Black, White, and Yellow

Spring inspiration doesn't have to come in pastel colors.   I'm most inspired by the crisp clean contrast of black and white and I'm mixing it up for a spring combo.  

 

This china is of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.

Eddie Ross is just announcing the launch of Celerie Kemble's new book Black & White (and a bit in between).  He posted some great images from the book.  Some pics are even Eddie and Jaithan's own home.

source: Eddie Ross via Sherry on Pinterest

source: Eddie Ross via Sherry on Pinterest

source: Eddie Ross via Sherry on Pinterest

source: Eddie Ross via Sherry on Pinterest

Are these images some beautiful black & white eye candy?

  Sherry

I will link with:

Pinning and Singing Party with Natasha at 5 Minutes Just For Me  

Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper  

Show off Your Cottage Monday  at The House in the Roses   
Tabletop Tuesday  at A Stroll Thru Life   

Home Sweet Home # 38

Hello and welcome to Home Sweet Home!  I posted a tablescape from last year earlier this week and I always get the same response when people see it.   They remark that they never realized blue and white looks so good with orange.  Blue and orange were made for each other.  So pull out your blue and white for fall.  Paired with a white back ground it looks fresh. 

Fall can be blue and orange!  

 Now, I would like to feature some wonderful post from Home Sweet Home from the last two weeks.  Due to my technical difficulties last week I am combining the features from the two parties.

 First, Kelly at The Essence of Home showed off some changes.  Isn't this rustic crate cute with this arrangement?  Click the link to view.

Elizabeth, at Pinecones and Acorns has a friend that painted this table free hand!  Isn't she talented!  Click the link to view.

 Kathy, at A Tiny Cottage On Grand created this Frankenstein inspired cloche display.  I thought it had all the right Gothic touches.  Click the link to view.

Debbie, at Confessions of A Plate Addict created this Eiffel Tower Book Bundle that was really cute!  Click the link to view. 

Thank you to all who join me at Home Sweet Home!  It is awesome to have you here! 

I will join these ladies today:

 Inspiration Friday At The Picket Fence

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Fridays Unfolded  at Stuff and Nonsense

Potpourri Friday at 2805
Farmhouse Friday  at LaurieAnna's Vintage Home
Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home
Open House Party at No Minimalist Here

Guidelines for Home Sweet Home Party:

Attention: To link up with inlinkz you must have a permalink back to this party in your post or they will not allow you to link. 

My button is on my sidebar for the party, if you want to use it.   If you are new here I hope you will become a follower.  No Etsy link ups or direct advertising, please.  Please visit some of the other blogs and get some great inspiration.  Thanks.:)

Now let's see your beautiful homes!

Fall's Color

Fall's color is bright.  The oranges, golds, and reds pop and beg us to come outside before we are trapped by the gray cold November skies.

Orange stands out as the color of Fall.  Warmth and fire is what it reminds me of.

Have a mug of coffee and think about fall's colors.  Which are your favorite?

Photograph by: Sarah Swihart

Loved this table in my recent issue (Sept/Oct 2011) of Victoria.  It gave me the idea to put together the above.

Textures:

First picture: altered with parvous at 60% and stained linen at 49%.  I forgot which process.

2nd picture: serendipity with soft light 100%

3rd picture: serendipity with overlay 85%

Textures by Kim Klassen. 

Sherry

I will link to these lovely blogs, go and visit:

Table Top Tuesday  at A Stroll Thru Life

Tea Time Tuesday at Lady Katherine Tea Parlor

Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage

Tea Cup Tuesday at Martha's Favorites

Tuesday Tea for Two at The Plumed Pen

Tea Pot and Tea Things Tuesday  at The Silken Purse

Tea Pot and Tea Things Tuesday at Breath of Fresh Air

Tea Cup Tuesday at Artful Affirmations

Tea Party Tuesday  at Sweetology

Texture Tuesday  at Kim Klassen Cafe

A Return to Loveliness  at A Delightsome Life

Kiss of Color

I will join Mary today at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Go visit her blog for some great photography.

Some of you have asked how I get the focal color in a black and white photo while editing.  I am sure there is several ways to do it.  I am using Picasa so I will show you how I do it with that program.  (Picasa is a free download photo editing software)

Pick out the picture you think will have a good subject for focal color.

While editing the photo click the effects tab and click focal B & W.

You see how your cursor turns into a +.  This will be where you will have that pop of color in your black and white.

After working with this software for awhile I just discovered last week that the + moves with your cursor!  Here I placed the pop of color on the blue transferware coffee pot.

Once you get the pop of color where you want it in your black and white you can adjust it with these controls.  You have size which will adjust the radius and sharpness which will let you see where the color is being applied by sharp borders.

While adjusting, I take the sharpness all the way up to see where the color will be applied.  I then get it over the crucial areas by adjusting the size and then take the sharpness all the way back down so it fades out the difference.

And there it is.  I have been playing around with it all week.

I will also link to:

Before and After Party  at Thrifty Decor Chick

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
Whassup Wednesdays  at Elements Interiors

This is a texture applied to one of the photos.  I show how I make this here.

Then I just discovered this process at Picnik today.  Picnik is also free editing software that is built into Picasa.  Here I uploaded a photo and went to the effects button.  I choose the cross process and played with the fade button till I got the desired look and hit apply.  Works well with photos that have a lot of contrast.  

Sherry

Pink Love

I had been trying to mix hot pink and black all week and I just never found the combo that I wanted and then by accident, I laid some dishes aside and got a great combo of pink and black.  The dishes were stacked up to put away and I placed the little pink rose Limoges bread and butter on top of them.  I was surprised by the arrangement because the patterns worked.

My next pink is the cutest little hat Shannon over at Cozy Home Scenes made.  Thank

you Shannon!  I love it.:)  Shannon also has these cute hats for sale on her sidebar, check them out.

Happy Pink Saturday!

I will link to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound, go and visit Beverly. 

Winter Blues

Winter blues in my tablescape today that is, in the form of fake flowers and a floral table runner.  When there are no flowers to pick, this variety gives my home and instant pick-me-up.

The most timeless combination of blue and white would cheer even the most winter weary soul.  

  White ironstone by Hotel Balfour available at TJ Maxx.

Ruffles are so flirty.  They hang there all billowy teasing you at the table's edge.

 I will link to:

Tablescape Thursday  at Between Naps on the Porch

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Feather Your Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

My Favorite Things at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie

Go and visit these great blogs.