The Color Purple

Why am I so drawn to this color? 

Could my love of lavender be the catalyst? 

 Or could it be that I was imprinted as a girl because my first schoolgirl crush, Donny Osmond wore purple socks?

Whatever the reason, apparently I'm not alone because Better Home and Garden magazine predicted that purple would remain a trendy color throughout 2012 in an article HERE.

  I love purple and use it abundantly in our yard. 

   But, it does sound like a prettier

color when it's called something like Amethyst or Orchid, doesn't it?

And although it’s not a color I will soon splash in paint on my walls,

(however this lovely photo from House Beautiful has me reconsidering the aforementioned statement)

or sprawl it out as a rug covering our floors,

(well, maybe if I were 30 years younger :-))

I am using a softer version of it it in less permanent ways in our home.  

Such as with fresh flowers, which is a quick and inexpensive way to get my purple fix.

  A more expensive way to add this lovely pop of color began last year when I bought my first piece of purple /lavender transfer ware.

The paler versions of the transferware, a soft lavender, are my preference but seem to be harder to find.  It's such a tasteful way to bring in a soft pop of the color. 

I found a couple plates at Forest Wood Antique Mall in Dallas, and picked up a few pieces during our trip to California last year from a beautiful shop, Bountiful, in Venice.

The shoppe owner, Sue Balmforth, told me that Ellen DeGeneres is a huge collector of purple transfer ware.   

Hmmm…..I wonder if Donny collects purple transfer ware too?

:-))    

Obviously someone is seriously collecting it because there is very little to be found.    

Perhaps Ellen and Donny are trying to corner the market on purple transfer ware. 
:-))

Would someone please let them know there is a Farmhouse dining room in Texas that would LOVE to have just a few more pieces. J

  P.S.  All of these photos and their sources can be found on my Color - Purple Pinboard.  I will share more of the dining room later this week.