Beads Of The Maasai Tribe! For August 2017

Colour Stories

Did you know that there is a deep symbolism associated with the big and colourful beaded jewellery pieces handmade and worn by the Maasai tribe from Kenya? Read on to find out more...

The Maasai tribe is well known for its vibrant beaded jewellery with its signature bright colours and intricate patterns. This Kenyan tribe loves anything with the colours red, green, purple, dark blue and vibrant orange. Learning the art of making beaded Maasai jewellery is considered the duty of every Maasai woman and is worn both by men and women. The beads also hold cultural significance as they reflect the wearer's age and social status according to colours and designs. Generally, individuals of high social standing adorn themselves with more colourful and intricate jewellery.

This beautiful bead jewellery is used as a form of adornment throughout their daily life, ceremonies and rites of passage. The colours and the structure of the necklaces indicate a person's age, social status, marital status, and even whether a woman has given birth to a boy or a girl.

Unmarried Maasai girls usually wear a large flat beaded disc surrounding their neck while dancing. They use the movement of the disc to display their flexibility and grace. On the day of their wedding, women wear a very elaborate and heavy beaded necklace. This necklace is often knee-length. A married Maasai woman wears Nborro, which is a long necklace with blue beads.

The Maasai have been creating bead jewellery for a long time now and make use of natural resources such as wood, clay, copper, bone and brass to make them. Interestingly, glass was made available to them by the Europeans who started trading with them in the late 19th century.

The colours used on the jewellery are symbolic and have significant meanings:

• Red stands for bravery, unity and blood.
• White symbolizes purity, peace and health. The association with health comes from cow's milk which is a significant part of their traditional diet.
• Blue represents energy and the sky. Rain from the blue sky provides water to their cattle.
• Orange symbolizes hospitality. The association with cattle is that visitors are served cows' milk from orange gourds.
• Yellow, just like orange, symbolizes hospitality.
• Green symbolizes health and land. Cattles graze on the green grass of the land.
• Black represents the people and the struggles that they go through.

We hope this article was enlightening and you gained a better understanding of the Maasai culture through their eye-catching beaded jewellery!

Colour Trivia

Colour Facts For August 2017

1. Blue pigment is nature's colour for water and sky, but it is rarely found in fruits and vegetables. Blue has very little connections with taste and smell. Therefore, it may act as an appetite suppressant. It can make eating unappealing as we don't see the colour in our food naturally, so it's a great colour for plates for those who are on a diet. So, the next time you plan to diet, ditch colours like yellow and red, and opt for blue instead! You'll surely get closer to reaching your goal of losing some weight!
2. Did you know that carrots were once purple? They originated in the Afghanistan region and were once purple in colour. There are many theories behind why most carrots are now orange. As far as we can tell, the Dutch had something to do with it. As the story goes, 17th century Dutch farmers began to cross-breed carrots specifically to get orange carrots in honour of their ruler, William of Orange. It became extremely popular in the Netherlands as a tribute to the emblem of the House of Orange, and the struggle for the independence of the Dutch. Interestingly, the orange carrots that the Dutch developed were sweeter and fleshier than their purple counterparts!
3. In Chinese culture, colours correspond with the five primary elements, the four seasons and the directions. Yellow was associated with earth and the centre in relation to direction. The Chinese placed a lot of emphasis on the colour yellow, unlike anywhere else in the world. During the Ming dynasty and the Qing dynasty, it was the colour of the emperors. There is Chinese saying, "Yellow generates Yin and Yang", implying that yellow is the centre of everything. Yellow also stands for neutrality and good luck!

Colour Quotes For August 2017

• Orange is the happiest colour.

  - Frank Sinatra

• We are all a little broken. But last time I checked, broken crayons still colour the same.

  - Trent Shelton

• The laws of colour are unutterably beautiful, just because they are not accidental.

