New Tray Designs

Been sitting on this post for a while now. Here are some new designs I made. I'm just itching to get started on a lot of design (but my computer has been driving me up the wall!!!(@!!**$#), will keep you posted as and when I do the new work.

Abundance Tray

A Prayer in Spring

Mauve Spring Tray

And because I like this tray so much, I've posted 2 pics of it ;)

Rebecca Thuss

Be prepared for some jaw-dropping eyecandy here. When I clicked on the link I didn't know I will sit transfixed by the kind of mastery and magic that only Rebecca Thuss can conjure. I saw each and every image on her site like some one who couldn't have enough of a good thing. Its not everyday that one sees the kind of unerring eye for pretty and colour like she has. I compulsively saw every image before I could read up about who exactly was doing this kind of work. And it made complete sense to read that Rebecca Thuss worked with Martha Stewart for a decade before she went independent with her own company. An award winning photo-stylist, a creative director, wedding designer and crafter, she delights in throwing parties, has a passion for packaging, a weakness for fanciful candy and confections, and an infatuation with vintage paper items.

Envelopes and liners

Rebecca has received six Society of Publication Designers (SPD) Merit Awards for her styling work.

Aren't these co-ordinated greens darling?

God is in the details

This red-red table decor completely bleeds my heart

Purple passion

Stripes and flowers

The beauty in this picture are the pretty blue diamonds strung together

Vintage never looked better

I love tiny little engraved books. And now for the
SHOW STOPPERS.....

Talk of looking good enough to eat :) Lace and china
Gold brocade

And this setting is such a masterstroke.
For more of this click here & enjoooy!

New Beginnings

This probably the most personal post I've ever written. 2 years back when I started blogging if someone told me it would change my life, I wouldn't have believed them & if someone told me it would change my career graph I'd have laughed out loud. But that's exactly what has happened. I just loved this world where I could write about all that I loved, meet many people across the globe who thought like me and who were inspired and moved by things that inspired and moved me. As I met more and more bloggers online who were following their heart, doing the things that they wanted to, there was a part of me who was dying to do the same. I kept writing about things I liked- And somewhere down the line I started doing more than that. I started 'doing' and 'making' things that I liked. And that's when things started changing for me.

I got an opportunity to take part in an exhibition for which I created things that I never knew I could make. The sales were good but I still didn't think too much about it. As usual I posted about it on this blog & that's when the response started coming in. There were orders & shops were writing to me and many of you wrote to me individually as well with your orders. And suddenly it looked as if this thing had a future.

So this is the month, my readers, that I go independent. Where I make a transition from being an advertising art director to an entrepreneur. I have just said goodbye to about a decade of corporate life. To smell the salt of freedom. To do what I want to do.

It is exciting. And scary. What if someone just told you, you could live your dreams, and suddenly your dreams were not your dreams anymore but your reality. I feel a bit like that now. Like I'm standing on the threshold of a whole new life. A life where I really don't know how things work, where I need to learn most things that are absolutely essential to function. Its like going to country you've always wanted to, things look beautiful, you are happy, but you don't really know the language. So I will learn, cause here is where I want to be.

Yes, it does mean this blog will be more active :) I'm keeping my fingers crossed about the future. I know this part of my journey will be beautiful, and all of you will be a large part of it. Wish me luck :)

Diana Srinati Baur of Baur Bed and Breakfast.

Diana Srinati Baur writes beautifully, she also creates some neat pottery and runs a lovely place called 'Baur Bed and Breakfast' in Italy. Its always inspiring to discover a person of talent and integrity. So as I looked at her blog 'creative structures', her beautiful inn and her work at the potters wheel, so many aspects of her were coming alive for me, and i was like wow! But for me, her honesty and the generosity with which she shares her life and her lessons will be the biggest- whether it is sharing a bit of personal family history or taking us through the way she works in her studio, its clear she lives her life with utter honesty. And that is so invaluable.

The beautifully stained exteriors of Baur Bed & Breakfast "We created this special place for people looking for comfort without pretense, friendliness and respect for privacy, a place to cook, drink, eat and explore."
Which got featured in Apartment Theory
This picture completely takes my breath

Every corner has its own charm

Beautifully appointed rooms

I love the wall colour & what the sun does to it.

the acqua and glass shower

It is detailing that makes this place what it is

All the art on the wall is hand-made by Diana

What a gorgeous piece of art this is

These pieces are specially created decorative tiles that Diana makes.

sunny happy exteriors

sun dappled wall overlooks the pool

I love this architectural detail

I Could sit here for hours.

