Autumn Appreciation and Inspiration

Although I have a devoted Summer-loving heart, in recent years I have found myself enjoying the Autumn season more than I ever thought possible. A lot of this has come about by simply being mindful and choosing to embrace the colours and the beautiful light brought on by the Autumn season. I used to think that Autumn meant a lot of damp, dull brown bleugh and I very rarely respond well to brown stuff, unless it's good coffee. Or chocolate. It's easy to stop having a really close look at what's around you when your heart feels low, and I'm ashamed to say it has taken me a long time to stop dwelling on the loss of Summer and start to really see Autumn.

The first time I felt creatively inspired by the Season of Brown was when I embarked on my Autumn wreath three years ago. And then there was my Cosy Stripe Blanket two years ago which was inspired by the colours of Autumn leaves, flowers and berries. This beautiful blanket went a long way to convincing me that these weeks of early Autumn are anything but brown.

Now I find myself enjoying the weeks in October as the weather cools and Autumn takes hold, and there is a lot to inspire my colour-loving soul at this time of year. Can't say that I love Autumn as such (Summer is IT for me), but I certainly can appreciate what it has to offer on the nature front. On my way to the studio this morning I wandered along the canal slowly, taking my time to look all around and enjoy the colour and light. I loved how the leaves floating on the surface of the water matched the boat so well, that visual really did delight me.

I had such a buzz going on in my studio this morning, oh the sunlight streaming in through the window was sublime!

I found myself playing around with flowers and colour ideas and getting all giddy and totally inspired by the things happening on my sunlit table and inside my Creative Mind. In a word - today was all about Hydrangeas. Oh yes!

So this morning on my wander along the canal and around my close neighbourhood, I was literally stopped in my tracks by a Hydrangea bush. Not just one in fact, but several of them one after another. I found myself absolutely mesmerised by the colours, astonished that I have spent so many years disliking these flowers and declaring them too "wishy-washy". I realised this morning that it is the Summer versions of these flowers which have put me off in the past (way too pale for my liking), but oh the Autumn version of Hydrangeas is simply stunning! So rich, so vibrant, but yet delicate at the same time!

I don't know how to say this exactly, but I guess truth is the best policy here - I took a few photographs of hydrangea flowers in situ, but then I was overcome by a ridiculously strong urge to have them for myself. It's probably wrong on so many levels to admit this to you, but yes my friends, I admit that I did actually 'aquire' a few blooms and popped them super-quick into the depths of my shopping bag. Four to be precise, from four different bushes. To be fair, the bushes in question were mahoosive and absolutely groaning with flowers, so I didn't feel too badly about snagging just one from each. And there endeth my confession, I am very, very sorry for my wicked ways.

I couldn't get to my studio fast enough, couldn't wait to have a really close up look at these flowers and examine the wealth of colour and texture. Honestly, the depth of colour really surprised me. So very, very pretty, and completely inspiring.

I started to have a little play with the individual flowery bits, pull them off and arranging them according to colour.....

Oh!! My heart honestly danced a little jig at the sight of this sweet floral ring!!

I feel so inspired by these hydrangea colours, a seed of something very lovely has most definitely sprouted inside my Creative Mind. Maybe a future colour palette for a blanket? Maybe a pretty floral wreath? I shall tuck these images away for a bit and wait for the seed to grow.........

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Comments

[helen]

I am looking forward seeing your hydrangea colour palette for a blanket!
Please not too soon, as I still have to make the Coast (ripple) Blanket and I think I can't resist ordering it after seeing it lol!!
Best wishes!

[Katie B]

V funny Luce - your confession, non-love of the brown stuff except the obvious exceptions!!! Beautiful colours, beautifully put together as usual.
Much love lovely friend,
Katie B x X

[Susan]

WHAT? You dismissed hydrangeas at one time. I've always loved them for their gorgeous colours from the time they flower till they are drying off. There are so many different colours, even on the same bush from year to year, according to soil type. I'm so glad you've seen them in a different light and now can't wait to see what the outcome of all this playing will be. Take care Lucy.

[AnnieOB]

What fun, hope there were no CCTV cameras around! Absolutely love the colours and what a blanket they would make. Looking forward to seeing what you create from them.

[Carol]

They remind me of a crown that a little girl would wear as she danced around. Lovely colours.