  - Vincent van Gogh

Colour Tips For August 2017

1. If the door of your home is painted a different colour on each side, remember to paint the lock edge the same colour as the side of the door that opens into the room. Paint the hinge edge of the door so that it is the same colour as the adjacent, visible face of the door. You don't have to paint the top and bottom edges of a door unless the top edge is overlooked from a staircase as it can stand out as bare wood if not painted at all.
2. Are you renovating your home? If the answer is yes, and if you are thinking of using polystyrene tiles, make sure to paint them with emulsion after thoroughly cleaning them. Make use of a roller and a small brush for the joints between the tiles. Remember, never use gloss paint as it creates a fire hazard when put on expanded polystyrene. If you plan to stick polystyrene tiles on the ceiling, it is much simpler to paint them before you put them up, especially if they have chamfered edges.
3. Planning to paint the ceiling? Use a scaffold board that is supported by trestles or stepladders. Walk slowly and with caution when standing on the scaffolding and wherever possible, clamp the boards to the supports. Make sure that your head is about 75mm from the ceiling. You can use an extension handle or even a broomstick fitted to the hollow handle of a roller or pad, for most of the painting. But you will need to stand on steps or a board to cut-in where the walls and ceiling meet and around the tops of doors and windows.

World Of Colours

Colours & Emotion For August 2017

1. Bright and strong colours such as primary red, orange and yellow have a powerful effect on a baby's subtle inner vibrations, causing restlessness and making the baby cry. Bold patterns and strong contrasting colours are also likely to be disturbing and overwhelming for the baby. Make use of soft tones of creams, yellows, pinks, peaches and baby blues that radiate warmth and peace. This will be emotionally soothing and comforting for the little one. You can also try soft pastels, peachy apricots and minty greens for a shade that's more gender-neutral. If you're planning your baby's room, take a few minutes and do a little bit of research. After all, your baby will be in this room for a while before you decide to repaint.
2. If your child refuses to eat what's on their plate, don't worry – help is at hand. Studies recently conducted showed that presenting meals in six different colours can boost a young person's appetite. Scientists found that youngsters were much more likely to finish their meal when there was more colour and choice on their plates. Children prefer up to six colours, while adults tend to prefer just three. It was revealed that children not only opt for plates that have more colours and elements but also prefer main items placed in front of the plate in figurative designs.

Colours & Fashion For August 2017

The 'Ombre' hair colouring technique has taken the hair colour world by storm! It is borrowed from the French word 'ombrer' which means shaded or shading. It involves giving your hair a shaded effect by keeping a darker colour at the roots and gradually lightening it down towards the end. The effect is mesmerizing and everyone is trying out this new look.

Go bold, soft, colourful or natural with endless hair colour choices! And it's not just hair, you can see this fun new trend everywhere - on nails, on baked products, on home decor objects and it's also prevalent in the graphic design industry.

Colours & Gems For August 2017

1. Amber is considered a gemstone despite being a fossilized tree resin and not a stone, and it has many interesting legends behind it. According to Norse mythology, the goddess Freyja cried tears that turned into gold and amber when her husband was away. Amber is associated with light and electricity. We derive the word electricity from the Greek name for amber, 'electron.' This stone was once believed to be made of congealed sunlight, which was sacred to the Greek god Apollo. The Chinese believed that amber was the soul of the tiger transformed after death. The most popular amber stones are found in warm colours - a variety of orange, yellow and sunny brown tones, which is why amber is considered to be the stone of the sun.
2. Tourmaline and its symbolic properties differ from region to region. It is known to be found in various colours, namely blue, pink, yellow, green and red. According to Egyptian legend, the stone found its array of colours when it left the earth's centre and passed through a rainbow. Some African and Australian shamans believe that they are teller stones that can locate sources of trouble, offer insight, and suggest the route towards goodness. In numerous cultures, black tourmaline is believed to protect against dark magic. Native Americans gave certain shades of this intriguing stone as funeral gifts.

Colours & Nature For August 2017

1. The Painted Bunting breeds in shrubby thickets in trees above 30 feet and along the edges of the forest. It is found in South-eastern United States and in North-eastern Mexico, and during the winters in Florida, the Bahamas, Cuba and Mexico, south to Costa Rica and Western Panama. With its vibrant fusion of green, blue, red and yellow, the male Painted Bunting looks straight out of a colouring book! In Mexico, the Painted Bunting is commonly called 'siete colores', or 'seven colours.' Despite wearing almost all the colours of the rainbow, the Painted Bunting is not always easy to spot as it is sparrow-sized, and spends a lot of its time concealed by vegetation.
2. The word killifish is of uncertain origin, but is most likely to have come from the Dutch word 'kil' or 'kille' which means a body of water. Killifish are found throughout Asia, South and North America, Africa and in some parts of Europe. They are lavishly coloured in red, blue, orange and popular amongst hobbyists as they can be easily kept in freshwater aquariums. The female Killifish are less vibrantly coloured than the males, who have blue and yellow colouration with orange spots and stripes from the body till the tip of their fins.

