Famous Historical Artists Who Loved Spring

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Your favorite season says a lot about you. For example, those who favor fall are often contented creatures who become excited by the simple pleasures of life. Summer lends itself to people who are outgoing and love to be with others. Winter is usually held dear by those who are introverted, pensive and prefer a good book to a wild party. Finally, Spring is often beloved by individuals who seek change, are creative and are deeply moved by beauty.

There are several famous historical artists who seemingly preferred Spring above all other seasons. This assumed preference is made evident in their multiple pieces of artwork featuring Spring-related themes. We like to believe Monet and Renoir adored Spring in all its glory.

Monet’s Paintings Reveal His Affinity for the Season of New Beginnings

images-2Artist Oscar-Claude Monet (1840-1926) was more than just a founder of French Impressionist painting; he was also a lover of nature. The earth was Monet’s muse, and he obviously took great delight in painting Springtime scenes. One of his most famous Spring-related pieces is simply titled Le Printemps (the Spring) and was completed in 1886. The piece depicts two women dreamily sitting beneath a tree that is freshly blooming. Another is Le Printemps (auprès de Vétheuil), painted in 1880. This piece is simple and quite understated, though no less breathtaking than any of Monet’s works. Fields in Spring is another enchanting piece that features a parasol-covered lady drifting through a Springtime field filled with wildflowers. In all three paintings, many cool-toned colors are used, creating the effect of a refreshing Spring breeze. These paintings are just a small sampling of the Spring-themed works of art Monet created in his lifetime.

Renoir: Another Lover of Spring

imagesMonet wasn’t the only Impressionist painter to prefer the Spring season; Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) did also. Spring Bouquet is perhaps his most famed piece of Spring-themed artwork. Spring Bouquet, completed in 1866, appears more in-focus that our friend Monet’s artwork. This exquisite painting features crisp, cool colors that perfectly animate the flowers represented in the piece. Other beloved Spring-related works of art created by Renoir include Spring Landscape and Spring at Chatou (1872).

Speaking of historical artists, have you seen our new digital paint-by-number Historical Figures pattern sets? Designed for use on a smart phone or tablet, Historical Figures 1, 2 and 3 are cheap, amazingly fun, and bring art right to your fingertips. Check them out by downloading our FREE SegPlay Mobile app, available on iTunes and Google Play. Use the comments section below to let us know how much you like these new patterns!

Of all the Spring-themed works of art mentioned in this article, which do you like best? Can you think of other famous historical artists who seemed to favor Springtime?

Claude Monet – Founder of French Impressionism

The Expressive Vincent van Gogh

Camille Pissarro – Father of Impressionism

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Cinderella’s Hand Painted Wedding Gown is a Work of Art


imagesUnless you are totally disconnected from all types of media, you are probably aware of Disney’s recent release of its live-action romantic film, Cinderella. To say the movie is a success is a gross understatement; the film has thus far claimed about $500 million worldwide. Obviously, there is something about Cinderella that the whole world loves.

While there are various reasons both children and adults adore Disney’s recent epic movie, art lovers are captured by the sensational costumes displayed in the film. The costumes, designed by Sandy Powell, are true masterpieces that, quite simply, bring the film to an unsurpassed level of artistry.

Sandy Powell’s Exquisite Costumes Dazzle Moviegoers

imagesSandy Powell, a three-time Oscar winning costume designer, is no stranger to transforming mere clothing into works of art. To create the costumes for Cinderella, Powell looked to the styles of the 1950s and the 19th Century for inspiration. (These were the time periods that inspired the illustrations for Disney’s 65-year-old cartoon version of Cinderella. Powell drew from the same stylistic eras in order to give the modern Cinderella a distinctly Disney flavor.) Powell commented, “I wanted the costumes to be bold and have an explosion of color as if it were a picture book…but at the same time, I wanted the clothes to be true to each character and believable.”

The Wicked Stepmother Stands Out in Gowns Fit for a Queen

If you think Cinderella’s wicked stepmother was dressed shabbily to express her malicious character, think again. Cate Blanchett, who played Ella’s infamous stepmother, was a human canvas for some of the most stunning displays of costume artwork ever created. Speaking of Blanchett’s character, Powell commented that it is always fun to dress the bad guy, whereas the good guy is typically the most difficult to design for.