[Teresa Kasner]

I love the ring of color you created with the blossom parts.. I don't think there is a thing wrong with collecting a spent flower.. think of it as you were helping the world by it having one less dried up thing to get rid of.. :-) I think taking color hints from nature is brilliant. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

[CJ]

Oh they're gorgeous aren't they. It's lovely how inspiration justs pops up anywhere. It's taken me a while to come to terms with autumn as well, I'm a lover of summer, and also more recently of winter. I've come to realise that autumn has its place. All that death and decay is making the soil richer for next year. And I'm sure the months of non-summer make me love summer even more. CJ xx

[Becky]

What a WONDERFUL way for you to celebrate MY birthday!!! So glad you were able to capture nature's bounty today!!

Really enjoy reading your creative journey!!

[Anne at Shintangle Studio]

I'm torn between envying you these flowers, since we're long past the flowers stage in the journey toward winter where I live, and being happy for you, enjoying the loveliness of those hydrangeas. And somehow you change those blooms, beautiful in their own right, into something quite different, something entirely your own, by arranging them so simply and effectively on your table. Autumn certainly tugs at us to pay attention to the trees and plants as they change colour, because we know that soon they'll be bare and will remain so until next spring. Thanks for sharing the beauty you found around you today.

[Jacky]

How inspirational! Looking forward to seeing what comes next. I agree that hydrangeas are at their best in autumn... Love the muted beauty of the flowers. You've inspired me to do some autumnal themed crocheting. First time I've read your blog but i will be back!

[Margit kidd]

I feel another lovely fall palette forming in the back of your mind. can't wait to see it. love your sense of color

[Louise]

I love being inspired by flowers. I just finished crocheting a cardigan with spring flowery colours because it's spring here now in Kangarooland (my personal fave season!).

It would be more correct to say I was inspired by Spring flowers and Rainbow Troll socks.
Love to see what grows from your little seed!

[Valerie Dumond]

Beautiful!!! I can't wait to see what you come up with!!

[Jean Stein]

I do not have a hydrangea in my yard. However, I have been scoping the neighborhood for OTHER shrubs because I covet a few dried blossoms for my dining table, and I'm planning a late-night sleuthing adventure. Next you hear from me will be a collect call from the county lock-up!

[Samantha]

Such a beautiful room. I dream of a craft studio like that so up lifting and inspiring. Autumn is my favourite time of the year can't wait for the next instalment

[L Shrage]

In my hometown, I used to know every single spot where an overgrown lilac's blooms escaped the confines of its garden and spilled over the fence into a parking lot. For almost a week every spring, my entire house would smell absolutely heavenly with those pilfered blossoms. And with that kind of premeditation, I can't possibly convince anyone of my penitence, lol! With its colorful beauty, it's probably a good thing for my neighbors that hydrangeas don't really have a fragrance.

[Katherine, NZ]

I LOVE those colours and look forward to seeing what you come up with for them! I too never used to be a lover of hydrangeas, mainly because it was our school flower and our uniform was designed around it (brown shoes and stockings, green jersey and skirt with a pale blue shirt). I have now gotten over these traumatic years though I'm still not partial to blue hydrangeas.

[Eleonora from Coastal Crochet]

Can't wait to see that seed grow! Great post as always. 😊❤

[Kimmy]

Hydrangeas have always been a favorite of mine, and you found some with exquisite colors. Lucy, I dare say that someday you may just have to try out some variegated yarn. I'm seeing Malabrigo or other hand-dyed yarn when I look at the beautiful photos of your wreaths. I've always loved the colors of autumn even though spring is my favorite time of year. I think that my roses have something to do with this!

[Teresa]

I love Hydrangeas and I can't wait to see what are you surpring us with this time!!!

[Laurie Mowat]

I love how you arranged them in your flower ring.
There's just something wonderful about those colors.
I wish I had some yarn in those exact shades!

[Katrien]

I started a blanket yesterday without a plan... so yes! Let s do a hydrangea colour palette!

[Fran]

Love today's blog. Hydragena and fall happen to be two of my favorite things. A new hydrangea colors inspried blanket would be so nice and if it happened to be coupled with a wonderful Lucy CAL, when then that would be fansatic!

[Winwick Mum]

I can see the headlines now ... "Skipton Hydrangea Snipper Caught Flowery-handed" ;-) xx

[One-oh-four]

Love the "confession"!!!! Those hydrangeas really are stunning. I have to say, I quite like Autumn - lots of good things happen (birthdays, Yarndale, fireworks, and the Horse of the Year show amongst others). I especially like the colours and the feeling in the air - like there *might* be a frost, and I love the ritual of getting the chimney swept in preparation for the winter open fires. I use a word that I think Heather (Little Tin Bird) coined for it all - Autumnosity.