Decor

DIY is The Way to Go!

Do you have plans to refurbish your home this year? We have some awesome DIY wall art ideas for your home to make it look fabulous. Read on...

Keeping a home is a major part of responsible homeownership and the costs to maintain your home-sweet-home can really stack up, depending on the city you live in. You can save money if you're willing to get your hands dirty with some DIY! So let's begin!

1. Hang up a beautiful, unused scarf on the wall. However, make sure to iron it before you hang it as a display. You could also frame it for a quirky touch.

2. Try something unusual! There is no rule that you have to frame only photographs and paintings. Frame a fabric or wallpaper sample instead and hang it up. It is a great way to add some texture to your room and will surely make guests do a double take.

3. Make your board games like Scrabble, Snakes & Ladders and Ludo a wall art. It's a totally cute and fun idea if you share the room with your siblings or a roommate.

4. Bring out the inner Picasso in you! Turn a photograph into a watercolour pixel painting with the help of an app. If this is not your cup of tea, you can try your hand at spray painting. Paint papier-mâché letters to create colourful alphabet letters. Sounds great, doesn't it?

5. Create string art with embroidery yarn. Trust us! It will look absolutely delightful in any part of the room that you display it in.

6. Who doesn't love bling? And we are sure a little bit of it on your wall would do no harm. Sequin a wall which looks dull and drab for a quick makeover!

7. Make a display with shoe boxes. Spray paint the insides of a shoebox and display your favourite items in it. You can also line the boxes with papers if you are not gung-ho about spray painting.

8. Stencil letters are in trend. They catch the eye and add some depth to the living space. You're your favourite quote or phrase into wall art and display it proudly on your wall.

9. Create a constellation art with string lights and a canvas. All you have to do to achieve the look is poke holes into the canvas in a random constellation pattern and then stick the bulbs of the string lights through its holes. Voila! You have beautiful constellation art for your wall.

10. Simply glue wooden letters onto a canvas and spray paint to your heart's content using your favourite colours. There you go, you have a masterpiece at hand!

11. Add some greens to your wall! Make a succulent vertical hanging garden. This is a great idea as it is low maintenance, and requires little light and water.

12. Make the best out of waste! Turn leftover wine corks into wall art and impress your visitors.

How Paint Colour Affects Mood!

We all have our favourite colours, don’t we? However, did you know certain colours could make you feel a certain way? Read on to know how some shades can impact your mood…

Colour psychology is a fascinating topic to understand. Certain colours can make you feel energetic and lively, while some can make you calm and help you relax. They are divided into cool and warm colours. Cool colours like green, blue and violet are those that remind us of nature, water and sky. They help calm the senses. Warm colours like red, orange and yellow exude warmth and are inviting.

Here's a look at the psychological effects of some colour shades and what rooms they work best in.

Red is the most powerful and intense colour, bursting with energy. Recent studies state that it can increase adrenaline, raise blood pressure and speed up your heart and breathing rate. It is a great choice if you wish to stir up excitement and lively conversation in a particular room. It is also ideal for dining rooms as it can increase metabolism and appetite.

Yellow is associated with sunshine, and exudes warmth and happiness. Bright yellows can be overwhelming and can cause anger and frustration, while soft yellows bring cheerfulness. Focus on the shades and the amount to use if you're thinking of combining it with other colours. Yellow works best in kitchens, dining rooms and bathrooms.

Green evokes feelings of renewal and growth. The result of a combination of yellow and blue, green brings together the cheerfulness of yellow and the calming effects of blue. It is a shade that's suitable for bathrooms, bedrooms, living rooms and family rooms.

Orange combines some of the traits of red and yellow. Like red, orange is an energetic, enthusiastic and exciting colour. And just like yellow, orange is a warm, friendly and welcoming colour. It works best in kitchens, dining rooms and workout rooms.

