Concord Grape Palette | Premo Recipes Vol-054-A

1-A: Green Grape
2-A: Concord
3-A: Purple Rain
4–A: Grape Cluster

This close-up of a cluster of just-beginning-to-ripen Concord Grapes was photographed by Doug. They were picked from one of several vines we have growing in the back yard.

Now, by no means do we have any sort of vineyard. Nor do we know much about the proper care and nurturing of grape vines. We merely bought four 6 inch sticks of different varieties of grape vines a number of years ago. Stuck them in a large containment that Doug built, and let them grow to their hearts content.

To be honest, I should let you know that only three of the grape vines have currently grown out of control. One did not make it through the brutal snapping of all its limbs by my nephew Carter and son Fisher when they were just 4 years old. They are both 13 now and wouldn’t dream of harming an innocent plant. Especially after witnessing the shock and horror on my face after said event, at such a young and impressionable age.

Well, the voracious vines have now completely taken over our sundeck arbor, and have also started to consume the railings of the upper balcony of our house. If we don’t get out there soon and start pruning… they may just eat one of our children!! Fisher should be first, since he is currently eating us out of house and home and was partially responsible for the death of one of their friends… so it only seems fitting that he be the chosen one… lol!

The funny thing is that although we had the largest crop of grapes ever this year, I don’t think any one of us got to eat a single bunch. The weather was perfect for growing them. It was fairly hot and dry, and the plants are now large enough that they were able to produce a ton of luscious grape clusters.

But as you can see in today’s photo, only one grape on the end was fully ripe when this cluster was picked. However, I thought that the beautiful variety of colors on this single bunch would be the perfect inspiration for our next color palette. So I picked it early. And it was a good thing that I did, cuz there isn’t a single bunch out there now.

You see, there is only a short window when a grape cluster is finally ripe enough to harvest. And I think every bird, raccoon, squirrel, bat and fruit eating rodent in the neighborhood gets sent a private announcement when the moment is right. Cause by the time us humans realize what’s happening, the vines have been stripped clean… and we miss out entirely on any chance of making some delicious grape jelly or grape preserves.

It’s especially maddening since we blew it with the cherry crop this year as well! Next year we’ll have to throw a net over the entire house and yard and have Fisher stand guard with a high pressure water gun so we can keep at least some of the fruit for ourselves… provided of course, that the grape vines don’t get him first :-)

Any way, enough with the goofy rambling, and on with real reason for this post…

The following Vol-054 A-series Concord Grape color palette will be added to the Polymer Clay Members Library at the beginning of November 2012:

• Green Grape (Recipe 054-1A)
• Concord (Recipe 054-2A)
• Purple Rain (Recipe 054-3A)
• Grape Cluster (Recipe 054-4A)

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… Green Grape is the name I chose for the dusty green shade of the unripe grapes in the cluster. Concord is the deep blue of the fully ripened Concord grape and the future color of the rest of the bunch, should they get the chance to fully ripen. Purple Rain was picked as the name for the hazy lavender powdery color seen in the highlights of the grapes midway through the ripening process. It is also the name of my favorite Prince Album from the 80’s and the only name I could think of that had any relevance to a cluster of grapes. And Grape Cluster is the deep wine purple found in the grape at the back of the bunch.

I have no colour or art training so mixing colors is pretty much trial and error, but I find that enjoyable and relaxing. I very much appreciate all the work you do to produce these awesome palettes! ~Monique-U

Cindy, you continue to capture the colors so beautifully. Always looking forward to what your creative artistic mind will bring forward and share with us. ~Joyce-F

I’ve been mixing up some of your beautiful color palettes lately, yesterday I did your Alpine Succulent vol 017B – you know trying to get psyched for Christmas and all. By the time I was done I just sat looking at these 4 new beautiful colors that you and your creative brain came up with. I wanted to jump back here and tell you thank you right away. Cindy Thank You for your beautiful, creative, and generous self. I’m so grateful to have found you, your family and this polymer clay family. Don’t want to imagine, while DH works 2 jobs, what all these quiet hours at home alone (w/ 7 cats) with out polymer clay and this community would be like. Feeling very Blessed. ~Tantesherry

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