1-B: Maple Syrup
2-B: Golden Maple
3-B: Turning Maple
4–B: Maple Tree
The story behind this elegant Fall color palette is kind of funny. Not ha ha funny like the story behind the Concord Grape Palette the other day… but more the other perplexing kind of funny.
The perplexing part is that this quite common maple leaf in the photo, actually took quite a long time for me to identify.
You see, Doug walks down to the YMCA every weekday morning to go for his workout routine. Over the years he has become kind of a fitness junky. Working out almost everyday… drinking smoothies and protein shakes… and even installing a chin-up bar in the doorway to his office. I myself prefer the low-key approach to staying healthy and choose to walk every weekday morning with a coffee and my best friend Diane. But I digress…
Any way… the mornings have been particularly beautiful this Autumn, and Doug has been bringing his camera along for the walk. He has shot lots of pretty sunrises with the foggy air sitting in the valley as he walks down the hill to the Y. As well, he has taken many photos of the colorful changing foliage in the gardens of the homes along the way, one of which is the photo below.
One morning he brought back this leaf to take close-up shots, in the photo light box. Since it is quite small and looked a little on the waxy side in the photos, I thought it was an Ivy leaf. Doug said he found it on the ground, but was pretty sure it had come from a tree and not a vine, like an Ivy Leaf would have.The lobes looked a little too round and the leaves were quite small and not as papery looking that I generally associate with Maple leaves, so I went on a hunt for it online. Of course I was led down the long Google garden path and finally determined it was indeed a Fig Leaf. So I went ahead and named the palette and all the colors with Fig theme names; like Dried Fig, Golden Fig, Fresh Fig and Fig Leaf.
BTW, this whole color choosing and naming process takes WAY longer than you might expect. Just try and choose yet another set of colors that aren’t the same as one of the previous 400 colors that you have created. And then try and name them something original and somewhat relevant to the photograph and you will see exactly why it takes so long!
Well, to make a long story short… Doug comes back from one of his walks (after I have completed the palette), bringing some more leaves and some of those helicopter seeds from this same tree and shows them to me… it’s a Maple… not a Fig… dun dun dun.
Crap! Do I just pretend that it really is a Fig Leaf and hope that some arborist in the group doesn’t call me on it? Or do I go to the effort of renaming the palette and the misnamed colors?
Well, as you can see the purist side of me won out. So here it is, the Turning Maple Palette!
Everyone who is subscribed to our Polymer Clay Guest List will be able to download the following recipes free, one per week on Friday mornings during the month of November 2012:
- Maple Syrup (Recipe 054-1B)
- Golden Maple (Recipe 054-2B)
- Turning Maple (Recipe 054-3B)
- Maple Tree (Recipe 054-4B)
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Maple Syrup is the amber brown color of not only a rich Maple Syrup but also the color of the veining on this Maple Leaf. Golden Maple is the golden yellow found in the center of this leaf as it turns from the chilling Fall air. Turning Maple is the yellow green shade found along the edges of the center color as it shifts from the darker green to the golden yellow. And Maple Tree is the original shade of green that this variety of Maple Tree had, before the Autumn season drained the sap from its leaves.
The recipes described above are from the Volume-054 B-Series Palette. They are free to download for everyone subscribed to my Polymer Clay Guest List, Friday Email Newsletter.
If you want to see the Volume-054 A-Series Color Palette that paid library members will also receive during the month of Nov, then click here: Concord Grape Palette
We used to call the Maple Seeds helicopters. I can remember seeing them fall in the schoolyard. Memories, memories. Cindy, it was wonderful reading the story behind the colors. ~Susan-D
Beautiful palette Cindy and so relaxing. Thanks so much for the many palettes, you make it so vivid with the descriptions and stories. ~Cherie-H
Another winsome colorful story Cindy. With today’s rocky roads there is always a place to go for respite …your blog with the color palettes. Always a fun place to visit and join you in fond memories that can trigger memories in our own growing up years. Thank you, Cindy, for taking us along down memory lane. And now on to take hold of inspirations abounding from these truly beautiful colors! ~Joyce-M
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If you would like more information about the Members Library, here are some direct links:
Library Member Benefits and What Others Are Saying
Order Page for Color Recipe and Video Back Issue Packages
Become A Full Member at the Library
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What a beautiful leaf. But as a skilled arborist, I really do think it is a fig. LOL just joking. I appreciate your committment to accuracy.
