For many it is preferable, perhaps because picking peridot for a bit of panache will not empty your purse.

Peridot is the translucent green gem stone variety of the abundant mineral olivine. It forms during volcanic eruptions. Small pieces of peridot can be found scattered along the beaches in Hawaii. Folklore tells the story of how they are crystallized tears from the Goddess of Volcanoes, Pele.

Ancient Greeks and Romans admired this beautiful stone. Most of the pieces found among their ruins were from the island of St John in the Red Sea. It use to have an abundance of a highly prized dark green variety. Today, the most desirable colors are bright lime greens – the more vivid the better.

This simple setting with a flattering cushion cut peridot, showcases the clear lime green color and luminosity.

You don’t have to be green with envy.

The price is pleasing, making peridot plausible for everday pizazz!

pillows and fabrics from Calico Corners

The addition of fleshy golds and fresh greens warms up classic blue and white in home, in fashion- add in a touch of dingy gray, coal black and metallics ( either gold or silver would work) and you’ve got a look that’s totally futuristic boho.

Diane Von Furstenberg Resort 2010, Marni Spring 2009, Marc Jacobs Spring 2009 and Rodarte Fall 2009- images from Elle.com

image from NASA

I will be celebrating Earth Day today by starting a compost pile, planting some flowers, vowing to be more diligent about recycling, re-purposing, conserving water and worshiping all palettes blue and green.  Remember that old saying ‘blue and green never to be seen without a color in between’?  Well that theory has thankfully been blown out of the crystal blue water.. as blue and green make for a trendy and oh- so exciting combo in fashion this year.

Runway looks from Anna Sui, Christian Lacroix and Gucci

Issac Mizrahi, John Galliano, Louis Vuitton and Lanvin

Source

In home, pairing blue and green has become a modern classic.  Depending on the intensity of the hues – rooms can go from punchy and whimsical ( brighter shades ) to calm and serene ( the watery hues that I can’t get enough of right now!)  I clicked around the House Beautiful website… and here’s a few great examples that I found-

Keep the world a colorful, beautiful place… do something good for your enviroment today!

I met Jake when he called to check facts for a story I was going to be quoted in and before I knew it we were chatting about color and Jake was conducting an impromptu interview about my business.  It seems that his natural curiosity started the conversation but his journalist instincts soon took over and he wanted to explore an idea he had for a story of his own.

It was great fun to talk to him and after our conversation and a couple of follow up emails he came up with so much to write about that the article spilled over into two days.

Jake Finally Learns What A Color Strategist Does (Part I) and (Part II) Thanks Jake! 

But getting back to the colorful t-shirt pics…

Jake’s girlfriend wanted him to go with her to her high school reunion and he wanted my opinion on which color would make the best impression.  He sent me over a few pictures that he had colored in to show me what colors he was considering.

Although we all probably give a bit more thought to our appearance on occasions like this I’d already learned enough about Jake to guess that this wasn’t really a decision he was agonizing over so I served up the following color advice complete with a dash of humor:

YELLOW – You are letting the world know you are energetic and have high spirits. You will catch attention with bright yellow and it is the perfect color if you want to share your creative spirit and original thinking because you’ll attract curious listeners all evening, just like bees to honey.

RED – Are you wanting to let your girlfriend’s former classmates know that you are popular and powerful? Then red is the way to go. It will also let them know that you like to have fun and are at the ready to take charge of just about any situations, even the reunion party, if it isn’t as lively as you’d like it to be.

GREEN – You’ll come across as a very social person, yet as someone that places value on status and may even have a tendency to talk about people or judge them by their appearance. Not a color that will put people at ease with you right away. Choosing a yellow-green might be better, as it says you are a high energy, adventurous person that is too busy for gossip.

BLUE – Blue will have you looking cool and confident. It is a color that is naturally appealing and on you, with those blue eyes, it will be that much more attractive. Be careful, though, as blue lovers are susceptible to flattery, so don’t let the admiration of those former cheerleaders and beauty queens go to your head.

