I'm delighted to be the guest blogger on this month's Colour Collaborative once more. It makes me think about colour in terms other than simply what I'm drawn to, or what happens to look pretty to me.
Thinking about colour within the context of a particular topic is more challenging, and it's always interesting to see where that takes me.
So, childhood.
Before Joe came along in August 2012 I had all these ideas about how we'd have an oh-so-tasteful nursery (and even started a Pinterest board to that effect). Everything would be in soft, muted tones of greys and creams and taupes. Brightly coloured plastic? No, thankyou. Dinosaurs, diggers and Lego? Playgroup could deal with that.
But the fact is, childhood is in glorious Technicolour. Everything's magnified. All the senses are heightened. Life is one huge discovery; each little outing or game is an adventure. Children love colour. They need it.
We opened our doors to Fisher Price.
It wasn't even grudgingly. Because we buy used things and recycle where possible, so that kind of addresses the whole sustainability and plastic toys question. I just can't imagine depriving Joe of bold, stimulating things for the sake of subtle interior design. His room has bright primaries everywhere (admittedly against a backdrop of pale grey - we did decorate with a house sale in mind). His wardrobe is filled with colourful clothes. His books are full of colour. A crazy Ikea circus tent takes up rather a lot of floor space. His toys - trains, trucks, cuddly cats and monkeys, building blocks - all eye-jarringly vivid.
The garden has a day-glo orange swing and gaudy plastic windmills. In summer the big, blue Thomas the Tank Engine paddling pool resides in the middle of the lawn.
Childhood is all about colour.
I grew up in the Eighties, when we youngsters lived according to the colour fads of that decade: chalky pastels (pink, mint, lemon, peach) teamed with grey, or neon brights: jade green, cerise, turquoise, yellow against black. Yes, I had a Frankie Says Relax T shirt (fortunately I didn't pay attention to the lyrics). And yes, I wore it with a ra-ra skirt and fluorescent pink socks.
The pastelly shades always remind me of going to my friends' birthday parties: streamers, cake, balloons, best dresses. As for the brights: school bags (I was a Benetton obsessive), plastic jewellery and some pretty out-there outfits. Ahem.
The pastelly shades always remind me of going to my friends' birthday parties: streamers, cake, balloons, best dresses. As for the brights: school bags (I was a Benetton obsessive), plastic jewellery and some pretty out-there outfits. Ahem.
Hardly surprising I'm hiding my face dressed in this get-up, is it?
You see, to me childhood is all about creating happy memories. And those memories are so much easier to conjure up and relive when they're in colour.
P.S. I definitely remember those skinny-rib leggings. Not sure whether or not that's a good thing though...
Don't forget to visit the other Colour Collaborative blogs for more of this month's posts, just click on the links below.
What is The Colour Collaborative?
All creative bloggers make stuff, gather stuff, shape stuff, and share stuff. Mostly they work on their own, but what happens when a group of them work together? Is a creative collaboration greater than the sum of its parts? We think so and we hope you will too. We'll each be offering our own monthly take on a colour related theme, and hoping that in combination our ideas will encourage us, and perhaps you, to think about colour in new ways.
My first thought on seeing those leggings was of Malvolio's cross-gartered yellow stockings ... sorry. And the second was to admire that red telephone.
ReplyDeleteYou're right of course, early childhood is very much a primary colours affair, but I think that shifts a bit as kids grow, although in my experience shiny red shoes absolutely never lose their appeal.
Lovely post Sarah, thank you for participating again :)
Hi Annie - that's fine, I enjoyed it (even cringing at the 1980s photos!)...
DeleteRed shoes, yes. Those leggings... I don't know what I was thinking. I remember they weren't actually bought; they were given, and I commandeered them. Oh dear.
S :)
Oh yes, ra ra skirts, it's all come screaming back! I don't think any parents have ever stuck to the "all tasteful neutrals, no brightly coloured plastic" intention once children actually arrive.
ReplyDeleteYou'd have to be very restrained, wouldn't you? I'm not sure childhood can be lived in beige!
DeleteReally enjoyed reading your post Sarah, colour is just so intrinsically link with childhood isn't it ? And, as you say, it is almost impossible to separate the two. I run a Nursery school and when we were setting it up I had to think really carefully about wall colours , curtains and so on because however much I worked at getting in softly,muted coloured wooden toys I knew before too long the whole building would be a riot of colour .... and now it is !
ReplyDeleteKate x
Hi Kate! I used to be a primary school teacher and loved the arty side of it - especially the wall displays. Learning environments for children should be packed with colour, shouldn't they? I'm glad we both gave up on the nice idea of tasteful. That's what grown-up rooms are for, I suppose!
