THE FRENCH GENERAL GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.
Creative Inspiration Week continues! Welcome! Scroll down to previous posts to see all the creative goodness so far!
I am so honored to introduce to you Kaari Meng of French General. She is a phenomenal woman in many regards. She owns her own shop, has written wonderful books, has her own product lines, has been featured in major publications and is truly an all around inspiration. I cannot do her justice by copying her bio here, you really need to go to her website and just watch her in action. You’ll be impressed, trust me.
But the most impressive thing of all wasn’t all she has overcome or accomplished, or all the incredible magazines that have featured her, but it is the graciousness by which she agreed to share with us something she created to inspire us. I found that to be true of the women I am working with this week. Truly giving women. I am always impressed by women who will freely share their ideas and do it with humility. Kaari is a class act.
Please enjoy her words and photos, and then leave a comment here to first and foremost thank her for her contribution here. Secondly by leaving your appreciation here between now and Saturday December 8th, you will be entered into a drawing for her newest book, French Inspired Jewelry, courtesy of Kaari herself. Winner will be drawn at random.
Enjoy the inspiration! The following words are written by Kaari for you!
40 Shades of Pink
If I could stock every shade of pink at French General, I would. Pink has been a favorite color of mine since I was as young as I can remember. Soft pink textiles are my favorite of all — but old pink beads are a close second.
Our Winter Pink collection of jewelry kits includes the softest of peachy pinks and the veined coral pinks — mixed with pearly whites, ruby reds and prairie greens. Unusual color combinations — but lovely winter garden colors. Finding a creative way to choose your color palette can be a challenge. Keep your eyes open for the strangest of clues.
I found a shop full of old French wired chenille balls — every color imaginable — and then more! I knew it was an amazing find when I saw the 40 shades of pink. I have used the chenille balls to help me plot out my color palettes — finding the perfect bead color is sometimes a bit more challenging.
Natural Nesting
Our Botanical Coral collection is more grounded. Turquoise egg blues with leafy greens and deep salmon oranges — this collection is based on poppy neutrals. When I settle on a color combination like this I always wonder what kind of adventurous soul wears this combination. I imagine someone living in a place where the sun always shines. These bright neutrals only look better against the natural neutrals — like, the honey-ox metals or antiqued silvers.
Cherry Red
I’m always drawn to the red — I can’t seem to escape it. For me — it is the strongest color, the hardest color to capture just right. Every season I try to pick up every great color of red for at least one of our collections — either textile or jewelry. Our textile collection usually consists of old reds and cranberries layered with neutrals named oyster, mushroom or sand. Our jewelry collection can be brighter, more colorful with cherry red mixing seamlessly with hamilton gold metals.
Take time to learn about color — how shades of color work together and how light affects color. Spend time in a paint store looking at color chips — then start laying out your own unique combination. Look for color inspiration everyday in the ordinary.
Special thanks to Kaari for her contribution to this week! You’re the best!
All of Kaari Meng’s photos and text are copyrighted by Kaari Meng. Please contact French General for permission rights via the link provided. All photos and text were used by permission.
I love French General! Having only recently discovered their very fun website, I would love to own that book! I really like the first image with the lusterware and the pinks. Thank you for the inspiration!
Wow! Love the different shades, especially the reds.
Cathy
I love the colors & all the great ideas – so much fun to sit back & enjoy!!! I would be thrilled to own the latest book – please enter me in the giveaway!! Thanks for sharing!!
I love your first book, Kaari and the French General site. So inspiring. Thank you for sharing your creativity here on the inspired room and with the world in general. I love the way you create vignettes with various colours and textures. What a great way to organize my creative supplies.
Such beautiful pictures full of inspirations. Thanks for sharing your color intuition. Just wish I HAD all that stuff!!
WOW! Thank you so much for sharing that! Those are beautiful pictures! I would love to win such a beautiful book!
Can’t get enough of all those beautiful colours. Inspiring !I would love to win the book.. that would be wonderful:)
Thank you Kaari! I enjoyed seeing all of your color collections!! Great eye candy!!!!
I loved the first book and her store in Hollywood is so unique…..a group of us went there last summer…I spent way tooo much…but I loved everything I bought. I want to go back again soon. Kaari is a such an inspiration and her husband was so gracious when we were there. I love how she mixes colors that are so unexpected. I love the reds too..I mean who can not love red? My DH…that’s who….maybe that is why he is in therapy.
Ohhh I did lose your link for a while. Plus I have been off my computer for a while due to a problem. Glad to be back!
I love everything in this site.
oh my goodness, i am full of appreciation. I love French General and her entire vision. and i love this blog and your entire vision!
i’ve had the pleasure of visiting french general and meeting kaari,…both the shop and the owner are truly lovely.
*gasp* I can’t believe that I almost missed this!! I’ve gotten so far behind with reading blogs but I’m so glad that I got to yours today! Thank you for having Karri come by … French General is one of my favourite places to visit online and I would love to be included in the giveaway! ~ hugs, Lynda xo
I *adore* the French General look! Such beautiful pictures here – such effortless grace and beauty!!
Beautiful inspiration!! I adore color. So it’s always hard for me to have one favorite color. Or even decorating styles. I need to win Powerball then I can have a lot of houses in a lot of styles… no that wouldn’t work either cause of all the causes I would rather support.
so maybe I will win this inspiring book!
40 Shades of Pink, I am going to turn this
idea into a game to play with my granddaughters….
thank you,
Louise
I’d like to be entered. Thank you Kaari for your words! I just found out about your store move to LA and coincidentally am in town this week. I hope to find the place and have time to stop by.
When I watched your speach for Halmark It was like you were telling my life story, or I should say the life I wish I had. You are a great inspiration. Please keep creating and sharing.