Baur Bed and Breakfast is a brilliant option for people who appreciate wine and like to cook their own food (you can reserve the kitchen in advance for your culinary sessions). (do click on the link for details)

All information and images are from Baur Bed and Breakfast.

Liz Kinder Ceramics

I'm not hugely into ceramics. I just don't know enough. But this is the unadulterated kind of eyecandy I can't ignore. When i saw Liz Kinder's gorgeous creations on the very talented Diana Srinati Baur's blog, I knew I had to feature her here. I've seen studio pottery in dignified deep blues, sedate browns, and earthy greens, but I've never seen this kind of exuberance in ceramic. So brace yourself for a splash of glaze, grace and colour.

happy swirls mix purple and yellow

colour me bright!

sunny side up :)

stripes and swirlsi just love this strong design

Cheerful blues

This is so cool

Such a vivid green& all shiney too

paint the town red with this

All colours from the earth to the sun

fun, fun fun!

we are dotty!

I love her delicate range- Liz calls them frilly white

And says its a huge hit with newly weds- the women adore it

The men love it equally but hate the name :)

And yes she does browns too & aren't they mouth-wateringly gorgeous!

I couldn't resist posting this uber cool picture of the Liz Kinder herself (though i dont normally put up faces here- maybe thats changing!) Don't you just love her sunny yellow studio!

Announcing 'ART ESCAPE GOA'!!!

I'm out of town, but this is one bit of news I just couldn't sit on any longer. I'm super excited to share with you the 'ART ESCAPE 09' that's kick starting tomorrow in Goa. Whats the 'Art Escape' all about? Its a dream get away from our daily humdrum lives for a few days of pure creativity along the shores of Goa. Put together by the 'Inspire Project' ' Art escape' comes in 3 & 6 day courses in painting & pottery all through November to January for starters.

All the details can be found on their site, but this is just ideal for the harried/bored corporate looking to tap into a bit of their creative side. You didn't know you had one? Their website puts it beautifully: "You don’t have to be a natural born artist to enroll in the art escape. We firmly believe that by giving yourself over to the experience of creative arts, you will view and appreciate art and life in a much deeper way."

They have a 3 day Painting workshop (Paintshop:) & a 3 day Pottery workshop (Potshop:), you can opt to do the entire 6 day worshop or either of the 2 courses on offer. And if you are worried that you don't know where to begin, just land up, they do provide you with the art material and all that you will need.

And this is the place far away from the city where the worshops will be conducted.

Art Escape Entrance

Bamboo cottage room

"Whether you are a corporate type who has finally decided to accomplish that burning desire and love for the creative arts or simply an individual looking to relax, de-stress, refresh and revive your senses, this is a great opportunity to learn art as a medium to express & discover yourself. Art escape is here to help you do just that."

Space for Studio

Art Resto Lounge

Space to relax

Resto lounge at......sundown

I will myself be headed there to attend the workshop- its a question of when. So watch this space for more news about 'ArtEscape'

The brilliant bit is that if you are in and around Goa & you want to attend for a day you can do that as well. They really give you options. Click here for the rates, dates & registration. And go have some fun!! :)

My 1st hand-painted tray

This is the 1st tray I designed & painted. All the others came after this one. I don't have pictures of the earlier avataar, but it was a lime green and yellow one with such tackily painted leaves that each time I saw it I itched to give it a new look. So one fine day I just pulled out my paints and brushes and started. Sharing a few pictures of how I started and how it finally looks. I'm no great artist but what the heck- I had fun :) I was using a brush after more than 10 years.

I have a fondness for lotuses & prayer flags, so they had to come in.

Filling colour into the petals- it looks incomplete...

So I carried forward the stripes from the blue into the yellow with an intricate but very simple pattern. And added clouds over the prayer flags. It still looks incomplete...So the cloud moved up to spread acrossAnd the stripes climbed further down to cover the edges of the tray.
And now I'm done!
Its really thanx to the internet and blogging and artists like Jessica Gonacha & Dithi Chakraborthy that I even thought of trying something like this. Check their work out- its sooper inspiring (just click on their names).
Coming up next are some new decoupaged tray designs that I just finished making.