Hello Friends! It's me, Leslie again with Color Me Pretty. Today I am inspired by Japanese stationery supplies and colors like peacock blue, chartreuse, golden yellow, creamy white and a little dark brown. I was fortunate enough to enjoy a brief trip to Japan a couple weeks ago and I wanted to share my inspirations with you. I spent hours, yes hours, in stationery stores all over Tokyo. I just could not get enough of the pens, papers, tapes and stamps. We all have our weaknesses and one of my big ones is Japanese stationery and craft supplies!

Peacock blue (a really dark turquoise) looks stunning in home decor, especially when paired with a lighter shade of turquoise. Add a little chartreuse or avocado to the mix and you have one of my favorite color combinations!

This time I also brought in a little golden yellow and some dark brown as Fall is settling in here. If it is Spring where you are, a lighter shade of yellow works well too. In grad school, I upholstered an old Scandinavian sofa that was given to me in a fabulous peacock blue velvet. It sounds kind of scandalous as I write this but it actually looked amazing against the white washed walls of my apartment! Today, my dear sofa is in storage but I still love turquoise accents around my home!

I can only hope that one or some of these photos may inspire you to start a creative project for yourself. I love the month of September because to me it feels like the time for a fresh start. Time to do something new or to get back to things that have been on hold. It is nice to decide to stay home in the evenings and focus on what we want to create. Maybe it could be a journal that incorporates collage. How about an album of just inspiring photographs or of you at your happiest and most fulfilled moments instead of just the usual chronological one? Design files and small home improvement projects can be fun to tackle too. Whatever gets you moving and creating.

Thank you for your support of my column and I can't wait to see you back here again soon! -Leslie Shewring

(images: leslie shewring)