Curious as to which color he chose?  You’ll find the answer at the end of Part 2.

Jake’s entire story can be found on Entrepreneur magazine’s blog Daily Dose.

Jake Finally Learns What A Color Strategist Does (Part I)
Jake Finally Learns What A Color Strategist Does (Part II)

The windows of Lord and Taylor in New York City capture the fantasy with a scheme of yummy gingerbread and confectionery colors.

At Macy’s the colors are reminiscent of the most fabulous toys from my childhood technicolor dreamworld and even if you can’t see the windows in person you can visit macysbelieve.com for a bit of holiday magic online.

In a palette of blue and white the Saks straight-faced snowflakes are just waiting to break into a show-stopping smile.

For more on the holiday windows in NYC visit a Guide to the Holiday Windows.

I could sit for hours inside the US Botanical Garden and just inhale the beauty and magnificence nature affords us. Last weekend I headed over but before I even made my way inside the landscaping at the entrance stopped me in my tracks. It was so simple yet captivating.

The entire garden was brimming with flowers and foliage in green and purple. The greens ranged from a dark, muted green gray to a vibrant yellow green. The purples were in the range from clear true purple to those hues that bordered on burgundy.

The garden towers were painted in the most vivid hues of this analogous scheme.

The boldly colored towers and splashes of the bright purple and lime green foliage added interest and a bit of whimsy.

If asked to describe in one word what I loved about this garden it would be ‘Simplicity!’

By massing fewer varieties of plants in larger areas it was easy to see the area as a unified space.

The repetition of plants and the common thread of color created a harmonious design.

By the time I was walking up Capital Hill I was already mentally planning my own version and having second thoughts about my plan to trade my yard for a no maintenance condo on the water.

I quickly came to my senses however and simply made a mental note to make sure the condo is a short walk to an equally beautiful garden that someone else takes care of.

I am because emerald is not my birthstone. Don’t get me wrong, I love garnet, my birthstone; but emerald is the epitome.

Green is my favorite color. This is one of the reasons emeralds are high up in my “gemstone love” top ten.

Green is not the easiest color. Some hues are very bright and eye catching. Less is more with these hues- best to use as an accent color for accessories, fashion and decor.

I enjoyed reading color maven Barbara Jacob’s paint suggestion for a sage, wheat, and raspberry color combo, it sounds beautiful AND yummy.

Wearing green is a different story [or a horse of a different color]

Beware head to toe green- not an easy shade to pull off. Worse is the green on top and brown slacks – the fashion equivalent of the “tree” in a school play.

Of course it is effortless to wear green when it is bright, sparkles and set in gold.

Left is the original ring that John F. Kennedy presented to Jackie in 1953 and on the right is a reproduction of what the stone looked like when they had it reset in 1962.

Wikipedia color charts showed me all the shades green has to offer and the ones I am drawn to most are the springs, hunter, kelly, chartreuse and emerald.

For me emeralds are the perfect shade of green. They never stray, green always, vibrant and full of life- a color only “Mother Earth” can create.

Speaking of mothers – my mom says ” It’s not that I want emeralds, I need emeralds.” She treated herself to an emerald ring years ago and wears it everyday.

How about the “Emerald City?” Can anything be more exotic or alluring? What a memorable scene when Dorothy comes upon the poppy fields and looks ahead to the bright and towering city at the end of the yellow brick road!

The ‘Grotta dello Smeraldo’ (Emerald Grotto) is not a fictional place. Nestled in the Amalfi Coast it is a true natural phenomenon rivaling Emerald City!

In my new issue of “In Style,” Vincent Longo’s liquid eyeliner in “Emerald” looks amazing on Selma Blair’s big brown eyes.

I got caught up in the way the “color” emerald is so striking. Back to emeralds – the stone….

It is a true gemstone, by definition not a semi-precious. Most emeralds carat for carat are more valuable then diamonds.

Cleopatra was a huge fan. The earliest known discovery was in Egypt near the Red Sea and the mines were named after her.

The best emeralds, however; are from South America. The early mines of the Aztecs and Incas are stilled bearing the most beautiful gems on the market today.

