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YEAR OF THE RABBIT 2011

THE YEAR OF THE RABBIT, 2011

02/03/2011 - 01/22/2012 (Metal)

According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Year of 2011 is the Year of the Golden Rabbit, which begins on February 3, 2011 and ends on January 22, 2012. The Rabbit is the fourth sign of the Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 animals signs. The Rabbit is a lucky sign. Rabbits are private individuals and a bit introverted. People born in the Year of the Rabbit are reasonably friendly individuals who enjoy the company of a group of good friends. They are good teachers, counselors and communicators, but also need their own space.

According to Chinese tradition, the Rabbit brings a year in which you can catch your breath and calm your nerves. It is a time for negotiation. Don't try to force issues, because if you do you will ultimately fail. To gain the greatest benefits from this time, focus on home, family, security, diplomacy, and your relationships with women and children. Make it a goal to create a safe, peaceful lifestyle, so you will be able to calmly deal with any problem that may arise.

Not many people know that the Rabbit is the symbol of the Moon, while the Peacock is the symbol of the Sun, and that together, these two animal signs signify the start of day and night, represent the Yin and Yang of life. It is said that anyone making supplications for wishes to be fulfilled are certain to get what they want... and in the Year of the Rabbit, the wish-granting aspect of the Sun and the Moon combined is multiplied. The Moon is YIN and this is the Yin of Heaven, signifying magic. Thus on each of the Full Moon nights of this year, go out into your garden to gaze into the Full Moon and visualize plenty of Moon dust and Moon glow flowing into you, filling your whole body with bright white light and granting you fearlessness, love and courage. This will not only strengthen your inner "Chi" energy, it will also bring wisdom into your life.

The Sign of the Rabbit

People born in the Year of the Rabbit share certain characteristics: Keen, wise, fragile, tranquil, serene, considerate, fashionable, and kind. Generally, they are quite calm, do not exhibit aggressive behavior, and will avoid confrontation at all costs. When angry about something, they will approach it calmly and considerately, hardly ever raising their voice. And they are quite keen and pay close attention to the situations developing around them. They are intelligent and quick, and can talk themselves in or out of most situations with no problem.

The Rabbit is a symbol for mercy, elegance, and worship of beauty. People born in the Year of the Rabbit are kind, loving persons, and dislike any hostile act. They give others an impression of being frail-looking because of their gentle appearance. But, in fact they are strong-minded and have strong wills. They pursue their ideals all their lives in a precise and orderly way. They do things slowly and deliberately because of their cautious characters.

There is no need to worry about their lives. They are nimble, clever and good at avoiding harm to themselves. They are talented and like artistic ventures, such as painting and music and are generally quite present in these worlds. They are also very hospitable, good hosts and warm-hearted companions. They never embrace others in public places. They know the art of saving face and giving consideration to the interests of both sides.

People born in the Year of the Rabbit are apt to be sensitive to ailments and to have bad allergies. Stress or conflict will detriment their health. Exercise could take off unnecessary stress and strengthen their physical condition. They have to learn to incorporate more action into their everyday routines.

They will become depressed and withdrawn if their homes do not consist of beautiful possessions that make them comfortable. Their homes and offices usually are clutter-free. They have really good communication skills and are best utilized in positions of management. They make great teachers and counselors because they are so diplomatic and well-organized. They can also make great painters or musicians due to their sense of beauty and their love of creativity.

Rabbit people are usually relatively careful when it comes to their finances. They use much of their money for possessions such as their homes, cars or furniture. They love hunting for antiques, arts and crafts and will tend to make sound investments in these types of things.

Rabbit Years: 01/29/1903 to 02/15/1904 (Water), 02/14/1915 to 02/02/1916 (Wood), 02/02/1927 to 01/22/1928 (Fire), 02/19/1939 to 02/07/1940 (Earth), 02/06/1951 to 01/26/1952 (Metal), 01/25/1963 to 02/12/1964 (Water), 02/11/1975 to 01/30/1976 (Wood), 01/29/1987 to 02/16/1988 (Fire), 02/16/1999 to 02/04/2000 (Earth), 02/03/2011 to 01/22/2012 (Metal).

Famous Rabbit People: Angelina Jolie, Anjelica Huston, Drew Barrymore, Edith Piaf, Fanny Brice, Helen Hunt, Jane Seymour, Joan Crawford, Kate Winslet, Natasha Richardson, and Tina Turner.

