COLORFUL DECISION MAKING

Making decisions about color can be overwhelming. As artists/crafters, we are compelled to make decisions regarding color, often on an hourly basis. At the very least, we must make these decisions each time we select yarn for a project. In fact, I often find myself choosing a project based on the colors of yarn I have in my stash rather than choosing a project and purchasing yarn for it.

Outside influences often determine what colors I’ll work with. When I’m out and about and see something particularly attractive – a floral arrangement, someone’s outfit, a still life painting, a friend’s new decor – that will make me want to run home, pull those color yarns out, and get crocheting!

However, I’m NOT a person who’s good with color. It takes those outside influences, often, for me to pull together a good color combination. My mom, a former oil painter who’s now almost blind, can still match colors in an amazing way. I can show her a pair of pants in my closet and she can match them perfectly hours or days later at the mall while shopping for a ‘matching’ top. Not me. I can barely match the items when I have both of them in front of me!

When I was quilting, years ago, I first learned all the ways a color wheel could help me. One can pick out complementary colors, harmonious colors, and contrasting colors in a flash using a color wheel. And, while computer monitors are notoriously variable in their reproduction of color, we can use the color wheels and other color tools available online to assist in making our color choices.

Here’s a link I like although it’s intent is as a tool for technical uses other than crochet.

http://www.colorsontheweb.com/colorschemes.asp offers a selection of predetermined color palettes.

http://www.colorsontheweb.com/colorwizard.asp#wizard is a tool for using a single starting color to create a palette.

Here’s a color wheel you can put in your purse or project bag to make color selection easier for you:

color-wheel-for-sale-0709

http://www.createforless.com/The+Color+Wheel+Co.+Color+Wheel+9+1/4/pid63156.aspx?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=cse

Available at lots of quilting and arts & crafts stores as well as online sources like createforless.com.

Lots of Americans seem to think that May 5 is Mexican Independence Day, but that holiday actually falls on Sept. 16.

May 5 is the celebration of the Battle of Puebla, in which the Mexicans defeated the French in 1862. Independence Day marks the beginning of their fight for independence from Spain in 1810. That was the day of what’s known as El Grito de Dolores, or the cry of Dolores, for when the Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang the church bells at his church in Dolores and declared that Mexico should be free from Spanish rule.

They would fight for their freedom until 1821 when they finally gained independence.

Fabulous Classroom has a little of the history and ideas for celebrating the holiday for all age groups. There’s also a link to a good video in that post about the real story of Mexican Independence Day.

Twinkl also has a good tops about the history and different activities, discussion ideas, crafts and foods that can be incorporated into lessons at school or used at home.

I also found a few pins that no longer link to a website but include good information on Mexican Independence Day, including some questions for students to answer based on the reading. You can find more printables and questions for kids from TX Homeschool Mama on Etsy (also available in Spanish).

You can find a lot more paid resources about Mexican Independence Day at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Mexican flag crafts are a fun option for celebrating Mexican Independence Day (though the current iteration of their flag has only been in use since 1968). Kids Activities Blog has a free Mexican flag printable and a few different ideas for decorating it including dot markers and torn tissue paper.

You can also find some great Mexican crafts at Red Ted Art. The post includes all sorts of Mexican inspired projects including Day of the Dead crafts, Frida Kahlo pinatas and upcycled musical instruments. I love the giant paper flowers they shared from Honestly WTF.

Have you read?