Blue reminds us of natural elements like the tranquillity of the blue waters of streams, lakes and oceans. It also reminds us of the calm blue sky. It is known to bring down the heart-rate, respiration, as well as lower blood pressure. The colour works best in bedrooms, bathrooms and offices.

Now that you know the effect of colours on your mood, be sure to choose shades accordingly for the rooms in your home!

Top Living Room Colour Palettes

The living room is an important space in the house for everyone, starting from homeowners to decorators and interior designer experts. Here’s a lowdown on which colour schemes to choose for your living room…

The right use of colours and its combinations dictates the success of the styling and the decoration. At times, you can do away with décor accessories and take the help of colours alone. Your colour scheme contributes a lot to the first impression of your living room, and also of your entire home. Choosing living room colours shades is not a difficult task, although it may seem like a daunting process, it really is simple once you get the basics right. That's what we're here to help you with!

The first thing that you should have in mind while picking a colour scheme is your perception of colours and which colour you feel the most comfortable with. There is a way of choosing a colour scheme for your living space. It depends on your inner instinct and the connection you have with that specific colour. Read on to figure out which colours speak to you the most.

Dark Bold Shades: If you want to create a dramatic and modern look, paint your walls in a dark midnight blue and pick furniture in shades of pink.

Pastel Shades: You can use pastel shades like powder blue, pink or lilac and decorate it with floral accessories.

Light Shades: If you have a tiny living room, keep the colours and shades light to make the room feel spacious and airy, this creates an illusion of space.

Shades of Nature: Natural hues have the innate ability to amaze and delight all five senses. Utilize the colours of nature like sky blue, earthy green, sunshine yellow on the walls of your living room to create a beautiful space.

Neutral Shades: Neutral colours are also perfect for a living room. Picking the best neutral paint colour is a matter of style. You can add accessories in bright hues or muted shades to achieve different looks. You can make a statement with rich, saturated shades such as dark grey and purple. If you are not keen on making the room look too dark, you can opt for cream furnishings and two-toned draperies.

All-White: All-white colour schemes unify all the different elements and textures in the room, and reflect natural light, adding warmth to the living space. You can pick soft textures and warm wood tones to add a comfortable feeling to your living space.

We hope you found some ideas on living room colours shades to steal from this article.

Happy Painting!

Colours & Ancient Sciences

Feng Shui For August 2017

A bagua mirror is the best Feng Shui symbol of protection and is often known as the ‘aspirin’ of Feng Shui. In some schools of Feng Shui, it may also be referred to as a ‘Pa Kua.’ Read on to know how to safeguard your home or business from negative energy forces using the Bagua mirror…

Banish Negative Energy With Bagua Mirror!

A bagua mirror is a very powerful symbol with complex layers of energy and information. Let's begin with the basics; the bagua mirror is pronounced 'bah-gwa' not 'bag-gwa.' This mirror is always to be used outside your home and never inside, as it represents the yin energy cycle and can affect the energies of your home.

There are two types of the Feng Shui bagua mirror. One is the Feng Shui bagua convex mirror and the other is the Feng Shui bagua concave mirror.

A concave bagua mirror is used in Feng Shui applications when the negative energy outside needs to be neutralized by being absorbed. A convex bagua mirror is used when you want to reflect back the negative Feng Shui energy (Sha Chi) pointing at your home from the front door or any of the windows.

These bagua mirrors come in various sizes, the average size being 4-6 inches. The bagua mirror is not a decor Feng Shui item and should not be used like one. A potent Feng Shui cure, the mirror is definitely not activated by one's fears or pleas. It is just a tool to use in order to redirect energy, which is why it should be used wisely.

Bagua mirrors can also be used to counteract negative Qi of a spiritual nature such as evil entities coming from harsh corners, trees, tall poles and other such features. They are mounted above the door or window with the mirror facing toward the offending object –'poison arrow.' You can also keep a bagua mirror above your front door to harmonise and create good fortune for all those who enter it.

We hope you found this blog article informative and make responsible use of the bagua mirror to create positivity around you!

Reiki For August 2017

Did you know that Reiki can help Alzheimer's patients in their struggle and their suffering? Read on to know more...