Final word on 2011 Color of the Year

December 9, 2010

Well, as I mentioned in my last post, today’s the day Pantone announced their pick for 2011 Color of the Year and what a surprise! The color name is Honeysuckle (no, not my golden yellow “Honeysuckle” that comes from the way our white honeysuckle blossoms turn with age), a deep pink-red. Here’s what Pantone had to say about the reason for their color choice:

“In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Honeysuckle derives its positive qualities from a powerful bond to its mother color red, the most physical, viscerally alive hue in the spectrum.”

This year, speculation sure seems to run the gamut! While I LOVE this color, I can see how it will be more popular in fashion and packaging than interiors. Pantone is suggesting it for walls in foyers and dining rooms because it’s such a happy color and also stimulates appetites. In kitchens, they suggested using it for accessories like placemats, glassware and other accents and even suggested painting your kitchen cabinets this color! I don’t know about that! I just can’t see my clients going for it, but never say never!

So to recap, Akzo Nobel was the first to come out with their color “Lime Twist” with a theme of “appreciation” (see my August 18th 2011 Color of the Yearpost), followed by Benjamin Moore’s “Vintage Wine” with their theme of “balance” (Update: 2011 of the Year & Color Trends post) and now Pantone’s very colorful “Honeysuckle” to “embolden us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor”! It’s all good, no?

Update: 2011 Color of the Year & Color Trends

December 1, 2010

More information continues to come from different sources reporting on next year’s color trends since my original post on the 2011 Color of the Year, back on August 18th. Interesting that Benjamin Moore chose “Vintage Wine” as thecolor for 2011 which they describe as a “rich hue with a deep brown base and a hint of smoky violet”. They chose a theme of “balance”. Although I like the color, especially as it is shown in their photo below; I must say, I think the international team from Akzo Nobel has a better handle on how people are feeling with their theme of “appreciation” and their lighter, airy, citrus yellow that symbolizes positive energy, hope and optimism. I know I am finding that more paint clients of mine are expressing a desire to “lighten things up”.

2011 Color of the Year

August 18, 2010

I’m happy to report that the international color trends research team for Akzo Nobel (the manufacturer of our paints) has already posted their annual Colour Futures book! Once again, it is a beautiful book with an exciting palette of colors that they predict we’ll be seeing in 2011. What I found most exciting was the key word they used to describe the overall influence for 2011, “APPRECIATION”! If you have been reading my posts and newsletters, you know that gratitude is the mantra I live by! Not only have I been keeping a gratitude journal for many years now, where each day I write down everything I’m grateful for, but lately everywhere I turn, I see constant reinforcement that there is nothing more powerful than the feeling of appreciation and gratitude. I know from personal experience, it is the major component in creating a life you love. Here’s what the color futures team sees as the colour future for 2011:

“This year we see a continuing move towards colours that are cleaner in character and much more optimistic and hopeful in the feeling they create. Shades for 2011 bring joy and charm to our lives and create an overriding mood of clarity and freshness in all palettes.”

So, what’s THE color they predict for 2011? It’s the wall color in the photo below!

This yellow has a lot of green in it and in person, is a good bit brighter than what comes across on my monitor. The color trend team describes its slight green edge as giving it newness and freshness, reflecting our appreciation of nature and man made materials. Both organic and technological, “Lime Twist” is surprisingly flexible and works beautifully with the rest of the 2011 colour palette they created. I especially like it paired with what they consider to be the “2011 Cool Neutral” known as Akzo’s paint color “Crystal Glimmer”, an ethereal gray much like our full spectrum “Lavender Mist”.

The Colour Futures book also contains trend colors from eight colour families that they have chosen as “2011 Key Colours”, along with coordinating colors for each palette. The other trend “2011 Key Colours” are: Red Red Rose (a juicy pink red), Apricot Ice (a stimulating crisp coral), Honey Frost (a zesty lemon), Fairy Tale Green (an electric blue green), Peacock’s Plume (a rich peacock blue), Midnight Cruise (a deep blackberry), Hiking Trail (a warm neutral brown).

Best of all, the 2011 Colour Futures book can be downloaded as a PDF by visiting their new website, ColourFutures.com!

Although color trends are very exciting, what’s trendy is not always timeless when it comes to coloring our interior spaces. You may want to add a bit of 2011 into your spaces with new pillows or pieces of painted furniture. However, I pulled several of our tried and true full spectrum colors that are similar: Celery, Limone, Cornsilk, Watermelon Red, Coral, Albania Teal, Sable and Lavender Mist. Many of them can be seen on the Photos & Reviews page of my website, which by the way, is the most popular page of the entire site! I am constantly updating it with photos and comments from our wonderful paint customers, so if you haven’t been there lately, check it out!