Maple… fig… maple… whatever you call it, Cindy, the colours are gorgeous as always!
Cindy, I was curious, so I pulled out my fav old standby, A SIERRA CLUB NATURALIST’S GUIDE TO SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND, by Neil Jorgensen.
Sure looks like you folks get a different leaf shape out there, but, they vary widely here too.
Ah, the smell of Maple Syrup. Just once, we all should visit a small family run production site. You would be amazed at the amount of energy needed and steam produced to reduce the liquid 40 to 1, in grade syrup. To keep it from boiling over, folks stand nearby with their fingers in cups of cream to flick on the bubbles and settle them down. You will not need a facial that week, lol.
At our family home in RI, fall is marked by the turning of sugar maples, they turn a mahogany red. We also have a variety called silver maple, which, when rustling in the wind, it’s a gorgeous sight because the leaves almost do a mica shift effect in the wind.
Thanks for inspiring the memories. Cannot wait to try these new colors!
Acer campestre or the Field Maple is one of my favourite trees. Have you ever really looked close-up at the amazing sharp green blossoms in the spring? Played helicopters with the papery fruits or admired the stark outline on a cold frosty winters day?
The taste of pure Canadian Maple syrup makes my mouth water just thinking about it Although expensive to buy here in the UK I appreciate all the effort that goes into producing it.
I usually have a little bottle hidden at the back of my store cupboard (just for me) as nobody else really appreciates the unique taste!!! Well they don’t really get a chance.
This colour palette brings back many fond memories, so once again thanks CINDY we appreciate all the hard work that goes into blending and naming a new colour palette.
A big thank you to all the small family run businesses producing this yummy syrup and I also pay homage to the trees, it’s no wonder the leaf features on your national flag………….cheers xx…….
I would have guessed a Maple since I only have a few million of the leaves in my yard. We are surround by Silver Maples, Red Maples, etc; We planted them over 20 yrs. ago when we bought the property as we were told it was good luck to plant a tree when you move into a new home and since they grow pretty fast we are now knee deep in leaves. We planted 5 trees! I dare say the colors are gorgeous and I never tire of Fall putting on it’s colors. When you look down our street it is such a beautiful array of colors and Cindy you caught them just perfect in your new color palette. I’m so glad you are a purist. Can you imagine me telling everyone my yard was full of Fig leaves! LOL!
I love Fall
( I also love Spring but that’s for another day)
Right now in western North Carolina we are entering the Color Season
the oranges and yellows are stunning this year !!
The dogwoods have been that pretty red/purple for a few weeks now, with no sign of the winter drop
and with the weather people on tv saying we are no longer in danger of drought I feel ok about not wanting it to rain at all till winter – that way the Color Season will last a lot longer
We have been on this area over 30 years and still awe and ooh over the beauty of the change every time
This palette is right up my alley :) thank you for all the effort and support you give us -Sherry
Cindy – Wanted to let you know that I am just starting with polymer clay and your Beginner Course videos were very helpful. They are easy to understand and are very informative. I am so glad I found your classes!!
Hi dear Cindy from México,
I am making huge christmas baubbles covered with the gorgeous polymer clay, I don´t remember and not have time for look in which video you showed us this, shall I bake them in a baking soda bead or cornstarch? I am gong to star today sunday making them, I hope to bake them tomorrow. I have being making normal baubles, they are gorgeous, they have being very succesfull down here because they have never seen them, I am like crazy making and making baubles jjaja but a frien wanted really big for her tabel to put them in a basket, for the others I have a corning ware mold jajaj that fit perfect to the baubles to hang them to bake, but for the big ones nothing is enough.
Thank you so so so much for your help, hugs and kisses, you
Marcela, if Kato clay would use baking soda. If Premo, or other clays, think you can take your pick. I bury deep, good layer on the bottom, the items, and a good minimal one inch topping. Been doing this lately along with following Cindy’s vid tip recently of loading the oven with tiles inside and on top of unit to prevent temp spikes (I use beach stones), and I have not had anything scorch in weeks. Bake for full hour.