Cinderella’s Wedding Gown, an Artistic Masterpiece

While Blanchett’s costumes are remarkable, they in no way upstage Lily James’s costumes  images(James is the young actress who played Cinderella). For the famous gown that Ella enters the ball wearing, Powell designed a beautiful gossamer dress featuring shades of lavender, blue and turquoise. To add to the gown’s enchantment, tiny butterflies were sewn onto the bodice, giving the dress a touch of whimsy.

While all the costumes in Disney’s Cinderella were spectacular, none were more so than Ella’s wedding gown. At first glance, the long-sleeve beige colored gown appears to be somewhat simple (Powell wanted it to express Ella’s innocence). But, take a closer look and you’ll observe painstaking attention to detail. Once the seamstresses were done constructing the gown, “It was given to the artists who intricately hand painted flowers onto the gown. It took 16 people and nearly 550 hours to complete the dress.” Layer upon layer of fabric was hand painted until the desired effect of absolute costume magic was achieved. All things considered, Cinderella’s wedding gown is no less than a work of fine art that will undoubtedly touch fans for generations.

Do you see costumes as works of art? What film features costumes that inspire you as an artist? Share with us – we’d love to hear from you!

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

When Art Sells Art

Fabulous Floral Designs with Painted Counterparts Makes Art Alive

French Floral and Portrait Painter – Henri Fantin-Latour

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Why Degas Loved Painting Dancers

Have you ever wondered why Degas loved painting dancers? Was he was captivated by the graceful movements ballerinas so perfectly execute? Did the excellence of their craft birthed from years of dedication to practice remind him of his own artistic journey? Thanks to historians and researchers, the answers to these questions are becoming demystified.

images-1Half of Degas’ Works are Centered Around Ballerinas

Known as “the painter of dancing girls,” Edgar Degas helped establish Impressionism. However, he preferred to be recognized as a realist painter. Early in his career Degas wanted to be a history painter, but in his thirties he became primarily a classical painter of modern life. At 39 years old, just a few years after his transition out of history painting, he began painting, sculpting and sketching dancers. Over half the works of Edgar Degas are inspired by ballet.

The Painter’s Love for Modern Realism and Classical Beauty Drew Him to Ballet

images-2It’s possible that Degas stumbled upon his obsession with ballet on account of sheer curiosity. According to Smithsonian Magazine’s Paul Trachtman, “At the ballet Degas found a world that excited both his taste for classical beauty and his eye for modern realism.” Trachtman goes on to explain that Degas spent time in the classrooms and wings of the Palais Garnier, home of the Paris Ballet. It was in those wings and classrooms that the artist fell in love with ballet and “claimed (it) for modern art just as Cézanne was claiming the landscape.”

In addition to spending time in ballet classrooms and stage wings, the French painter also invited ballerinas into his personal studio where he could more easily sketch and paint them. The metmuseum.org’s article The Dancers and Degas explains, “Degas enjoyed drawing dancers’ movements, their colorful costumes, the sets, and the effects of the stage lights.”

It may have been Degas’ love for modern realism and classical beauty that initially drew him to ballet as a major form of artistic inspiration. However, his affinity for and engrossment with ballet itself was what anchored his interest in the subject for the rest of his career.

Degas Capitalized on a Despised Art Form

imagesJohn Richardson, writer for Vanity Fair, commented that at the time Degas’ obsession with ballet began, “The golden age of Romantic ballet was long since over…French ballet could hardly be considered an art form.” In some ways, ballet was despised in Degas’ time. Despite this (or perhaps because of this), Degas made ballerinas the central theme of his artwork. Although he did not depict ballet as glamorous (on the contrary, his artwork revealed the harsh realities of the grueling life of a dancer), his choosing of the ballerina as his primary source of inspiration did bring some type of honor to the then-underestimated art form.

It’s a good thing Degas took a notion to devote much of his life to painting ballerinas; his pictures of dancers were, are and will likely remain wildly popular. Obviously, the French painter pulled some heartstrings with his paintings, sculptures, prints, pastels, and pencil and chalk drawings of ballet-inspired subject matter. Perhaps there is something in Degas’ dancers that we recognize in ourselves.

