artnlight

Embellisher is participates in 'Take a Stitch Tuesday' on the Stitchin Fingers site. All embroidery enthusiasts please head that way. Its an entire stitchin world out there!

This is the environmental page. Don't you love that tree? And embroidered typo makes my heart skip a beat.

This is the STAR page. Yes I agree, Embellisher is a f#@%ing STAR :)

A day in the life of Embellisher

These are her darling creative scribbles. KICKASS is what this is called.

Butterflies cross-stitched on muslin and sandwiched between two pages of the book and stitched together with running stitch. "If you want to be happy for a day - get drunk, for a week -kill a pig, for a month- get married, for life - be a gardener. Chinese proverb

I'll leave you with this for a while :)

Daram is completely into handloom and now they also want to market the concept of food and clothing as one of the primary needs of the human being.

So what do Shruti & Shaila do as a to bring in the organic food element into the design of the store? They create this beautiful bird panel made with real grains demonstration graphically the very important role birds play in the farming. And guess what they dipped into for inspiration? They referred to the very famous 'Ek anek aur ekta' animation film which all of saw when we were kids :) :) You have to check it out here for nostalgias sake! Its a sad old print but what the heck :) This is how it looks from outside the store.

The other beautiful thing they have created is a panel for the residence of Raghavendra Rao, the famous Telgu film director.

It all began with this simple sketch.

And look at this stunning piece of delicate work. The cut work for this 9ftx9ft screen was manually done in the size of a rice grain.
Shruti, who has been following the comments closely has actually sent a close up of the intricate work. Brilliant isn't it?

This post is a live example of my ample procrastinating abilities. Shruti & Shaila of Eucalyptus wrote to me way back in April about an exhibition at their store & that's when I checked out their site & was like- WOW, these guys really know their work- I have to feature them. And guys today the day has finally arrived!!! Ok, now that I have advertised some shameful inside stories, we can get on with Eucalyptus and how cool they really are.

"So how does a Champa tree that you pass by without a second glance or a simple Peepal leaf so commonly found in every other street corner become an intimate part of your life? Eucalyptus bridges the gap and brings in the outdoors into your day-to-day lives."

I'd love to go to Hyderabad one day & soak in this airy ambience. "The browsing experience at Eucalyptus is real time. You know how exactly that cushion would look on your couch. On display are real world bedrooms, dining area, walls etc all outfitted with Eucalyptus products."

Part of the beautiful Pipal collection
They have these amazing Indian design themed collections like: Sheesham, Champa, Pipal, Chaupad and Jharokha to name a few.

"The Jharokha design collection: The prominent arches (windows) of Hyderabad comfortably adapt themselves onto textiles as runners for tables. The colours are catchy, tracking back their genesis to the saffron of Biryani and turmeric in the curries. The arch window narrates tales of abandoned monuments, now housing stray birds and cats. Just right for Heritage hotels and ethnic Indian homes!"


"The Chaupad inspired collection: The ancient dice game of India has inspired the rich blue Mangalgiri runner embroidered with kantha. Interestingly, one can actually play on it with cowries and wooden gotis. Ideal for a clubhouses or guestrooms where you are meant to play and unwind!"

And this is just a peek into the amazing design and decor world of Euclyptus. Their site is a pleasure to navigate. The people behind this amazing show is entrepreneur Asha Reddy & the designer duo Shruti and Shaila. And like how all it needs for a match is to strike the right surface, the three came together to ignite this warm magic that is Eucalyptus. How I wish these guys were in Bombay.

This is the 1st time I'm writing about clothes, but it is more from my love for all things Desi (Indian) Kitsch and NOW. I was surprised to see in my inbox a Tshirt sale announcement- What caught my eye was the magic words "CHOR BAZAAR". You call anything 'Chor Bazaar' & I will look. Chor Bazaar literally means a bazaar where you get all things stolen :) and In Bombay it means a treasure trove of antiques, labrynths and lanes crammed with all things from the rarest coasters, lampshades, to old brassware, antique nameplates to the choicest of old wooden antiques. But this Chor Bazaar sells Tshirts and rather cool ones I must say :)

This is the invite I found on their blog.
Anyone who has travelled India will recognise the "HE" and "SHE" from the signs seen outside public loos :)
The site header featuring an iconic scene from Bollywood
"PSYCHOLOGY OF TRAFFIC
Travel the roads of India and this Rorschach Ink Blot should make sense." :)
"INDIA STAMP. Rock Ashoka's Lions with pride. HINDUSTAN!"
"Ladki" simply means 'girl'
"Buri Nazar Wale Tera Mooh Kala" loosely translates to "if you dare cast an evil eye, your face will go black" and uses the coolest truck graphics style.

These are the guys behind this funky show. Only I couldn't figure if they are based out of India or abroad, either way, anyone can buy the stuff online :)

Hey, I'm back :) It feels like some 3000 yrs since I've posted. But here I am. I had no intention of posting today and this is unlike how I normally work, I'm in the middle of researching for a project that I'm working on & what do I stumble on? LOTUS by League of artisans whose goal is to use the League of Artisans platform to create sustainable livelihoods for underprivileged Indian artisans – particularly rural and women artisans – and thereby, improve their economic and living conditions. They do do this by providing business support to the artisan groups. And the result is a scrumptious array of the most tastefully done decor elements that are totally Indian in design and spirit.

Jaw dropping Gorgeous Bedding.

These have to be the most elegant applique and warli cushions I have ever seen. Happy making :)

They've got some really pretty Kalamkari stoles and journals among other interesting things. Do check the site and their rainge of products. They also have some sales going :)

"When you come to the end of all the light you know, and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: Either you will be given something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly."
-Edward Teller

"Smiling is very important. If we are not able to smile, then the world will not have peace. It is not by going out for a demonstration against nuclear missiles that we can bring about peace. It is with our capacity of smiling, breathing, and being peace that we can make peace.” Thich Nhat Hahn.

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, "I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along." . . . You must do the thing you think you cannot do."
-Eleanor Roosevelt
Sometimes your fear maybe as simple as doing what you love to do. And showing the world what you hold most dear. That is what this series of designs means to me. It means doing what I love doing, but it also means putting it 'out there' so anybody and everybody can see it, comment on it. That was difficult for me.

Keep Goals. Not expectations.

"To do is to be" Rousseau. "To be is to do" Sartre. "Do be do be do" Sinatra.
You are as you do. You do as you are. Its a superbly interesting concept.