Wednesday 30 November 2011

Festive Table Décor


I love festivities… Christmas in particular is special… with fairy lights, and ornaments, tinsel and mistletoes… and above all santa… and all the gifts he brings along… *smiles*…  There is always a little child in you … somewhere!!! 





Anyway… so here is an outdoor setting… We did this for a dinner party in November… I put out some petals, some potpourri, a few candles… and then I suddenly realised… it looks all Christmasy...  So I wont say anymore.. and will leave you with these images… 






















So what do you think?? Are you ready for Christmas?? Have you done all your shopping… We will be putting up our tree this weekend… !! *happiness*


Monday 28 November 2011

The Weekly Story ~ wk 59

Hello my lovelies… Yes… I’m back!! And as usual, there is a heap (or maybe heaps)… of ‘things to do’.. I still haven’t started my Christmas shopping!! *sigh* 24 hours simply isn’t enough for me…

Now.. here are three projects that were assigned to be complete in November… and today, I think its not going to be done till New Year.. Well atleast there is hope!! That it will be complete in January… *smiles*..




My bedroom teal wall… is still incomplete… I was meant to paint a peacock feature in white, grey and orange… And then do up the room too… *smiles*.. This will be project 1 in January…




My parents room… is incomplete too… (oh.. I so don’t like the word incompete!)… I’m meant to be doing something to this olive green wall… What!! I still haven’t decided… So I guess… this will be project 2 in February…




This one in the living room is partially complete… and when I leave things half done.. I’m sooooooooooo not motivated to come back to them.. Do you feel that way?? This will either be completed in March… or will be revamped all together.. *grins*… with peacocks and paisleys.. and lotus’ and more…

In this pictures is my cousin from Canada... Im not sure he has painted anything before.. but was so motivated when he saw us... And my brother... who is Michael Angelo and Michael Jordan in the making... and my younger daughter.. another wanna be artist... *smiles*

So party with me... this week @ 'The Weekly Story' ~ 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!!





Colours Dekor 

~ Patricia

Saturday 26 November 2011

Salzburg - the city of music again

St. Peter's Cemetery is one of the oldest Christian graveyard in Salzburg, infact I believe it is the oldest Christian graveyard in Europe, dating way back to 1600 (something!!). It in an attraction on its own. However, may visitors to the cemetery come to see the place where the Von Trapp family were hiding in the Sound of Music.
Here are a few pictures of the Cemetery in different angles.
I am totally in love with this cemetery and the only reason I write about it so much… is that I found it amazing that people still remembered their loved ones. Some of the graves were really old, some were used over the years for the same family… however, there are still candles lit on some of them.. and you can still see people paying their respects to the ones they loved.
The cemetery was astonishing. More pictures and some of graves in my next post.

Friday 25 November 2011

Chocolate cake

Aisha (my friend)... shares a chocolate cake recipe.  This was made for her son Aaron's birthday... Hope you'll try it too.. . 


Chocolate Cake with 3 different types of icing

Chocolate Cake:

Ingredients:


2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cup plain flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil or sunflower oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup boiling water

Directions:

- Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4/350°F/180°C.
- Grease and line a 13x9 inch baking pan with baking paper.

1) In large bowl, stir together dry ingredients.
2) Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
3) Add in the boiling water and stir with a wooden spoon (batter will be thin).
4) Pour into prepared pan and bake on the middle shelf for 35 to 40 until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
5) Cool for 15 minutes in the tin then transfer onto a wire rack.

Chocolate Icing:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups icing sugar
1/3 cup milk or double cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
And, choose ONE of the following:
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (for light) OR
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (for medium) OR
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (for dark rich)

Directions:
1) Cream the butter in a bowl for about 2 minutes with an electric whisk and then blend in the cocoa powder, vanilla and icing sugar.
2) Add in the double cream/milk until the desired texture is achieved.

Butter Cream Icing:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp milk
Food colouring (optional)

Directions:

1) Cream butter and then add in the vanilla extract.
2) Add sugar a cup at a time beating on medium speed. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time and beat on high until completely blended and you got the desired consistency.
3) Divide into§ portions to add in different food colourings of your choice or leave it as is.

Chocolate Fudge Icing: (I use this in between layers when I slice the cake)

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups icing sugar
6 ounces semi sweet or regular milk chocolate, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2) On low speed, beat in icing sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time until smooth. Add the cooled chocolate and vanilla, mix well.

Please note: Any of the leftover icing can be stored in the freezer since they freeze well.



Thursday 24 November 2011

Store Story ~ Masala Popsicles

The brainchild of Artist-Interior designer Sandhya Vaidyanathan, Masala Popsicles is a refreshing amalgamation of Kitsch and fine art, combined in artefacts, designed and hand crafted with much love, from her home studio in Bangalore. Each piece is uniquely handcrafted to perfection. Earring stands, ganeshas, Bottle art , terracotta painting and so much more take their place in your home and stand out easily. 



About the Artist:


Sandhya Vaidyanthan, a Bangalore based Graphic artist-Interior designer mixes eco-friendly products and colours to bring out the very essence of life - colours. Her simple yet much sought after designs and innovations were a big hit with family and friends and her much surprised husband, who then inspired her to launch MASALA POPSICLES and since then there has been no looking back. She says her driving force is the love to create unique, personalized craft which can be treasured and the joy that she gets when people love what they have received. Her USP is that no one item is similar , every piece is unique. 