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

Edgar Degas – Modern Artist, par excellence

Camille Pissarro – Father of Impressionism

Art that Sells Broadway

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Can Certain Colors Attract the Opposite Sex?

Specific colors can attract the opposite sex: true or false? The definitive answer to this question is a mystery. However, the theory that claims certain colors act as magnets for romantic attention is one that is supported by many people’s personal experiences.

Colors are the Best Love Potions

How to attract the opposite sex has been a hot topic throughout the ages. It has also been the subject of many academic and scientific studies. Those who study human behavior are discovering more everyday about the factors that can help individuals attract love interests.

The impact that color has upon sexual attraction is a subject of interest for scientists and laypeople alike. However, while color’s bearing upon attraction is a topic worthy of study, it doesn’t take a scientist to figure out that wearing certain colors can increase one’s sexual attractiveness.

Women and Men are Attracted to Different Hues

Are you ready to begin wearing colors that will attract a romantic partner? If so, it’s important to first understand that, not surprisingly, females and males are sexually attracted to individuals wearing gender-specific colors. Women should consider wearing pink, coral, and peach to maximize attraction from men. These shades may cause men to perceive women as feminine and approachable. For a man, wearing shades of blue may increase a woman’s attraction to him. This is because a man wearing blue is frequently perceived as stable and dependable. Many women also view red as an attractive color for men to wear.

The Magic Color that Garners Attention from Both Sexes

Red is a color that both sexes are equally attracted to. Of all the colors a woman can wear, shades from the red family are usually the most attention-grabbing and attractive of all. Jeremy Nicholson of Psychology Today explains this phenomenon: “The color red triggers a basic, primal response in humans as a signal of sexuality and fertility.” When a man sees a woman wearing red, in many cases his attraction for her increases. According to Nicholson, “When a woman sees a man in red, she instinctively sees him as higher status and is more interested in having sex with him.” It seems that wearing red can help both of the sexes attract romantic partners.

Science is proving that wearing certain colors can increase someone’s sexual desirability. Because of this, single people who desire a mate should consider dressing in colors that will cause them to be perceived as sexually attractive.

What Colors Attract You?

Do you believe there is any validity behind the theory that certain colors can attract the opposite sex? Have you ever noticed that people tend to be more attracted to you when you wear particular colors? What colors most attract you to the opposite sex?

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

Red Artwork is Worth Fortunes

Roses May Smell the Same, but Colors Make a Difference

St. Valentine and the History of Romance

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What’s So Important About Art Class?

imagesDid you know that May 5th is National Teacher’s Day? That’s right, there is actually an official day designated to honor teachers and the impact they make on young lives. Since teachers have inestimable value but are all too often overlooked and taken for granted, it is wonderful to take a few minutes to think about their amazing contributions to society. Celebrate art teachers with us by learning about the ways art classes benefit children.

The Amazing Benefits of Art Class

Most students, regardless of age, race or gender, seem to have something in common: they LOVE art class. This is probably because art is an outlet that allows kids to express their feelings and connect with their peers on an emotional level. After a school day full of logic and reasoning, most kids find art class to be a welcome change. Art class offers benefits beyond mere emotional expression. Here are 3 awesome things that most kids will learn in art class:

  • Collaboration skills – While math and science are important subjects, they do not necessarily facilitate collaboration. However, when a child participates in an art project, he or she learns how to work with others and consider their opinions and ideas. When creating art, kids come to believe that their contributions have value. Art class truly has an amazing ability to increase a youngster’s self-confidence as well as his or her ability to cooperate with other students.
  • Accountability – Believe it or not, accountability can be most easily learned in an art class. Why? Because students often have to work alongside their peers to complete projects. When children engage in teamwork, they see firsthand how profoundly their level of dedication to a project affects others.

images-1Art teachers leave an indelible print on the hearts and minds of their students and are some of the most cherished individuals on the planet. They are beloved because they offer kids an incredible gift – the ability to create and enjoy art. There is no doubt that art is a valuable subject for children to learn about during their formative years. Why do you believe art in schools is important? How does art class positively impact your child? Share with us in the comments section below – we love hearing from you.

