festive twinkle...

Yesterday while cleaning the drawers I found a string of fairy lights.

I draped it on our antique medicine chest and saw stars descend into our living room.A simple idea that can transform your space.

These twinkling lights are definitely going to be part of my diwali decorations:-)

Hope to share more simple decorating ideas for diwali from my home.

Varnam

Remember the lovely Creative Corners's of Karthik Vaidhyanathan's home in Bangalore?

He's back this time with Varnam~ A colourful line of home furnishings.

A full-time media professional with a passion for interior design, Karthik's Varnam showcases the amazing beauty of traditional Indian handmade textiles.

Karthik explains, "Varnam is a sincere attempt to highlight some of the inherent beautiful qualities that traditional Indian fabrics possess.

The product line consists of table runners, curtains, cushions, etc. all handmade from Indian sarees and blouse materials.

Pillow Covers made from saree and blouse materials...

Curtains...

Table runners...

I felt these were apt since Indian stories incorporate some of the most beautiful patterns, colours and motifs. The sarees include traditional nine yard Maharashtrian sarees or ‘Navvaris’, cotton sarees from Tamil nadu , Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

I have also made use of the very popular and blouse material traditionally used by women along the Maharashtra-Karnataka border, ‘Khan’."

The products are simple with no added embellishments.

Varnam is being showcase at The Ants Store in Indiranagar from October 22nd to 24th, 2010. If you are in Bangalore do drop by and check out the stunning range of home furnishings from Varnam.

(images from Karthik)

warm blush...

It's official, in my home the 'warm pink' is the fall colour:-)

What are the hues that are painting your fall this year?

kitschy goodies...

Whenever we drive out of Bangalore during our many weekend getaways, we make a quick stop at Channapatna, a small town famous for it's wooden toys & lacquerware. Every time we manage to find something interesting:-)

During our trip to Masinagudi few weeks back, we did out customary stop at Channapatna, my eyes fell on these button-like boxes with Indian Kitsch painting. It was instant love.

Such a familiar scenery that one gets to see painted on trucks and on auto-rickshaws in India.

Oh yes! Taj Mahal had to be there...

I am amazed at the lovely art and crafts in India.

If you are driving out of Bangalore sometime, do stop by at Channapatna, you won't be disappointed:-)

Have a great festive weekend everyone!

paint your prayers...

This post is largely inspired by Geninne Zlatkis, one of my earliest flickr and blogging friends. She is an extremely talented lady, who illustrates, draws, sketches, paints, carves stamps, crafts, cooks, home schools and also paints on pebbles!

Yes, in her beautiful homes in Mexico (designed by her architect husband) one of the ways in which she adds cheer and beauty is by painting natural motifs on collected pebbles, an interest that I share with her:-)

I always bring back pebbles and stones from our various travels.

I was inspired to try my hand in painting those lovely pebbles. I gave it an Indian twist by painting the traditional 'Kolam' or painted prayers...

Tiny Lord Krishna's feet, for Janmashtami...

Some painted prayers give company to my succulents....

Why restrict yourself to just Kolams, let your creativity flow~ Try Alpanas, Blockprint motifs or any symbol that holds a special meaning for you:-)

Do paint your prayers and see them answered in the form of cheerful corners in your home:-)

(images by Arch)

handmade creativity...

Today I am featuring two very talented young women Kanika Bahl of Anek Designs and Kalyani Ganapathy of Kye.

Kanika Bahl is a textile designer from NID and has recently started her own Etsy Shop called Anek Designs. She designs handcrafted home furnishings and accessories.

Brocade Fabric Gift Envelopes

Colourful Fabric Gift Envelopes

Kantha work mobile pouches

Potli Keyrings

Do drop by at her blog, ...AND ANOTHER or Anek Designs on Etsy.

Kalyani Ganapathy is an illustrator/artist and also the creator of Kye. A venture where she designs home furnishings and accessories.

Kye has just launched their monsoon collection of handcrafted cushion covers called Monsoon Struck

Embrace, screen printed and hand embroidered cushion cover

Siesta, screen printed and hand embroidered cushion cover

Birdie, screen printed and hand embroidered cushion cover.

You can order online by writing to Kalyani of Kye at writetokye@gmail.com.

Hues from Dastakar Nature Bazaar 2010

Craft Bazaars and Melas have a special place in my heart, the colourful ambience with India's rich art & crafts displayed by artisans are a treat to the eyes...

Here are some frames from the colourful Dastakar Nature Bazaar.

Loved the vibrant kites, how magical a room would look with loads of them hanging from the ceiling!

Never tire of these colourful baskets made of wild grass.

Dastakar's Ranthambore Project. The Tiger motifs on bedspreads, cushion covers were so charming:-)

Mirror mirror on the wall, can you spot me at all;-)

Beautifully crafted paper-mache' birds from Orissa

Handmade Dolls

Gorgeous terracotta pots, jars and pans from Kumbham Pottery, Kerala

Intricate Kantha work on silk from West Bengal

Want to hang some pink elephants and blue fish?

Some beautifully crafted baskets and home accessories

The Dastakar Nature Bazaar is on till the 15th August, 2010.

(Images by Arch)

At the centre...

Every home has a central hub around which the daily activities of the family revolve.

The dining table is where most of our tasks are accomplished but there is another space in our drawing room, the centre table (actually it is an old ancestral swing converted to a low table) where we spend many evenings chatting with family & friends.

It is also a space like a canvas where I keep painting various hues in the form of floating flowers, things from our travels, magazines, books...

Here are some vignettes from the ever changing arrangements on my centre table...

Roses and wooden block from Jaipur, Rajasthan

Frangipanis & Pebbles from Nubra Valley, Ladakh.

Wooden Padukas from Jew Town, Kerala

(images by Arch)