Hello Friends, it is Leslie here with June’s edition of Color Me Pretty on decor8. I have been spending many hours recently tending to my little garden so I have fresh greens on my mind. I know, it seems you either love green for design or you don’t. However, I am here to give spring green, chartreuse, blue green and yellow a chance. I hope you enjoy this simple palette.

But first, here is where my inspiration began… in my very own flower garden at home here in southern California.

First, I thought it would be fun to do an arrangement of edible herbs from my garden. I picked sage, mint, thyme, rosemary, oregano flowers, cilantro flowers, arugula flowers and onion flowers for a little bouquet. I popped it into a glass jar and think it would be a sweet gift for my friend who enjoys cooking. The leftover sprigs went into some little vintage glass bottles. If it is summer where you are please take advantage of all the bounty at your farmer’s markets and stands. Make yourself an insanely large salad because it will taste extra good this time of year and pick up a bunch of herbs to enjoy in a vase. Mixing herbs with flowers can look beautiful too. Peonies and mint smell amazing together!

Then I felt inspired to pull together a mini mood board. On this small peg board I have a fun card by Cornelia O’Donovan for Pearl & Black, and some scrap pieces of fabric and papers. When using a limited palette like this it is nice to experiment with patterns. It is important to have both larger and a smaller scale patterns to create a sense of balance.

These patterned notebooks are by Labclip, o-check design graphics and bungalow.

I pinned up some butterfly tags I made to spruce up simple wrapping. I used the large “Punch All Over The Page” butterfly punch by Martha Stewart. I have been seeing framed collections of “punched” butterflies that also look pretty and provide an interesting way to showcase paper scraps you may have!

I hope I sparked an idea or two for you to take away for a project you may be working on. Thank you for having me here. See you next month, – Leslie.

(photography + styling: leslie shewring)

Tags: Color Me Pretty

62 Responses to “Color Me Pretty: Garden Inspiration”

1 raspberry essence commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 11:43 am

love the colors! happy summer :)
2 Jennifer commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 11:46 am

Lovely post, so fresh! I love the butterflies – such a good idea for the wee scraps of paper lying around :)
3 petites et grandes commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 11:48 am

i can see that i’m not the only one who keeps the cover of those japanese books :D
Fresh and colorful selection ! Bravo :)
4 Mikkili.com commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 11:55 am

Wauw, as I just look at the color combination on the pictures fabulous. Just my cup of tea. I love the picture with the little clothespins. Gonna try it!!!
5 el {what you fancy} commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 11:56 am

What beautiful colours! And I might need to get myself one of those butterfly punches, so pretty :)
~el
6 Iris commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 12:04 pm

I am sitting behind my desk longing to go outside for a long picknick in the fields (it is a gorgeous sunny day here, at last) and this makes it even worse… :) I am inhaling the freshness of the herbs and the crisp colors brighten my spirit and senses. So I will just do a bit of daydreaming and then I will concentrate on my work again. Thank you for bringing me that happy moment.
x Iris
7 Heather Kendall commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 12:09 pm

Thank you! What a FRESH post! The 42 oz Coke Icee my son surprised me with at 8:30 pm last night didn’t help my sleep pattern and ur blog has helped me enjoy being awake, way too early. :-) I’m inspired to head out to my garden as soon as the sun rises. Only wishing I could grow Peonies with my Mint here in Hot, Sunny Florida!
Keep up the great writing, photos and creativity!!!
My best,
Heather Kendall
Tampa, Fl. USA
8 Kristina - ingen vanlig dag commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 12:12 pm

Wonderful! Beautiful colors and I feel: summer, summer, summer!
/Kristina
9 Lottie Frank commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 12:19 pm

Wow! What an amazing post and super inspiring! I think this is one of my favourites yet…Leslie you are just fabulous :) The colours are just stunning, it has inspired me for some colour re-touching in my kitchen :) have a great week x x x
10 Jessica Carolin commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 12:22 pm

“GREAT” very nice
11 Fiona Humberstone commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 12:28 pm

Leslie these are gorgeous! I always find nature so inspiring and I love how you’ve created those tags. You’ve got me thinking again…
12 tinajo commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 12:33 pm

As always I feel both happy and full of inspiration after one of your colorful posts – thanks! :-)
13 Hazel commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 12:38 pm

I love these images and I now feel super inspired.

:) Hazel
xo
14 Hazel commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 12:39 pm

I love these images and I now feel super inspired.