The only thing “wrong” with emeralds are the imperfections. It is far from a “perfect” stone- another reason why I love them so much. Past it’s faceted exterior lies many fractures and fissures. The French word for garden- “jardin” is how these crystallized striations are described- the natural “foliage” within the stone.

These inclusions make the emerald very hard to work with- cutting and setting can be catastrophic. Be careful when thinking of resetting an old stone, discuss with your jeweler the possibility of it cracking.

Green is the color of Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty.

It is the color most representative of life, springtime and eternal love. A fresh vivid color that is soothing and harmonious. Wouldn’t it be soothing to put emerald studs in your ears? I know I would feel in harmony with nature sliding an emerald ring on my finger.

Are you like my mom and “need” emeralds? I am!

Sources:

• International Colored Gemstone Association…
• Green horse painting by Susana Arias…
• Picture of the Jackie Kennedy and rings from Wedding Bee…
• Picture of Emerald Grotto from Cassiopea-Positano…
• Painting of Cleopatra from Alibaba…

Luckily for me , being born May 10th instead (Mother’s Day 1970), I still entered this splendid Earth as April (Jennifer was a close 2nd).

Now my mother is no hippie, but she understood the importance of sustaining our planet so that we can be healthy. Back then the only people getting across the message of recycling and litter control were the crying Indian and Smokey the Bear.

My , how times have changed…for the better. The environment and protecting it is ….dare I say…sexy and accepted. Just ask Al Gore, Leo, and hundreds of hybrid owners.

This Earth Day , I stood with a white wine spritzer at the Domino party at ABC Carpet & Home. On Tuesday April 22nd, this party thrown by one of my favorite mags, introduced “the brave and beautiful sustainable design” of the featured products in this wonderland of a store.

As you entered the party Pangea Organics was offering mini facials and hand massages. These beautiful flower arrangements surrounded their delicious smelling organic products.

Past the beauty products lay the gorgeous jewelry. This gold jewelry features raw diamonds that are now conflict free from Sierra Leone.

See Kim Brown’s article on diamonds and the Kimberly Process. The just as beautiful Alicia is showing these gems to another guest (Alicia will help you with all your jewelry needs at ABC).

Beautiful paintings adorn the walls of this 2nd floor gallery (take the stairs up to save electricity) . I believe that all the paintings are made with pigments from plants.

ABC sells many forms of recovered, recycled, salvaged wood furniture and architectural details. I love any large wooden slabs as furniture. These painted tables/ stools are from found , cut logs. The branch sculpture would make a really cool headboard or room divider. And what party wouldn’t center around this giant table….adorned with soy candles.

In the background you can see upholstered chairs and a rack of pillows. Organic furniture and textiles are readily available. Just remember that if organic fabric is used in articles made overseas, they are most likely sprayed with pesticides (to rid them of their not so precious cargo ship hitchhikers.) Shop locally made (or US) products to keep your items truly organic !

Shelves of very practical wooden bowls and terrariums are displayed everywhere. I feel like a wood nymph in the mood for a wine and cheese party…organic, of course!

One of the highlights of the party was seeing Marc Alt…an eco pioneer genius (and major hottie !) Definitely check out his website www.marcalt.com for more info and ways of living green.

Total party success ! I learned about better ways to live more concsiously , drank some wine with friends(below are Kim and Katie with Domino swag bags ) , and saw some beautiful products. Now , if we can only get Domino magazine to stop shipping their newest issues WITHOUT the plastic wrap.

As we all become more eco-conscious our view of what it means to be earth-friendly broadens. It is no longer simply about ‘recycle-reuse-renew’ but is expanding to a broader understanding of the interconnectedness of our planet.

A shift in our collective view is what can bring about a change in our desire for certain colors and this is where trends begin. While we still have a desire for green and find comfort in brown our more global perspective is being expressed with the color blue.

My friend and CMG colleague, Leatrice Eiseman correctly read this trend when she recommend that Pantone named blue the color of 2008. By choosing this single color they aren’t saying that this specific color is the ‘must have’ hue but rather that this color represents the overall mood or focus around the globe.