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

How to Encourage Creativity in Children

What Does a Good Art Teacher Look Like?

Easter Egg Decorating Project Can Teach Kids About Color

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Next Color Can Heal the Nervous System

Can color heal the nervous system? Do different hues have the ability to bring health to the body through the gateway of the eyes?

The answer to these questions is, amazingly, yes. Optometric phototherapy, which heavily relies upon the use of color, has been proven to deliver results to patients. This means that color is not only beautiful, but is also medically useful.

What Is Optometric Phototherapy? How Does It Work?

Syntonics, also known as optometric phototherapy or colored light therapy, is a form of therapy that has been studied formally for over 70 years. According to the College of Syntonic Optometry, syntonics “is the branch of ocular science dealing with the application of selected light frequencies through the eyes.”

To understand syntonics, you must first understand color. Color is not just something lovely to look at; it actually emits physical frequencies, or vibrations. Different colors emit different frequencies. Researchers in the field of vision therapy have discovered what color frequencies, when received through the visual system, treat specific health problems.

Optometric phototherapy is administered via a syntonizer, which is an instrument that resembles a long tube. At the end of the tube is a white-light source, and placed in front of the light source are colored filters. In a typical therapy session, a patient places his or her face onto the wider end of the syntonizer in order to gaze upon the backlit colored lenses for a period of time. In the Brain World index, Syntonics: Colored Light Therapy for Balance, these “certain selected light frequencies applied by way of the eyes…can produce beneficial results in the body.”

The combination of color and light bring about results that are extraordinary.

What Health Issues Can Syntonics Successfully Treat?

Though there is a low level of awareness of syntonics, it remains a highly effective treatment for many different maladies. This under-recognized therapy helps relieve a myriad of health problems, including:

  • Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
  • Strabismus (eye turns)
  • Convergence insufficiency
  • Learning disabilities
  • Headaches
  • Eyestrain
  • Pain
  • Inflammation
  • Trauma/stress-related issues
  • Sensory processing disorder (or sensory integration dysfunction)
  • Depression
  • Amblyopia (lazy eye)
  • Anxiety

Colored Light Therapy Ministers Healing to the Nervous System

Colored light therapy can heal visual problems, but it doesn’t stop there. Because, according to Brain World, syntonics causes balance to be “…restored in the regulatory centers of the body’s nervous system, specifically the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems,” it has the ability to bring peace to a troubled mind. Colored light therapy has been known to be an especially effective treatment for those having an unbalanced nervous system.

Different Colors Treat Different Health Problems

What colors, applied via optometric phototherapy, might help correct your health problems? That is a question that can only be answered by a certified vision therapist. However, the following is a list of health concerns and the corresponding colors that may help resolve them:

  • Yellow — Depression, lethargy
  • Blue and/or green — Allergies, fatigue, acute illness
  • Purple — Migraines
  • Red and/or blue — Adrenal problems

Do you suffer with any of the health problems mentioned in this post? Colored light therapy may be a viable, safe, and artful treatment that could be useful in your pursuit of better health.

Make Your Own Pressed Flower Jewelry Box

Would you agree that there is something enchanting about pressed flowers? They dazzle the eye with vibrant color and exquisite detail, all the while evoking gentle feelings of nostalgia. Perhaps best of all, pressed flowers cost nothing.

Preserve Your Favorite Spring Flowers by Pressing Themimages

Do you love flowers? Do you hate to see things go to waste? Are you great at crafting and making things beautiful? If so, our pressed flower jewelry box project is for you. It is the perfect Springtime craft, and also makes a thoughtful gift.

Before you begin making your jewelry box, gather the needed materials:

  • Small wooden box
  • 2 pieces of white paper
  • Acrylic paint (your choice of color)
  • Small paintbrush
  • Elmer’s glue
  • Several blooms of your favorite Spring flower (small blooms work best)
  • Krylon anti-UV clear acrylic sealer (comes in a spray can)
  • A hardback book

Altogether, these materials should be very inexpensive.

