? This year I've created a little You Tube video that can be shared! Check it out:

I know, right? (Gets me excited every time I see it)! I know some of you have already started to share the news, but I want to thank you formally for doing so. Soooooo, please let me know how you've helped spread the word (either by posting the SOC button on your blog, mentioning it in a blog post, by letting your Facebook friends know or discussing it on Instagram, Twitter, You Tube or whatever social media that you love) in the comment section below (only one comment per person, please) and you will be in the running for our first (of seven) giveaways:

Eeeeee! My favorite new obsession: Montana Paint Pens! 

Up for grabs: a complete starter set in extra fine as well as three other colors in the line (Shock Brown, Shock Pink Light and Shock Lilac) so that you don't miss a thing. Also included is an art mug of mine, based upon the following painting, so you have something cute and quirky to put them in.

The winner will be announced here next Monday, June 9th.

Speaking of next Monday, June 9th:

We'll see you here for our first color prompt! Until then, I wish you luck with the giveaway, fun deciding on your projects and camaraderie within our colorful community. It's gonna be a hot summer indeed . . . .

Kristin xo

The Summer of Color: Week One . . .

"The Mediterranean has the color of mackerel, changeable I mean. You don't always know if it is green or violet, you can't even say it's blue, because the next moment the changing reflection has taken on a tint of rose or grey."

-Vincent Van Gogh

Welcome to Week One of The Summer of Color, 2013!

We've only just begun our time together and there's already an electricity in the air that I find both humbling and contagious. I so appreciate the introductions and excitement taking place on our Facebook page and can hardly wait to see what art and inspiration springs from the weekly color prompts that you choose collectively.

Last Week:

During our introductory week, we discussed all of the ways in which you can participate in The Summer of Color. If you'd like a review of the event, just pop over to last week's post and take a gander. 

This Week:

We'll be working with the first, two-color combination that you choose in last week's poll. 

{Sidebar: our first poll was being ornery and as a result, I had to take it off mid-week and try again. Please know that all votes were counted - by manually adding the two together - and that the winning color prompt reflects the choices of all who voted. Also, unlike originally intended, it seems that we are unable to "hide" the poll results as they come in. Let's take this as a sign, and just go with it. It may even be more exciting because of it. Having said that, from now forward the polls will be closed each Friday. This will allow the voter plenty of time to have their say and the shopper (me ;) plenty of time to put together something fabulous for your weekly giveaways.}

Blah, blah, blah. You want to know what colors we'll be working with! Okay, without further adieu, the winning color prompt for Week One with an impressive total of 26.5% of the votes is . . . .

Citron Green & Turquoise

To see examples of the color Citron Green, click here.

To see examples of the color Turquoise, click here.

To see examples of the combination of the two, click here.

Now What?

Now you art! Make anything at all that you'd like, as long as it's based upon the colors of the week. You may link your Citron Green & Turquoise creations in the widget below. To qualify for the Citron Green & Turquoise drawing, simply copy and paste your direct post (or Flickr feed) by this Sunday (10:00 am, Pacific Daylight Time), June 16th. Only one link per person, please.

Ready, Set, Link!

Oh! And For The First Giveaway . . . 

One winner will be selected at random (from the link list above) to win this gorgeous collection of new and vintage materials (told you it'd be fabulous):

(Several vintage sheets of music, one vintage postcard featuring a little girl on the front and french writing on the back, a few pages of 8 x 8 decorative cardstock, one decorative doily (fab as a stencil, right?), 2 (2 oz) pieces of Polymer Clay, 2 cling stamps, 2 bottles of Stickles Glitter, 2 (adorable) packages of Washi tape, 2 (4 oz) bottles of Artist's Loft Acrylics, several beautiful beads in both turquoise and citron and, naturally, a few iridescent Swarovski crystals)

And Who Won Last Week's giveaway for a $50 Gift Certificate to Blick Art?

For the first week only, the winner was selected by random from the comments section. {Please note, all duplicate and "late" comments were removed to produce an accurate giveaway count.} And the winner is:

Our friend Leslie from Words of Me Project

Congratulations Leslie! Please contact me with your email address and I'll get that gift certificate right out. . . .

And Next Week?

Well, we vote of course! You'll find some of your favorites from last week in addition to new color combinations in the poll below. Remember to get your vote in by this Friday to be counted.

Week 2: Artist's Choice . . .
	Lime Green & Purple
	Lavender & Bright Yellow
	Charcoal Grey & Pale Pink
	Hot Pink & Navy
	Tangerine & Watermelon
	Red & Yellow
	Sage & Sepia
	Aqua & Pale Yellow
	Bright Orange & Teal
	Kelly Green & White
	Cobalt Blue & Gold
	Orange & Hot Pink
pollcode.com free polls

I'm so looking forward to seeing what you do, what colors you vote for next and of course, chatting with you all as our colorful Week One begins . . . .

