The Color Dilemma: Being inspired by color

First of all, here is a round of applause for everyone who has been playing along with us by making a kit and creating with it!  You have inspired us!

I think the hardest thing about taking a kit that is already made and using it for inspiration is in the color choices.  When the inspiration kit (pretty as it may be) is staring us in the face, it is hard to see what it COULD be for us.  What we can turn it into that fits into our style. 

Some days choosing colors for my projects feels like this:

 ...a random mix of colors that don't sort themselves out into anything usable.

I want to be able to see colors like this:

...a fun, inspiring way to ADD to our projects and help us to tell our stories.

Come on.  Admit it.  Who here owns a color wheel.  Raise your hand.  Don't be shy.  My hand is going up.  I have a color wheel and I have NO idea how to use it.  It has been sitting at the bottom of my stash for years.  Never used it.  I think I am a bit afraid of it.  In order to avoid pulling it out and trying to use it now...after all this time...I found some great sites that will help make color selection not just easier, but FUN!  Check out what I have found:

Color tutorials:
Communicating with Color
How to choose a great color scheme
Color tips for setting place and time

Color Palette Generators:
Adobe Kuler
Color Hunter
Big Huge Labs
DeGraeve

Color Symbolism:
Color Symbolism Chart

Color Inspiration:
Colour Lovers
Kuler

Color Challenges for Scrapbookers:
Color Combos Galore
Kwernerdesign  (not current, but the past combos are still there)
Color Throwdown
Raspberry Suite Color Challenges
The Color Room

And last, but not least, an AWESOME project to make your own color inspiration flip book:
Color Play Flip Book

If you know any another OTHER sites that have some great color based scrapbook challenges on a regular basis, comment on this post and I will check them out to add to our list.  Have a colorful day!