COLOR MATCH: ILLUMINATING & ULTIMATE GRAY! LIGHT MEETS DARK WITH PANTONE'S COLORS OF THE YEAR FOR 2021

With so many things being taken away last year, Pantone has double dealt the trends this year! They announced their 2021 color of the year was actually two colors: Illuminating and Ultimate Gray. They call the combination, "A marriage of color conveying a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting... practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic." These colors replace Classic Blue from 2020, but are still just as easily incorporated into your life.

ILLUMINATE YOUR LIFE WITH THE ULTIMATE CRAFT

Diamond Dotz® prove time and time again to be the perfect craft for all situations. This intermediate White Horse kit will be the hero of your home. The printed background showcases the hopeful yellow white the shadows and mane of the dotted horse give way to that Ultimate Gray we're going to see popping up all over. Whether you want to add a touch of the ranch style to your home or you have a horse-obsessed child, this trend-matched craft will be fun as a gift or a finished piece.

LUCKY YOU! CLOVER STITCHES MAKE THE PERFECT WEEKEND PROJECT

We've still got a few months of chill left before the sun illuminates our lives and wardrobes. Lean into the chill with an easy knitting project. It doesn't matter if you've never knitted before or if you only have a few hours per day to devote, this Clover Cowl kit is perfect for every one on every schedule. The gray is a perfect Ultimate Gray match. With a cowl this cool, you'll be wishing summer were a little chillier.

GNOME SWEET GNOME: A TALE OF TWO TRENDS

Whether you're an avid gardener or a loyal trend-follower, you're sure to love gnomes. Now there's a perfect kit for everyone! These gnome kits are begging for your personal touch with paint, Diamond Dotz®, inks, and anything else you can dream of. Above is the girl holiday kit, with five holiday sets to cover your year with cheer. From St. Patrick's Day to Christmas, you can have the ultimate combination of trendy colors and crafts. Illuminate is a perfect accent color for Easter, Halloween, or Christmas, and Ultimate Gray is a great base color for the whole year. Post your progress on our Facebook Page and see how your "gnomies" do theirs!

THIS COLOR BOOM WILL MAKE YOUR CRAFTS BLOOM

What better way to combine tradition with trends! Cross Stitching is one of the most traditional crafts in the industry. Try taking something like cross stitching and using trend-based colors to update it. Above is #6281 Seasonal Wordplay, a series of patterns for all four seasons using words and phrases in seasonal colors and fun fonts to create an image. The spring pattern is perfect for use with Illuminating. You could even change up the colors to match Pantone's choices every year!

ILLUMINATE YOUR EMBELLISHMENTS ON THE ULTIMATE 2021 ACCESSORY

Masks are a big part of our lives for the foreseeable future, but that doesn't mean they have to be boring. #7741 Breath Easy 2 is full of ways to jazz up your masks with vinyl, stitchery, appliques, and more. The best part about it is that it's completely customizable. You can take Ultimate Gray and Illuminating and make them into the perfect mask for you! Everyone around you will be jealous of how trendy and cute you look in your custom mask.

Ultimate Gray and Illuminating were chosen as a way to bring balance to an uncertain time. Light and dark, pragmatism and optimism. These colors balance each other in every application. We hope these projects inspire you to get making with these colors. If you've made any of these projects, then tag us @leisureartsinc or use #leisurearts. We'd love to see what's going on in your craft corner!

Happy Crafting

-Leisure Arts Team