DeleteS x
The 80's were so loud and colourful. I had a ra-ra skirt too and wore it with fluro pink leg warmers - gah! Love the photos of you. And that red phone, they cost an absolute fortune around here in the op shops :-) Mel x
ReplyDeleteI know! I would really love to have an old phone like that again but they do cost a lot. I remember BT used to send them out and you chose which colour you wanted...
DeleteThe 80's are usually remembered as a period of social unrest but I was a bit young to watch the news. I look back on them as a great time in which to grow up. We had a 1980s themed housewarming party once and it was brilliant.
S x
Just found your blog through Chery Heart and I love your color collaborative post ... I'm now one of your newest followers and will come back to visit often :)
ReplyDeleteHello! It's always lovely to meet new visitors. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. It's always fun to see how different bloggers translate the theme each month.
DeleteI had to throw in some embarrassing photos this time!
Sarah x
I'm about the same age as you and I had very similar clothes. I remember having lots of neon things, especially, even though I thought they were too bright. But that was the style! I've never been much of a slave to fashion but at some point you just have to go with it. Love those old photos of you, the yellow leggings are definitely the kind I rememeber. I think I had similar green ones.
ReplyDeleteThose leggings will haunt me forever more, especially now I've shared them online! I think we all tried out fashions during our formative years (some of which are best forgotten) but at least everyone wore crazy things at one time or another...
DeleteWhenever 1980s trends are 'in' I just laugh and remember some of my outfits. If you remember wearing it the first time around, don't go back - that's my rule!
S x
Hi I've just found your blog through the other Colour collaboratives bloggers. I've enjoyed reading your post & have been making my way through your blog. Love the leggings! I remember wearing the most unfortunate looking skirt in a bright orange fluorescent colour. The memory also came back to me that I saved up my pocket money to buy the skirt too!
ReplyDeleteHello! Nice to meet you...
DeleteThat skirt sounds interesting! I had some real fashion nightmares lurking in my wardrobe, including legwarmers and a Minnie Mouse reversible sweatshirt (think Marks & Spencer were responsible for that one)!
Glad you enjoyed the post. It's always fun to revisit childhood memories.
S :)
Hello Sarah! Just popping over from the other Colour Collaborative bloggers - what a fun post! I smiled throughout - we, too, spent my first pregnancy with stylish images of a non-gender-specific nursery, with tasteful, muted colours that reflected our interior design - then Bunny was born and the house was filled with brights, pinks and lots and *lots* of glitter! Ah, it's a happy defeat, ya just gotta give in! And your '80s memories are fab, I feel bold enough to admit here that I had an oversized neon sweatshirt with 'FRESH' emblazoned across the front, ra-ra skirt, hair so big that it added four inches to my height...Chrissie xxx
ReplyDeleteHello! And that FRESH sweatshirt comment made me laugh (ditto the hair!) I love how we thought we looked so cool... So funny to look back and think about how daft we were!
DeleteS x
Oh my word, the neon, the ra-ra's, the pastel and greys - I remember them well! But yes, as tasteful as we'd like to be, if there's anywhere where the bold primary colours are at home, then it's in those first few years!
ReplyDeleteS x
I seem to have stirred a few 1980s memories with this post - I love that!
DeleteAnd yes, primary colours are where it's at right now. I can't imagine a muted palette in a toddler's room now. It would just seem wrong!
S x
Hi Sarah thank you for popping by to Eight-by-Six and for entering my May giveaway (its open until Sunday evening) Amanda x
ReplyDeleteHello! I'll keep my fingers crossed :)
DeleteThat photo of you in the yellow ribbed leggings - you really look like Joe. I think it's the expression that does it. Actually, should it really be "Joe looks like you"?
ReplyDeleteHa ha, I think we look like each other! If he manages to get his dad's super-fast metabolism I'll be happy but very envious...
ReplyDeleteYes, colour is so important to children. We have a lot of plastic toys, some bought, some inherited, and I don't think they are lesser than the organic, ethical wooden ones, just different. And yes, I grew up in the eighties too and had a few Benetton sweatshirts, and some Naf Naf ones too.. Dreadful! x
ReplyDeleteGreat post Sarah!
ReplyDeleteI grew up in the seventies and eighties and had bright red and yellow flares (Like Rupert the bear - Mum what were you thinking?) and some neon checkered shorts in the eighties!! My ra ra skirt was turquoise - which was a little bland compared to some I had seen!
ReplyDeleteWe have so many plastic toys....many of them bought for the children and they are all colours of the rainbow - although potentially with slightly too much pink (toy shops I'm blaming you!)