Kristin xo

The Summer of Color 2013!

"Some of the best memories are made in flip flops" - Kellie Elmore

Sing with me! "Summertime, Summertime, Sum, Sum, Summertime . . . ." (darling, you sound fabulous) . . . . 

Hellooooo and thank you for the rockin' introduction to our first interactive affair, The Summer of Color 3: Artist's Choice! Wether you're new to the event or you've been waiting a year to begin again, I promise that this will be one to remember. So get ready for six weeks of luscious color prompts, weekly linking opportunities, beautiful giveaways, creative inspirations and an amazingly supportive community that You, the Artist, help to produce. 

What's that you say?
That's right. This year, the SOC is taking a decidedly different turn. This year, You will help determine the colors we'll be playing with by voting for your favorites on a weekly basis.

How will that work?
Easy. Each week, you'll have the chance to vote for one of 12 different color combinations by taking a poll at the end of each post. Simply pick your favorite and, in majority rules fashion, the highest rated one wins. Come back the following Monday to see the results and get started. As always, you'll work in your preferred mediums - creating anything your little heart desires - with color being the only stipulation.

What do you mean by our "preferred mediums"?
There are so many ways to participate in The Summer of Color. You can create anything you want, as long as it's based on the colors of the week. You may choose to develop a body of work using the same materials each week or mix it up and create something new each time. It's entirely up to you.

What kinds of things will we be seeing?
In the years past, we've seen jewelry to journal pages and everything in between. If you're not sure of what you want to do, check out the following links for inspiration:
Altered Books
Art Jewelry
Art Journaling
Assemblage Art
Artist Trading Cards
Bunting Flags
Canvas Art
Collage Art
Digital Art
Greeting Cards
Inchies
Knitting
Makeup Artistry
Moo Cards
Nail Art
Needlepoint
Origami
Photography
Poetry
Postcard Art
Scrapbooking
Sewing
Quilting
Of course, there may be things you're considering that I haven't covered here. The thing is, if you have an art form you love, go for it. If you've always wanted to try something new, perhaps now's the time.

Okay, so how does this work?
In an effort to keep things fresh, this year will be a bit different from the past. Every Monday, I will post the winning color prompt that you have selected here. You will then have until Sunday of the same week to complete your piece based upon that prompt. (This way, we'll all be working on the same colors at the same time). You can share your work through your blog or via Flickr and then copy and paste that direct post (or Flickr feed) here. Mister Linky will be up as of next week. There will also be a (rather stunning ;) giveaway each week for those who participate. The winner will be selected at random using a Random Number Generator from the link list and announced the following week.

Anything else?
Just some business. You are welcome to share your work at any time. However, in order to qualify for the weekly drawing, you must link your post or Flickr feed by Sunday, 10:00 am (Pacific Daylight Time). Also, this is meant to be fun. If you're away or can't participate every week, please don't worry about it. Like any other party, just come when you can. Each week stands on it's own. Lastly, this is an international event. Should your name be selected for a drawing, I will happily mail it to you, no matter where you live.

What about Facebook and Flickr?
There is a Facebook group and Flickr pool especially for our event. In addition to our blogs, we can also post our work and chat amongst ourselves there. You do not have to belong to Facebook or have a Flickr account to play along, but it is a lotta fun should you choose to do so. Again, it's all up to you. . .

So what do we do now?
For this, the Introductory Week, I'd be so grateful if you helped me spread the word about The Summer of Color. Since the whole idea is to foster creativity, community and connection, the more of us who come out to play, the better. And, to thank you for your assistance, I'm going to reward one randomly selected person something pretty exciting. Since our theme this year is Artist's Choice, it seems only fitting that you have a chance at winning something that you choose. With that in mind, please let me know how you've helped to spread the word (either by posting the SOC button on your blog, by mentioning it in a blog post, by letting your Facebook friends know, or discussing it on Instagram, Twitter or whatever other social media you love) in the comments section below (only one comment per person, please) and you will be in the running for . . .

A $50 Gift Certificate to Blick Art!

The winner will be announced Next Monday, June 10th and sent electronically via email. 

Speaking of next Monday, June 10th:

We need to vote on our first color combination! For Week One, your color options are as follows:

Week 1: Artist's Choice . . .
	Hot Pink & Navy Blue
	Citron Green & Turquoise
	Red & White
	Charcoal Grey & Pale Pink
	Lavender & Bright Yellow
	Bright Orange & Cobalt Blue
	Lime Green & Purple
	Light Grey & Salmon
	Tiffany Blue & Red
	Kelly Green & Pink
	Teal & Brown
	Tangerine & Watermelon
pollcode.com free polls

I look forward to hearing about your projects, to seeing what colors you collectively decide upon and, of course, our first, arty week together . . . . 

Until then, I wish you luck with the giveaway, fun with the poll and camaraderie within our arty community. It's gonna be a colorful Summer indeed . . . .

Kristin xo