"The earring stand design came to me a few years back, when I was working and i had a million earrings and no where to organize them. One evening, i took a few pots ( from all the kulfi and phirni we had eaten) and glued them together, painted them and Voila! i had made myself a gorgeous earring stand . I now custom make these for so many people. I recently made a earring stand for a lady , who's friend loved wearing hoop earrings. I find much joy in making these personalized gifts."













For more details, hop over to Masala Popsicles webpage, or follow them on Facebook.

And if you'd like to be featured at Colours Dekor, email me at torresp27@hotmail.com

Wednesday 23 November 2011

...Back home

...Hello my lovelies! Isn't that how Patty greets us everyday...:-) Well I am back from my vacation and time away from the US, traveling in Europe, visiting India and doing all that fun stuff (and not so fun stuff) that I had planned for 2 years... we visited many places, clicked many pictures, met some lovely people along the way, friends, relatives, ate different cusines, the list is endless...I updated Facebook everyday and shared my travels, musings...and here I am trying to write a post after a long time and I dont know where to start and what to write...Does that happen to you?

 




My vacation traveling route was distributed into three legs... 1st leg: Budapest to Vienna to Prague to Bombay 2nd leg: Bombay to Amritsar to Katra to Vaishnodevi to Jammu 3rd leg: Bombay to Bangalore to Hassan to Halebid to Belur to Mysore... ...add to this 5.2 weeks of working from Mumbai in the US times, with some major repairs/painting in my Bombay home. Trust me, managing very large implementations is easy compared to supervising and micromanaging and negotiating with the supervisor and his team...

 
Budapest, the beautiful Hungarian city, the warm people, the gothic architecture still retained in the old city, the Churchs, palace, the parliment building, the list is endless. Vienna stood out for its Museums, its Operas...oh yes we attended 2 of them and Salzburg. Prague, another beautiful city...with so much to see, feel and experience. And I visited these 3 places on a 10 day transit, courtesy Delta. Don't you love Delta!
 
India is India...no place in this world can be more beautiful, warm, varied and inviting... What did I love most about my trip to India? -Being with my Amma, spending time with her, traveling to places she wanted to see, sharing experiences, and yes fighting and arguing too...we plan to travel more in 2012...her list is long...and Rab raka, she is doing well -Being with my cousins, my aunts, my friends, sharing loads of stuff. Eating, shopping ...just being together was enough. -Catching up with many of our/my friends on the phone...and some I hadn't met for 20 odd years... -Loved my aunts spoiling me with her awesome breakfasts and food, loved my mom's snacks that she would quietly place beside me (she was not supposed to as I was watching my diet) and alas, I would'nt realize and just empty the plate... -Feeling blessed, visiting the beautiful Harmindir Sahib, the Vaishnodevi temple, temples in and around Jammu, the Belur, Halebid temples, Nagmangala, Haji Ali...oh the list never ends... -aah yes and shopping, shopping and shopping...Sarees, Jewelry, dresses, pottery, local handicrafts...


I have come back happy, calm, composed and contended. My face glows...say my friends...:-)

~~ Anpu

Monday 21 November 2011

The Weekly Story ~ wk 58


I'm away this week... Hope you guys have been missing me!! Stories for you... when I'm back!! *smiles*... But for now, I'll leave you with images of my home... and am looking forward to you joining the weekly story.. And promise to catch up on all your posts ... sometime, end of next week... 



My aunt got me this gorgeous lamp from Kerala trip...



Ever since, I've been dreaming of house boats, fish fry, ayurvedic massages and Kerala ... *smiles*... Have you been to Kerala... Can you give me some good leads for house boats.. I so want to go!!



So link in '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!!






Colours Dekor 

~ Patricia

Saturday 19 November 2011

Salzburg - the city of music

Salzburg, the city of love and music. Divided by the banks of the River Salzach, and about two hour train ride away from Vienna, Salzburg instantly reminding me of the ‘Sound of Music’. This being my all time favourite movie, the few nights I spent at Salzburg were filled with music… most of the humming my own – ‘The hills are alive with the sound of music’.
Salzburg is known for being Mozart’s home town. This is were he grew up and spent most of his early days composing music. There is a huge statue of him in the city centre or the Mozart square as its called.
This city is also famous for the sets of Sound of Music (as though you didn’t know).. But I had to mention that the Von Trapp family were based here. However, the city has a lot more history and beauty to it and should not be confined to the DVD of the ‘Sound of Music’. In real life the amazing landscapes and scenery are not only charming but breathe taking. The amazing little city will make you fall in love with it immediately… just like I did. With Hohensalzburg Castle dominating the city and ofcourse the Salzburg Cathedral (known as Dom I think!), one generally tends to forget the other monuments, buildings and churches. Here are a few arches and domes where my heart skipped a beat!!
Not to forget the road side cafes. We spent most evenings sitting at these cafes…. And just people watching. How lovely! My favourite place in Salzburg was the Grave Yard. One particular scene from the Sound of Music was shot here. Its beauty breathe taking and leaves you astonished. I will have to do a separate blog on the Grave Yard. This city can charm anyone!

Thursday 17 November 2011

Store Story ~ The Color Caravan


So... I've been dreaming of a give away... for sometime in January... My little blog will be three years old.. and I think we should have a party... *smiles*



Now... here is the deal... Hop on to 'The Color Caravan' and tell me what you'd like from this store... The give away will be chosen based on your selection ...


This is my favourite store... and here are a few images of what I got from The Color Caravan *smiles*


I love, love peacocks.... and am simply amazed by the detailing of this work...



Oh and not to forget, these are all hand painted...



What do you think of these boxes??



Or would you like earrings instead??



So... hop on to The Color Caravan and tell me what you'd like ... Can't wait...