More Silai Kadai...

It is Wednesday, time for another post and this week, the focus is on my mother's handiwork...or rather some of the pieces she has made...some going back to 50 yrs...and some very recent. As I shared in my Silai Kadai post, Amma loves to crochet and she has learnt many a stich from her friends. Amma grew up in an orthodox traditional Brahmin family,...which meant back then, that if she would visit any of the non-Brahmin homes to learn, she would have to have to come home and, take a shower! Anyway, she loved art so much, that everything was ok..as long as she kept learning.

Though the junoon is less now,...she keeps pushing herself to do one project or the other. It can be a set of stoles for her nieces or a crochet doily or a lace trim for a pillow. Do you have some beautiful things that your mom has created? Do share them...

Sharing some of amma's pieces...you can click on the picture to view a larger image...

...Crocheted stoles to warm up those cold winters...

...some Embroidery and the Star Cross-stitch work...

...Crocheted doilies and lace trims....

...Lace trim on Pillows lends an old world quintessential charm...

Now for some fun stuff,... remmeber that tapestry work that I had created and shared with you last year...I used the remaining pieces of cloth from my grandmothers and amma's sarees to create a round cushion for a stool and added some chikki-picki pieces to decorate the cushion... acc to my aunt the tiny triangles with glass and beads are gorgeous women who are dancing with the guys - triangles with the purple and fushia embroidery...(smile)

...Hope you liked the post...Until next time...Ciao


~ Anpu

and red is truly for love

You know I've been dreaming of 'RED'... and here is an amazing wall, from an inspiring blog, and an even more inspirational store... 

Lively-wood (the blog)

Lively-wood (the store)

'Red is for love' comes to an end... so I'm just quickly focussing on a few posts that caught my attention... Hope you liked them too... and am sure hoping your either following these bloggers... or are atleast leaving a comment... Thank you loves!!

Bookmark from Mindful Meandering....

A cute surprise from Home Shanthi Home

What an amazing garland from Viji's Craft

One of my favourites... this girl can change just about anything into a room... from Painting, to Saree to Room... @ Designwali

I thought this was super cute!! Thinking out loud!

The Weekly Story ~ wk 69

And from my mini holiday to Kerala.... I got this little thing home.... Do you know what this is?

Go on... be honest!! Did you know?? This, I believe, is the traditional kum kum (or bindhi holder)... I thought it was super pretty... and then when I saw the peacock... it simply had to come back with me....

Here is an ariel view for you.... What do you think?

And.. from last weeks linky, two posts that caught my attention....

DIY cup cake stand... @ Mindful Meanderings

And.. one think I simply cannot do... crochet flowers @ Anne Marie's Crochet Blog

So ... what are you waiting for?? Come on and join the party!!

'The Weekly Story' linky party ~ open from Monday through Wednesday every week..  ...

1. Do a post on your blog, about ANYTHING! and it can really be anything – example – a fun recipe you tried out, a craft project, a DIY, a table top, a few candles, coffee with friends or a good book or a movie review… The list is endless… just about ANYTHING… and anything about YOU !! *smiles* ... It can also be 'anything pretty' ...
2. Original photographs only... No images from other websites or magazines please!! This is about YOU.
3. Link back to my blog.... only as a courtesy, so we have more people joining the party.
4. Copy the 'permalink' from your post (not the link to the front page of your blog).
5. Add your 'permalink' to the 'inlinkz' at the bottom of this post.
6. Click the link before you. Don’t forget to comment and if you like the blog, please follow!!

Any questions, email me on torresp27@hotmail.com.


Please note, you DO NOT have to be a follower of my blog to join the party.. I'd love to see you here!!

Please grab the Colours Dekor 'The Weekly Story' button!!

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Rajasthan… the land of my dreams!

Rajasthan… the land of my dreams!

My unending love for Rajasthan, encourage me to put one more post!! Look at this amazing fort – Garh Jaisal. The fort can be your home for a few days.

Look into the amazing rooms and live like a Maharani.

If you want to go and stay there... http://www.garhjaisal.com/

Above is the most beautiful room in the fort. Its called Opium Room. Can you see the intricate mirror work on the walls. Its shining with feelings of festivities.

I love purpulish pink !! I can already see myself sitting at this window and sipping my tea!!

Can you see my love for colours. It indeed brightens our lives.

Garden beauties..

Now continuing the so called garden makeover... *smiles*... 

Introducing my mommy's green thumb.... Mint for mojitos....

and a potted vegetables section.... *smiles*  ... there are chillies, coriander, tomatoes and egg plant... *smiles*..

.... look tomatoes!! tomatoes!! Aren't they the cutest?

This bit hasn't changed as yet.... The plants are outgrown... and a bit of a jungle... But I really like them... so will trim them a little later...

And the backyard.... *smiles*... The Arabic seating is where I spend most evenings.. watching the stars and listening to the neighbours music... (during the weekends)... Its my peaceful area... But the summers will be upon us soon... and there won't be any outdoor seating...

Well... watch out for a Diwali makeover... later in the year... (giggles).. I think this are could do with a little bit of colour.. and a few hanging beauties.. What say??