Jocelyn, thank you so much, I mostly use kato so I´ll try with baking soda, I have done docens but smaller, and these are almos 7 inches diamter so they are big, I´ll go to get baking soda right now jaja, thank you so much again and regards from México, I would like to se some of your work, do you have facebook? mine is Marcela Saldaña Piedras Artesanales or look me up in Cindys Facebook contacts because of the Ñ you don´t have ok?
I wish I did have art worthy of sharing, but at this point with my hands, I am content just to create. I would love to hook up with you, Marcela, please friend me at bluesuede.shoe on facebook.
hi Jocelyn, I already sent you invitation in facebook so you can se some of my work, as I suppose you have problems with your hands, I hope everything goes better with them. Regards and hope to be in touch with you. Your Mexican friend, Marcela
Hi Marcela,
It’s so wonderful to hear from you down in Mexico. I bet it’s warmer there than it is here right now ;-)
If you did not know, there is a search box at the top of the right side bar on every page of this blog. It can become your best friend if you need to get some quick tips and advice. For example, I typed in “glass ornament” and the first link took me to an old post where Anna Sabina shared some wonderful details about her experience with baking glass ball ornaments.
BTW, I am currently putting together a Christmas Ornament tutorial that will be published in Vol-055 at the members library… but unfortunately that won’t help you today.
~Cindy
Hi Cindy, thank you again for your reply, I can´t wait to see the christmas onament tutorial, Jocelyn so kindly answered my question, it was very helpfull and from now on I´ll check the search box. I have being making my baubles and stars and selling them, it is completely new here, unfortunately I work alone and each one takes me about 2 hours of work, and can´t make as much as I want. I hope during next year to make several docens to have them ready for christmas jajaj, hugs!!!!
I am so pleased you are dedicating December to making ornaments, Cindy! Any members who have their own blog might be interested in the Ornament Blog Hop taking place Dec. 4. You can get information on how to take part at the Artbeadscene Blog.
The Art Bead Scene blog encourages jewellery designers to use handmade components in their creations. Many of Cindy’s past tutorials include wonderful ornaments or can be adapted for ornaments. Use what you have learned from Cindy to make your own ORIGINAL ornament design and then share it. Yes, people, what we are making here is ART… I have linked to PCT on my own blog and also when commenting on the blogs of others… ’cause I want everyone to know about Cindy’s work!
Just googled images of Christmas ornaments made of polymer clay and pages came up to whet our palate. Cannot wait to see what you have in store for us the first week of November, that is, if Hurricane Sandy glances us. If not…..Merry Christmas folks. Could be dephoned and off the internet for awhile. Too dang many trees here in CT!
It HAS to be a fig leaf, Cindy. Because…a customer at the store just brought my friend some fresh figs from his tree. And she shared with me. AND he had cradled them in a BEE-AUT-I-FUL and BIG fig leaf. Which I promptly made a xerox copy of. So that I would have it for the polymer clay project it belonged to whenever that would materialize.
SO THAT I WOULD HAVE IT FOR NOVEMBER’S PALETTE! (Get it?)
How dare you turn that fig leaf into a maple after all I went thru?!
Thanks for the laughs as well as the colors! I need to start making the chips, all 400 of them. Oh, dear.
Love ya guys!
(By the way, the story is true.)
Oh My Gosh that is hilarious Andrea!! (Here I’ll tell you the names I had originally given the palette when I thought it was a fig leaf. 1B-Dried Fig, 2B-Golden Fig, 3B-Fresh Fig, 4B-Fig Leaf.) Now you can pretend it was a fig not a maple and everything will be fine! lol
Teehee Cindy! Had to giggle all the way thru your “go” with the leaf and names. It is so refreshing to see everyone is human ! I just love the comments too. This IS a wonderful palette. Every time I use it , I will think of you!
Christmas ornaments -what could be better? Nothing.!!!!!! The holidaze are so exciting…………November and December will be busy times…………..LIKEY