I'm crazy for colors. Bright colors. Neutral colors. Primary colors.
Unusual colors. And I adore pairing all types of shades to find the most
pleasing combinations for
Dunitz & Company's
fair trade jewelry collection. That's why when I was on a recent vacation in San Miguel de
Allende smack dab during Day of the Dead festivities, I snapped endless photographs of color everywhere. Here are a
few that might inspire next year's color combinations. And besides, I wanted to share these fun images with you.
Cempasuchil flowers flourish in every altar, hairband and costume. And trust me, during this time of year there are endless altars, hairbands and costumes. The orange is bright and festive. And it seems to combine very well with teal blue and several shades of purple. Worth remembering.
If you've been a fan of
Dunitz & Company's jewelry collection for many years, you have noticed that I am often the queen of neutral color combinations. This skeleton with her lace veil shows how black, white and peachy flesh tones work really well together.
Check out this lucky sighting. I was outside and in front of the entrance of San Miguel de Allende's smaller cemetery
(not far from the central garden square) on Friday the 1st, Day of the Dead. We followed a parade with hundreds of people in costumes and musicians as they headed to this area replete with altars and decorations. This photo captures a small section of a very large decorated monument. What I was drawn to was the vibrant sapphire blue combined with shades of deep gold. A light bulb moment for me.
Brunch food often boasts great color. One of my favorite dining discoveries in San Miguel was
Lavanda Cafe.
When you visit, go early. There's always a line. When I saw how the clay pot, egg yolks, bacon, tomatoes and greens looked together, I immediately thought of rich fall fashion colors.
Bright colors are everywhere in San Miguel. And sometimes you can find ones that are more subtle. Even up on walls. I had rented an airBnB in Colonia Guadalupe. This area of San Miguel is known for murals. Check out the earthy shades of brown on this one. I love shades of brown. For me there is nothing boring here at all!
This green beauty with her magical eyes is stunning. But, it was the paint below her that caught my attention. Shades of tan, caramel with soft blues and greys. Yup. That's a Nancy sophisticated color combination in the works.
I've very often been afraid of too many bright bright colors. When I first started working in Guatemala in the late 80's/early 90's, I was amused by some of the vibrant color combinations I discovered. For Guatemalan taste, it seemed brighter was better. And it seemed the more colors used in any textile or painting was even better. This was challenging for me since I often leaned toward monochromatic color combinations. Years later, my colleagues in Guatemala have toned it down. And I believe American tastes have allowed for a bit more jazz.
Another skeleton. Another sombrero. This Day of the Dead lady is decked out in vibrant purple and fuchsia pink. Purple. Pink. Got it. We might have to tone down the pink, though. I've learned over the years that most of the glass beads we've been able to source in vibrant pink don't hold their color. The color fades and often rubs off.
(We're always careful about our quality control, and this has always been a concern of ours.)
I had to share this photo! On Halloween night, this was the most handsome couple I laid eyes on. In the past, I have paired green and gold together, and successfully so. Honestly, these skeleton costumes are a bit bright. Tone down the shades, and I know it works.
Believe it or not, this was the very first photo I snapped on my recent trip to San Miguel de Allende. It was morning and not that early. How I managed this pic without a single person in the frame amazes me. I wanted to capture the waving prayer flags. Does this image show off great bright primary colors or what? And the vibrant buildings in the background. Perfection. Viva la Mexico and all of it's color.
Want to see how my travel adventures affect my design work? Check out our
fair trade jewelry line and the colors we offer. And check us out often. Let us know if you think my trip to San Miguel de Allende influenced any of our recent offerings. -ND
Brunch food often boasts great color. One of my favorite dining discoveries in San Miguel was Lavanda Cafe. When you visit, go early. There's always a line. When I saw how the clay pot, egg yolks, bacon, tomatoes and greens looked together, I immediately thought of rich fall fashion colors.
This green beauty with her magical eyes is stunning. But, it was the paint below her that caught my attention. Shades of tan, caramel with soft blues and greys. Yup. That's a Nancy sophisticated color combination in the works.
I've very often been afraid of too many bright bright colors. When I first started working in Guatemala in the late 80's/early 90's, I was amused by some of the vibrant color combinations I discovered. For Guatemalan taste, it seemed brighter was better. And it seemed the more colors used in any textile or painting was even better. This was challenging for me since I often leaned toward monochromatic color combinations. Years later, my colleagues in Guatemala have toned it down. And I believe American tastes have allowed for a bit more jazz.
Another skeleton. Another sombrero. This Day of the Dead lady is decked out in vibrant purple and fuchsia pink. Purple. Pink. Got it. We might have to tone down the pink, though. I've learned over the years that most of the glass beads we've been able to source in vibrant pink don't hold their color. The color fades and often rubs off. (We're always careful about our quality control, and this has always been a concern of ours.)
Want to see how my travel adventures affect my design work? Check out our fair trade jewelry line and the colors we offer. And check us out often. Let us know if you think my trip to San Miguel de Allende influenced any of our recent offerings. -ND 