sliced lemons

Sliced Lemons via courtney khail. Purchase this painting here

I just can't stay away from the lemons lately. Every time I walk into the grocery store they're just overflowing from the bins and the next thing I know, I've purchased another six. Luckily, I really like lemonade. And lemon cookies. And pretty much all other baked goods with lemon zest.

Something about citrus fruit always reminds me of lazy summer afternoons. Sitting outside on your porch-your skin still warm from an afternoon in the sun- just cooling off with a glass of cold lemonade that you bought from the stand on the corner. Though I guess that's probably made from a package, but that doesn't really matter. Those are the memories I wanted to capture in this painting. A piece that- even on the coldest of days- could send you right back to your sun drenched front porch.

To be honest, I wasn't exactly planning on painting these lemons, but after I sliced them to put into my water, I couldn't get over how pretty the looked arranged on the cutting board so I pulled out the paints and got to work. I love how vibrant the yellows are and how if you look closely, the flesh of the lemon has a slight lime green cast. It's those little variations in color that I just can't get enough of lately.

color inspiration: autumn gold

via courtney khail

The view outside my window. I know in the spring it's all about the flowers, but come fall, it's the trees that steal the show.

color inspiration: rainbow

via a subtle revelry

Something about summer time makes me want to turn everything rainbow colored. Rainbow sprinkles? Two spoonfuls please. Brightly colored popsicles? Only if they are unnaturally bright. A new striped beach blanket? Let's not focus on the fact I live in Denver. Bright new nail polish? Just painted my toes cherry red.

See what I mean? I just can't help it.

color inspiration: sunny yellows

pattern via shumacher dress via topshop, kitchen via design attractor

I can't wear yellow (well not if I want my skin to resemble a normal healthy shade) but that doesn't stop me from begin drawn to it's bright cheerfulness. Rain or shine, there is something so uplifting about the color yellow.

(And isn't that pattern awesome? I kind of want to put it in my closet or somewhere similarly unexpected...)

Color Inspiration: grapefruit and lemon

photograph by matt irwin, styled by simon robins for elle magazine, grapefruit granita via food happy, doodles via me, coconut and grapefruit gumdrops via bhg

Now that the days are getting longer and the temperature is rising, I keep being drawn to bright and cheerful colors. Aren't this refreshing? Makes me want to pour a big glass of lemonade and lounge by the pool. Of course, in reality it is still February and I am writing this while wearing jeans and a sweater. Maybe in a month or two!

color inspiration: apricot, peach, and lemon

dress via here, streamers via our labor of love, flowers unknown

I normally don't use clothing in my boards, but wow, what an amazing dress.

color inspiration: frozen sherbet

streamers via somewhere splendid, martha stewart cake via once wed, painting by rachel sumpter

nothing better than sherbet on a hot summer day

color inspiration: dreamsicle

orange slices from c.zwerg, streamers via our labor of love, sodas via oh happy day

J and I decided to try out New Orleans SnoBall this weekend since we'd heard such great things about them. Side note, they completely live up to the hype. They were wonderful.While I played it safe with a nectar, peach, and strawberry concoction, J opted for the dreamsicle and it's been on my mind ever since. Bright, refreshing and rich- it tasted exactly like the frozen treat. Taking a cue from it's bright orange color and sweet creamy taste, I thought I'd create a board that featured the same characteristics. Although I tend to lean towards more muted colors, I love how refreshing and vibrant citrus colors are and how easily they all work together.

color inspiration: rosemary and lemonade

benches via mustard and sage, Popsicles via oh happy day, books via whichgoose

I love this color combination! It's refreshing and crisp and clean and kind of reminds me of warm summer mornings in Italy. Normally I wouldn't mix green and yellow together, but since they are so muted they work together perfectly. Speaking of Italy, there was this one park in particular where they would screen a different American movie each week of the summer and the chairs were painted this exact green. They were so perfectly worn and beautiful with their different layers of paint poking through.

Color Inspiration: lemon, watermelon and lime sorbet

my kind of ferris wheel via moS.nap flickr, popsicles via oh happy day, and cotton candy via martha stewart

For the past few days it's been warm(er) in Atlanta and because of this I've been tricked into thinking spring is coming. (Keyword, tricked. "Oh! Look! It's 70 degrees today. Must be time to break out my sandals." No, Courtney. It's still February. Put away the cotton dresses and opt for jeans. Because while it's 70 right now, by 7pm tonight it's going to be cold and you will look ridiculous. This is hypothetical of course. I wasn't wearing a dress.)

Anyhow, even if I can't rotate my closet yet, I can dream about warmer, sunshine filled days. Hence the super cheery color inspiration today. And color names that revolve around sorbet; a treat most of us only eat when it's hot outside and we are in bikini's and therefore cannot justify eating the chocolate cake. How fun are these colors? (that was my attempt to not go on a "how much I dislike trying on bikini's" tangent.) Reminds me of what I always wished fairs were. Bright, retro pastel colors, crisp, fresh air, and yummy treats like tart Popsicles and sugary cotton candy. Unfortunately, fairs are not like this at all (hence why I don't go to fairs. Well that and the whole motion sickness thing.) Instead of being sweet nostalgic events, today fairs are normally smelly and filled with loud noises, jarring colors, and "treats" like deep fried oreos and other "please tell me people don't really eat that" options. Of course, those images do not make for a beautiful color inspiration board so I'll use my dream version instead (because it's better.)

color inspiration: fire, nylon, and other campfirey colors

tent photo via you are my fave, mason jar candle holders via east side bride, awesome red lamps via an apple a day

Hmm. Maybe I got a little too excited with the title today. Eh, whatever. Sounds better than red, blue, green and yellow, right?

So camping has been on our minds a lot lately (counting down/preparing for the road trip this summer) and as we wander around REI and peruse online gear sights I slowly found myself falling for the slightly kitschy, overly saturated colors of camping. You know the ones- the hunter greens, the navy blues, the marigolds, the deep reds. (If you're having a hard time imagining, just open an L.L. Bean catalog.) Combine those with the glowing embers of a campfire, the all encompassing darkness just outside of your lantern's reach, and the jewel like glow given off by a tent that's lit from within and I'm in love.

There's just something so peaceful and enchanting about being alone in the woods. (And by alone I mean with at least one other person, a car within 20 miles, and my kindle. I'm not trying to pull an into the wild* "die by myself because I wasn't prepared moment" here.)