...a Painting

It is wednesday and time for another post from Anpu's closet. I am proud that I am on my 3rd week and not breaking the promise made to Patricia. I kinda feel that these posts puts me in a routine and a discipline of doing something creative continously. Be it some painting, playing with clay, or some sewing, some embroidery, gardening or...it falls under "Art" and "Creativity"- a place where I let loose my imagination and do what I want...how I want. So today I am going to share with you a painting that I reproduced from a long forgotton Diwali card. The card carried a beautiful painting by the eminent artist Vrindavan Solanki. I tried to paint something similar...using oils but on paper. Oils on paper! Why paper?...I was just bored of painting on canvas...so decided to experiment on paper left over from my charcoal paintings....and using onle 1 color, my favorite-Sienna brown. Check them out and let me know, how you like them. This is different from the decorative artwork post that you saw last year...

...the village couple...

...the lady...



...birds together...



Did you like the paintings? There are more charcoals, but will keep them for another post...


Until next wednesday...have a fabulous week. Ciao


~ Anpu

A small makeover

If you follow me on twitter or facebook, you must have heard about how one weekend.. I messed up the garden... *grins*...

Here are my attempts to make amends... and make things look right again... 

You've seen corners of the garden in my old posts... The bamboo partition thing was straight... I wanted a little bit of a pattern... or curve... What do you think?

Don't know if you remember, but I had three dwarfs from my Sydney trip... They didn't survive a few kids in my house... So, when I saw this at Daiso the other day, I simply had to get them home....

And my tulsi pot broke too... *sobs*... so now replaced by a simple brown one...

Oh... and I finally took out the trunk... and paved way for green grass... That I must admit looks good... But it makes the bird bath look like this... Which I'm not particularly impressed with... So this particular corner... needs another makeover... but thats for another time..

Do you remember my small lemon tree plant... ?? Look how bigs its become.... 

Well... these haven't changed... but I thought I'll add in these pictures as well...

.... on either side of the stair case...

Now ... an view from the top... for you.... I know.. I know... I've messed up the grass... but that will grow soon.... I'll post pictures of that when its all green... But what do you think of the design??

The flowers don't do much justice to the space as well... *sigh*...

But its work in progress.... so for now I'll leave it looking like this... and in three months time... I'll add a few more seasonal beauties... *smiles*.. 

The Weekly Story ~ wk68

Its Monday again... I'm away this weekend... to some dreamy destination... and hopefully there'll be a table for two...

Imagine.. that... And all I can hear is the birds chirping... the sounds of the sea.... the fishermen somewhere far away..... talk in a language I don't really understand... NO!! I know.. the pics don't have any sea nearby... Well! that's not completely true... but ... anyway!!

Hubby and I... on our own... Its been a while since we've been on a break together... rather... just the two of us...

So I'll be back soon... In the meanwhile... 'miss me'... and join in the weekly party... *smiles*... See you all soon!!

'The Weekly Story' linky party ~ open from Monday through Wednesday every week..  ...

1. Do a post on your blog, about ANYTHING! and it can really be anything – example – a fun recipe you tried out, a craft project, a DIY, a table top, a few candles, coffee with friends or a good book or a movie review… The list is endless… just about ANYTHING… and anything about YOU !! *smiles* ... It can also be 'anything pretty' ...
2. Original photographs only... No images from other websites or magazines please!! This is about YOU.
3. Link back to my blog.... only as a courtesy, so we have more people joining the party.
4. Copy the 'permalink' from your post (not the link to the front page of your blog).
5. Add your 'permalink' to the 'inlinkz' at the bottom of this post.
6. Click the link before you. Don’t forget to comment and if you like the blog, please follow!!

Any questions, email me on torresp27@hotmail.com.


Please note, you DO NOT have to be a follower of my blog to join the party.. I'd love to see you here!!

Please grab the Colours Dekor 'The Weekly Story' button!!

  <center><a href="http://coloursdekor.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4P4Gmekty9E/TkfjgCcxsbI/AAAAAAAAIT4/K1dzcmo9GQY/s1600/final%2Bnow.jpg" /></a></center>

Udai Villas, Rajasthan

I have been forever planning a holiday to Rajasthan. Somehow, it just doesn’t seem to happen. I’m in the mood for going on holiday!!! Yes! I’m only going on a couch tour and am living in the land of sand, music, colours and havelis….. I am fascinated by the architecture of these ancient but alive palaces.

Havelis have always called me. Even the images seem to talk to me! My Indian roots are somehow connected to them ! However, the route to get here seems a bit blurred.

In the next few posts, I will be sharing with you a few havelis that I have come across. There are fanciful renditions of elephants, flowers and other paintings on abandoned walls – a work of art by artists never heard of.

Can you image how these havelis looked during their heydays?? Some of these are more than 300 year old. Most of these historic houses are locked up and abandoned or sold to some international hotel chain.

Sadly modern lifestyle doesn’t allow us to pause and listen to the tunes that these havelis used to play.

The remarkable architecture and artistic legacy obviously lies in grave danger. The paintings on the walls have surrendered to time… but the majestic doors, windows and pillars still live in their glories.

These home are obviously treasures worth saving!! I honestly don’t think the owners realize how blessed they are for living in a party of history and for owning an extremely unique resource.

Someday… I’ll have a haveli as well!

The first one I'm going to show case is the Udai Villas, by far the best property in Rajesthan. It truely captures the romance and splendor of the royal era. http://www.udaivilas.com/

The rooms are out of this world !! I love the window seat or baitak in this picture. I'm already sitting there and sipping my cup of tea!

The fabulous and majestic bath ! I'm now going back to the desert... I'm sure there is more to see there as well!