:) Hazel
xoxo
15 Chiara75 commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 1:02 pm

Fantastic! I love your palette!
Have a nice summer!
Kiss from Italy
16 Brenda commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 1:15 pm

Beautiful garden and I love those bright colours.
17 Jennie commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 1:26 pm

Leslie, your garden is to die for! I share a veggie garden at my parents home with the entire family…a nice family project in my opinion. I can’t wait to show my dad this photo…he’s going to love it! Beautiful!
18 meenal @ maison marigold commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 1:42 pm

love the herbs in glass bottles..and the mix of blue and green is so refreshing..xx meenal
19 Monica commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 1:43 pm

Lovely color palette! Your garden is gorgeous. Love the white and purple blooms and all of the green.
20 sally commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 1:45 pm

Nice iced tea it is very hot here in The Garden of England today ! Just right for sipping under a sun unbrella in the garden :)
21 Jodi commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 1:49 pm

Love it! Great palette…if it works in nature it can work anywhere. Reminds of my first colour consult years ago…the client’s first words to me were ‘I hate green’. I took her on a walk through her house and pointed out all the green she had weaving through all of her favorite things…she realized she maybe didn’t dislike it as much as she thought… We ended up picking a very soft creamy colour that had a hint of sage green to it. It was fabulous. Thanks for another great post!
22 Cristina commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 1:54 pm

Nice color palette! ^^
23 Jane commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 2:34 pm

Oh, Leslie! I’m in heaven. Blue and green – my favourite colours. Ooh, I have to re-read this and savour it. Thanking you in faraway Australia J x
24 Melissa de la Fuente commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 4:19 pm

Oh…my. Gah, I love green….I really do. It makes me happy…and with that gorgeous turquoise? perfect. Happiness inducing! :) Thank you hun for the gorgeous inspiration and um, your garden? heaven. I will be there, forthwith, with cookies and tea. Ok? :)
xo
Melis
25 Andrea commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 4:22 pm

I’m really interested in knowing about those books in your last photograph!
26 Angela commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 4:54 pm

Wow, Leslie – your garden is beautiful, love the white boxes. What a fresh, happy and inspiring post!
27 molls commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 6:13 pm

Such beautiful colors! I love how they pop!
28 Art commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 6:17 pm

I want to be in your garden right now!
29 allyoursites commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 6:47 pm

Leslie, it’s beautiful. Those colors for summer are the most inspiring.
Refresh just looking at it. The arrangement of edible hiercas will copy it!
30 Pamela Bates commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 8:29 pm

Leslie, wonderful inspiration. Just posted some of my own garden inspriation on our blog this morning. Hard not to see inspiration all around after a walk through the garden! Yours is beautiful by the way. thanks for sharing.
31 cafenoHut commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 8:37 pm

I was hypnotized when I saw this lovely, amazing, unique images… You are the best Leslie…
32 desiree - Vosgesparis commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 8:50 pm

I love the white wooden kinda boxed planters with the little stones on the floor! such a great idea ;)

Thank you for sharing, desiree
33 valerie commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 8:58 pm

lovely!
34 EmmaMT commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 9:11 pm

Leslie your garden is beautiful. Makes me want to go out and potter with the soil right now!
35 EmmaMT commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 9:12 pm

Hi Leslie,

your garden is beautiful. Makes me want to go out and potter with the soil right now! how much fun is growing?
36 decor8 commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 9:12 pm

@Angela – Hi!!! :) I’m waving to you from Hannover today. Can you see me? :) xo Holly
37 Amber commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 9:26 pm

I’m in love with those notebooks but can’t seem to find them online anywhere in English or a US website that I can purchase them from (I have a slight pretty notebook obsession). Can you help a girl out?
38 Beach Coast Style commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 9:35 pm

This might just be the best one ever and all of them are great it’s something about green and the inspiration from nature.
39 Laura commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 10:06 pm

Leslie your garden is so beautiful!! Truly lovely. Gorgeous images too.. I now would like one of those butterfly punches!!! x x x x
40 christopher commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 10:23 pm

Wauw, as I just glance at the colour mixture on the footage great. Just my mug of tea. I adore the picture with the small clothespins.