Treating Alzheimer's with Reiki

Alzheimer's disease is accountable for over half of all organically caused memory-loss and it is the fourth leading cause of death among the elderly and aged, following heart disease, cancer and strokes. It is a disorder of the brain which causes damage to brain tissue over a period of time.

Alzheimer's causes an overall loss of intellectual abilities, which is severe enough to obstruct daily functioning. Initially, the person may show signs of memory loss, personality change, poor judgement, mood swings, and the inability to learn new things. They may also easily become agitated. When the disease graduates, the person may have problems in speech and language, difficulty in coordination and movement, absolute confusion and disorientation. Ultimately, the person has to depend completely on a caregiver.

Let us find out how we can use Reiki to alleviate the lives of those suffering from Alzheimer's.

Reiki is known to show great results in reducing and treating the difficult behaviours related to Alzheimer's. As with most chronic illnesses, it is a good idea to consider having at least one person in the family receive Reiki training to take care of both the person who is ill and the caregivers, as well.

Reiki can make a huge difference in how well the illness is dealt with, including the discomfort, stress level, anxiety and depression that comes with it. Even when the illness itself doesn't dramatically improve, Reiki helps ease all these factors, making life much more comfortable and healthier for the whole family of the patient.

You will benefit by asking a Reiki professional or volunteer to offer you or your loved one Reiki treatments once in a while, if that is an option. You need to allow the healing to come to you in whatever manner you think is appropriate for you and for your family. If this is not an option, you can always learn Reiki on your own; it is a simple and easy process with the right training and guidance. Take a look at our Reiki section to learn more. You can also check out our topic on Reiki and self-healing here.

Caregivers can administer Reiki, reducing the need for medication as well as hospitalization. However, make sure that it is not used as a replacement for conventional care.

It is also believed that colour therapy during a Reiki treatment is beneficial. Violet and purple governs the crown chakra, at the top of the head, which is why royal blue and blue-purple shades are the colours that may help in the case of Alzheimer's.

We hope you found this article informative and enlightening!

Vaastu For August 2017

Colours play a very significant role in our lives and are believed to have a bearing on our fate. Read on to know the connection between Vaastu and certain colours you pick to paint the rooms of your house…

Vaastu & Colours!

Colours are known to have various kinds of influence on humans - emotional, intellectual, materialistic or intuitive. Likewise, the colours used in our houses affect our mood, attitude and thinking patterns as well. They surround us and have a direct psychological impact on us. They have the capacity of stimulating our energy and pacifying us.

Let's cover the colours recommended by Vaastu and how to use them effectively with regards to directions and rooms in a house:

Direction

Recommended colours

East (Sun)

Shiny white

West (Saturn)

Blue

North (Mercury)

Green

South (Mars)

Pink, Coral red

North-East (Jupiter)

Golden Yellow

South-West (Rahu)

Green

South-East (Venus)

Silver Whites

North-West (Moon)

White

Power of Red
Red is known for its zest and vitality. Owing to its qualities, it brings life to a space and creates excitement and enthusiasm for life. It also represents power and valour. It is a dramatic mood-changer and is known for its energizing properties. Be careful with too much red as it can be both overpowering and stressful for people who are anxious in nature.

Power of Orange
Orange has an ethereal quality about it, it also has the special ability to stimulate appetites and encourage social interactivity. This makes it a good colour to use in the dining room or living room. It is believed to evoke positive feelings, cheerfulness and boost interaction among people.

Power of Yellow
Yellow is associated with the sun. It should be used with care as it is a bright and energizing colour. A room which receives direct sunlight need not be painted yellow. However, adding a splash of yellow in prayer rooms is considered auspicious.

Power of White
White symbolizes purity and is highly recommended by Vaastu for your ceilings. It also reflects light and brightens up rooms naturally. In a bedroom facing the northwest direction, white colour is recommended.

Power of Pink
Pink can be used in bedrooms that face the south and southwest direction. It is a colour that reflects happiness and joy, which is essential for a happy life.

Power of Green
Symbolic of nature, the colour green represents harmony and peacefulness. It is ideal for a study room or a yoga/meditation room. It encourages quick healing and rejuvenation, which is why people find it easy to relax in green-coloured rooms.

Now that you know which colours are auspicious and can work well in the rooms of your house, get started and reap the benefits of Vaastu!