Really think about it though, won't you? The colour that represents you may not be your favourite colour; it might not be the colour that you wear or decorate with most often; it might not even be an obvious colour. You could even be cheeky, like some of the Design Team and choose to be represented by more than one colour. And I know I gave some thought to representing my often...um...colourful language!
Having said all that, though my choice of colour may seem a little less obvious than most, I knew almost instantly how I wanted to approach this challenge. I used to be a lively, confident sort of person - always the life and soul of the party; out with friends and family all of the time; quite the socialite. I had a colourful and interesting life. Over the past few years, I've had a few knocks and I've found myself making careful and considered choices; safe choices. Choices about what clothes I should wear to look more professional. Choices about which career moves I should make to show that I was progressing. Choices which meant staying quiet rather than saying what I felt and rocking the boat. Choices, it seems now, that were much more about what was expected of me, than what I truly wanted for myself.
I thought that making the 'right' choices would increase my confidence; would make people see me in a new light; would make me stand out. Instead, I felt more and more as though I was just another person in the corporate machine. I was starting to blend into the background, but the more I tried to be seen, the more invisible I was to other people. I became beige.
Beige. Safe, conservative, unoffensive beige.
Since leaving work in April, things have started to change and 'the old me' is starting to resurface but there are still times when I feel as though I've lost something; lost a part of who I was but at least I know that there's a colourful future ahead!
Wow, I love the story behind your layout. Glad you made the decision to do what is good for you!!
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting to do this same challenge in a years time and see what colour you are then. This is such a great post, Clair. Don't blend in to the background anymore; let every see how what a creative and great person you are!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Clair, your take on this blows me away. I love the insight and depth of thought. Awesome work!
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to paint over the top of someone else's colour choices so starting with beige is actually a bonus ... it makes a great blank canvas, a perfect backdrop, then you can have fun adding your own colour from scratch.
ReplyDeleteNo reason why you shouldn't apply interior design advice to your life! ;)
Clair, your LO hits close to home a bit. That's the first thought that came to my mind...but instead of beige...it was Vanilla! That's the color of who I was.
ReplyDeleteI really would love it if you did this challenge again, like someone mentioned when you felt yourself again. I most certainly do not see you as beige, but bright and colorful. BUT the point to the LO is what you feel about yourself.
big huge hugs!!!
I love how you put the LO together. it is so stunning and awesome. Not beige at all!
Okay so I don't really craft much but I'm letting the writer in me join in.
ReplyDeleteI am Grey.
A very specific type of grey.
There is a colour that the sea goes after a storm has cleared. It isn't a pretty colour, but it is a deep one. It looks different when the light catches it, almost disappears entirely. When in shadow it goes to a thick, tar-like shade that isn't a true black, but contains too much blue to be charcoal or dove.
Grey hides things. It is the colour that you overlook, and that is what it wants. You can't hide in white, because your shadows can be seen. You can't hide in black, because people know to look into the depths in order to find the things you are trying to hide. Grey is the colour you underestimate.
It is the colour of my eyes, and the colour that the eyes of my baby boy are slowly becoming. It is a colour that you can glance over and pass by without remembering it, but then sometimes, suddenly, it flares to life and people are struck by the fact that there is something more to grey than they saw with their first glance, something unfathomable, but wonderful in its own, messy, imperfect way.
It is a beautiful grey, the colour that the sea goes after a storm. It is a contradiction, a mess, a quiet crisis in the spectrum that does not belong anywhere but with itself.
My colour is grey, because my eyes declare me so.