Beginning At Pixel Art, C+C & Help Needed

[Darky]

Well I'm starting off by using GraphicsGale.

My main problem is color matching & saturation, I can't seem to pull it off correcty.
I've been studying on coloring & shading, seeming that I like "soft" colors.
This is what I mean by "soft" colors:
http://www.wayofthepixel.net/pixelation/index.php?topic=4363.0
http://www.wayofthepixel.net/pixelation/index.php?topic=4350.0

Well here's a few things I worked on in the past (C+C if possible please):


(The red roof on the left. Ignore the roof tiles on the right)








(The Cliff Tiles)







From these pictures, you should be able to understand and interpret my current style. As you can see I'm trying to aim for "soft coloring" but I apparently cant pull it off correctly.
Any tips, suggestions, or C+C?