Going to try it!!!
41 Zoe commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 10:36 pm

Green is my favourite colour, whatever the shade, especially chartreuse. I love the butterflies, just going to see if that punch is available here in the UK!
42 Shelly commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 10:58 pm

I love the garden inspiration you shared…so fresh and beautiful. The butterfly tags are so cute and the herb arrangement is lovely. Thanks for sharing all your beautiful images…they are truly inspiring.
43 Julie the Alkaline Sister commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 11:02 pm

Your fresh lively colour combinations cease to amaze me and this one really speaks as I adore blues & green! Love the butterfly punch, may need to find me one! Thanx for brightening an otherwise grey day:)
44 Amy - pride of place commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 11:16 pm

Beautiful ideas and images. I love greens, I just bought the brightest green shoes for my wedding – I love them!
45 Will commented:
June 27th, 2011 at 11:27 pm

Gorgeous paper, greens and interiors inspiration, Leslie. Thanks for providing us with all this eye candy!
46 Suzanne commented:
June 28th, 2011 at 12:30 am

I really like your blogposts, i always look forward to the moment you leave a new post. All these beautiful materials you use, the beautiful pictures and colors! i enjoyed it again!
47 Zsa Zsa commented:
June 28th, 2011 at 3:38 am

Absolutely love the colors! Spring green, chartreuse, blue green and yellow scream summer and all these photos just made my day, thank you! :)
48 Mel @ Georgica Pond commented:
June 28th, 2011 at 4:55 am

Leslie – as usual your sense of colour, balance and harmony are beyond perfection. You have such an eye for detail, your styling and crafting skills are stunning and your photographic work is beautiful. It is always such a pleasure to read your posts, as you put so much effort into creating them and the results are always spectacular. Thank you.
49 fenny setiawan commented:
June 28th, 2011 at 5:11 am

I always love Color me pretty column. And today post is blown me away. I envy Leslie’s garden :). Love the color green and love the idea of Martha Steward’s butterfly tags.
50 elisa commented:
June 28th, 2011 at 6:14 am

leslie, sweet to see a bit of your garden. that’s a fine idea, mint & peonies! my children love to gather edible plants and make soups and drinks and bouquets, i’d like to gather more little bottles for their creations. some taste glorious!

i love craft punches, i’ve been using one lately and it is such a delight to get that sharp shape. those butterflies are dreamy. x
51 evaone commented:
June 28th, 2011 at 11:01 am

I really love those flowers because i love flowers a lot. and also like the butterfly tags so cute..
52 MorningSun commented:
June 28th, 2011 at 1:45 pm

Oh my ! I am so in love with your garden right now ! It’s just so beautiful !
53 Traveling Mama commented:
June 28th, 2011 at 4:33 pm

Leslie, your garden is beautiful! Do you take care of it all on your own or do you hire help? Thank you so much for inspiring me. This gives a whole new twist to “Think Green”!
54 Laura K. Aiken commented:
June 28th, 2011 at 4:40 pm

Thanks for sharing this group Holly. I love your garden photos.
laura.
55 Pippa Jameson commented:
June 28th, 2011 at 4:42 pm

Beautiful post Leslie, such a pretty and fresh look. It’s inspired me to get creative! xx
56 Sarah commented:
June 28th, 2011 at 4:59 pm

Your garden is beautiful & lush. I feel very ashamed i havnt done more with mine. I am personally a fan of green when mixed yellow to perk it up. Love wht you did with the butterfly tags
57 Caitlin commented:
June 28th, 2011 at 5:12 pm

This is so gorgeous! I love those butterflies, such a cool idea!
The garden looks so lush, it would be so nice to sit there and relax with that beautiful glass of iced tea :)
58 Tracey commented:
June 28th, 2011 at 7:20 pm

As always ….. beautiful and so inspiring. Lovely garden !!
59 Janet commented:
June 30th, 2011 at 12:44 am

Love your use of herbs in an arrangement! My Aunt who, retired from McCormick Spice Co., passed away last week and I did the altar flowers using flowering parsley, cilantro,rosemary and marjoram for the greenery. Mixed with roses and baby carnations, it made a lovely statement.
60 Malou commented:
July 3rd, 2011 at 12:27 pm

Love the colors – and the butterfly tags are sooo pretty!
61 Flourish and Blume commented:
July 6th, 2011 at 2:49 pm

Absolutely exquisite! Butterfly tags are our favourite!
62 Ann commented:
September 9th, 2011 at 9:20 pm

Do you know if there is anywhere to have a punch made of your own design?
Ann´s last [type] ..A Picture A Day-Giulio Paolini

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