Directions for Making Your Pressed Flower Jewelry Box

Once you have gathered your materials, you are ready to get started making your pressed flower jewelry box. Follow these directions to get a beautiful result:

  • Carefully place your live flower blooms onto one piece of white paper; do not let the blooms overlap. Open your hardback book and place the white sheet loaded with blooms into it. Cover the blooms with the other sheet of white paper and close the book firmly. Now comes the hard part: leave the book alone for at least a week; this is how long it takes for the flowers to become thoroughly pressed and dried.
  • In the days you are waiting for your flowers to dry, paint your wooden box with the acrylic paint you chose. You may need to apply 2 coats of paint. White is the perfect showcase color for your vibrant pressed flowers. Allow box to dry totally.
  • After the week long period, open the hardback book and carefully remove the dried flowers with tweezers. They will be as thin as tissue paper, so be very gentle.
  • Using tweezers, arrange the pressed flowers into a design of your choice on top of the box. Be as creative as you desire. Remember, this is your creation!
  • After your flowers are arranged atop the box, carefully lift each dried bloom and dot tiny amounts of school glue (use a toothpick to do this) on the backside of the flowers. Then, lay the flowers on the box and gently press down on them. Do this until all your dried flowers are glued in place. Let arrangement dry.
  • The last step is to spray your completely dry craft with Krylon clear acrylic sealer. Be sure that the top of your jewelry box is open when you do this; otherwise, the spray will glue the images-1box’s lid shut. You may want to spray another coat of sealer after the first coat is dry. Allow box to dry. Your Springtime pressed flower jewelry box is now finished and ready to be enjoyed!

We would love to see your finished product. Please share a photo of your Springtime craft with us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/segmation).

Is there a specific craft you love to make that uses pressed flowers? Please share with us in the comments section below.

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

Paint by Number – The Original DIY Project

Colorful Flowers to Plant this Spring

Easy Ways to Prepare Your Home for Spring

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Artists Bring the Streets To Life with 3D Art

2D street art, such as graffiti and stencil art, is nothing new. For decades street artists have been transforming cold concrete streets and allies into feasts for the eyes. But a brand new army of artists is bringing streets to life with 3D art that dazzles the eye and stirs the imagination.

To a child, 3D street art can easily be misconstrued as having been created magically. While there is a supernatural feel to such art, it is mere human artists, not magicians, who create the magnificent displays.

If you have not seen 3D street art, you are missing out on something special. Allow this article to take you from the roads of Tehran, Iran’s capital, to the buildings of Miami, Florida, and experience the magic of 3D art for yourself.

Street Art Makes the Common, Extraordinary

When an artist fashions 3D art, he or she expands on a 2D art display, extending the creation beyond the perimeters of the 2 dimensional world. 3D art literally reaches out to touch you, and begs to be touched and experienced in return.

Here are some locations where the streets have been graced with 3D art:

Tehran, Iran Artist Medhi Ghadyanloo has transformed Tehran with his brilliant artwork. In the CNN index, “What’s the secret behind these eye-popping street art illusions,” it says, “Ghadyanloo has painted over 100 murals across the Iranian capital, giving unsuspecting drivers good reason to do a double take, as the fantasy blends in with the real.”

Paris, France – A once-plain underpass in Paris has been rendered exquisite by a hovering anamorphic image created by TSF, a French art crew. The crewmembers used paint and a chopped-down tree to create the artistic effects they wanted.

Miami, Florida – One of the most moving displays of 3D street art is titled No Art for Poor Kids, and can be found near the Jose De Diego Middle School in Miami. Artist MTO created a statue of a child standing with his face toward a building, wearing what appears to be a dunce cap. This is both ironic and significant because, as explained on the CNN website, it “highlights the plight of [the] middle school, on the edge of Miami’s Wynwood gallery district, where this year’s Art Basel parties kicked off. There, on the doorstep of the glitziest art-buying festival, a tight budget means there’s no money to hire an art teacher and the 600 students are denied access to art.”

3D Street Art Fosters Change

The 3D art display near the Jose De Diego Middle School proves that 3D street art can be both controversial and transformational. It is in-your-face and refuses to be ignored. It’s safe to say that this genre of art has the potential to change culture as we know it.

Check out more astounding displays of 3D street art here.

Is there a 3D street art display in your locale? If so, how have people responded to it? Do you think such a display would enrich your community?