This has proven to be very true and right now blue is resonating with so many people that when someone ask me what colors are hot I reply, “Any hue as long as its blue”.

If you have any doubt just look around. Every hue of blue from sky to navy can be seen for home and fashion everywhere right now.

House Beautiful picked up on the importance of blue in 2008. I especially loved this home that beautifully blends many blues. The living room above is predominately done in the softer spa blues with deeper blue accents. While the dining area mixes bolder blue with bright turquoise.

Pottery barn has plenty of blue in their collections, too. In the current Pottery Barn paint colors there are a half dozen blues.

I think this light blue pillow is perfect with the light neutrals and dark brown wood. It has a fresh, modern look while the darker blue and white rugs draw from ancient indigo dyed textiles.

If you are in the market for a Kitchenaid mixer you have two blues to choose from at Williams-Sonoma. The deep cobalt and the light, fresh blue.

Martha Stewart went with a blue that is more aqua for her cookware line but selected a clear blue for her bedding sets available at Macy’s.

Blue in combination with brown or tan that has been a popular choice for the last few years and is still going strong.

But now blue is also being paired with green. In the same way that these colors create a balance in nature they can come together in perfect harmony in your home. These two froms from 2modern.com are good examples of this color scheme.

If you’re home isn’t yet ’singing the blues’ now is the time to find the perfect hue for you.

Do you still need more inspiration for adding a bit of blue to your home? Here’s a few of my favorite homes filled with blue from past issues of House Beautiful. Each uses blue in a bit different way.

• The color blue is the lovely, persistent thread woven throughout your elegant Jackson, Mississippi, house. See more about this home on housebeautiful.com
• A teacher at Parsons School of Design used to say,’Put a little blue in everything you do.’ Some people think blue is cold, but my client loves blue so much she wanted a completely blue house. See more about this home on housebeautiful.com
• Designer Robin Bell fills this Florida house with more blues than you can count. See more about this home on housebeautiful.com

A cook’s favorite spring green? Tarragon.

Its fresh green color and delicate leaves are the essence of spring. It conjures up tender young shoots pushing up through the earth. Since spring is a time of renewal, why not consider sprucing up your nest with a coat of green paint? Tarragon’s soft green is a great start for any color scheme.

Consider Benjamin Moore’s ‘Liberty Park’ or ‘Shades of Spring’. They are neutral back drops for every color on the wheel, from pastels to brights, as all of spring’s blossoms will attest.

The light licorice flavor has just enough bite to chase away winter’s last chill. Tarragon Chicken is a delicious way to use this herb:

Tarragon Chicken

Preparation – 10 minutes Marinate – 2 hours Cook – 20 minutes

1 tbsp. olive oil
½ sweet white onion
¼ cup fresh tarragon leaves (or 2 tsp. dried)
1 tsp. kosher salt
6 limes (or ½ cup bottled key lime juice)
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Lightly grease a 9 x 12, oven-proof, baking dish with 1 tbsp. olive oil.

Coarsely chop ½ of a sweet white onion.

Cut fresh tarragon into slivers to loosely fill a ¼ cup.

Toss chopped onion and slivered tarragon leaves with 1 tsp. kosher salt, in greased baking dish.

Squeeze the juice from 6 limes into a separate bowl.

Pour lime juice over the onions and tarragon making sure to strain out any seeds.

Add 1 tbsp. olive oil and stir.

Submerge the 6 chicken breasts in the lime juice mixture.

Cover the dish and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Set the oven to 500 degrees.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator.

Let stand for 5 minutes while the oven warms up and the oven-proof dish comes up to room temperature.

Bake chicken, in marinade, for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes the chicken will be tender and the marinade will have thickened slightly to form a fragrant, flavorful sauce. I like to serve Tarragon Chicken on a bed of brown rice to absorb the tangy sauce spooned over the top. A crisp salad or steamed green vegetable rounds out this simple, yet elegant meal.

What dish signifies spring to you?