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Street Art Affects Major Cities Across the World

The Graffiti Artist and Street Vendor

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Learn to Draw in a Short Period of Time

Is it possible for someone to learn to draw in a short period of time? More specifically, can one learn to draw well in a matter of weeks?

Dr. Betty Edwards would say, without hesitation, yes.

Can a Book Quickly Teach Someone to Draw?

In the 1970‘s, Edwards authored a booked titled Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Since the book’s release in 1979, it has sold over 2.5 million copies. The book’s popularity is due largely to the fact that its exercises garner results that any aspiring artist craves: the quick acquisition of skills necessary to draw beautifully.

Targeting the Right Brain is Key in Picking up Artistic Skills

The theory behind Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain is simple: tapping into the right side of the brain via practicing certain exercises can increase a person’s ability to swiftly obtain the artistic skills required for drawing. Concerning the right/left brain theory, scientist and neurosurgeon Richard Bergland said, “…your left brain is your verbal and rational brain; it thinks serially and reduces its thoughts to numbers, letters and words… your right brain is your nonverbal and intuitive brain; it thinks in patterns, or pictures.”

Because the right brain thinks in patterns and pictures and is non-verbal, it makes sense that primarily using that side of the brain when learning to draw would increase the chances of successfully gaining artistic skills.

This Simple Exercise Can Help You Learn to Draw

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain is packed with tools that target the right brain and teach drawing skills. Here is just one exercise that can help you begin your journey of learning to draw; the exercise is called “Breaking Up Space”:

  • Only draw vertical and horizontal lines
  • Do not think in terms of words
  • Relax
  • Draw at a slow to medium pace
  • If you run out of space just retrace the lines you have already drawn

This exercise “helps put the left side (of the brain) to sleep and exercises the right side.” It’s important not think in words while practicing this. Using this technique is a first step you can take to begin to get your right brain accustomed to being used somewhat independently of your left brain. This creates an ideal mental environment for learning to draw.

Besides her book, Dr. Edwards also offers other materials that foster right-brained learning of artistic skills. These resources include DVDs, workshops, and more.

Are you a natural when it comes to drawing? If not, have you always wanted to learn to draw? Has intimidation discouraged you from trying? Share with us in the comments box below.

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Easy Ways to Prepare Your Home for Spring

Rainer Maria Rilke exclaimed, “It is Spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.” Truer and more beautiful words are rarely spoken. Yes, Spring is indeed here again, and it seems like the earth is more than willing to share with us her good gifts of flowers, rain, fresh air, and the vibrant colors we so missed in Winter.

imagesEasy Ways to Prepare Your Home for Spring

Nature is readying itself as the fullness of Spring approaches; should our homes be any different? With just a few minor changes, your home can rival the beauty of any Spring flower. Consider the following ways to ready your home for Spring:

  • Replace heavy for light, dark for bright – After months of Winter’s heavy wools and flannels, no doubt you are more than ready for the lightness of muslin, linen and other Spring-friendly materials. Such fabrics are best chosen in delicious shades that mimic the soft beauty of nature. Toss a brightly colored throw across your couch, lay cheery pillows on your bed, and place fluffy pastel towels in your bathroom for a cheap and easy home makeover.
  • Display fresh flowers – Fresh flowers; what other two words evoke remembrances of the fragrance of freshly cut lilacs, the lemony yellow hue of new daffodils, and the silky feel of tulip petals? A simple vase of fresh flowers on your kitchen table is a powerful reminder that Spring has arrived with Summer on its heels. A milk bottle full of daisies would also make a charming addition to any bedside table. When it comes to decorating with flowers, the sky is truly the limit, so be creative and fearless.images-1
  • Serve fresh produce – This Spring, fill your meals with fresh produce, the ultimate feast for the senses. To optimize your health, choose mostly local produce. And, don’t forget that smoothies are perhaps the best Springtime treat of all.
  • Display some Spring-themed art – A well-placed Spring-themed picture can totally change the atmosphere of a home, so be sure to change out your wall art. (If you enjoy creating seasonal art, check out our digital paint-by-number daffodil pattern set; it is perfect for Spring!)

Is your home ready for Spring? How do you prepare your haven for this dearly beloved season? Share your comments with us today.

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