Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! 

Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year too!

Images: My green and red and gold Christmas tree
( These are the first photos that I took using my new DSLR Camera...
an early b'day gift from dear hubby)

The hunt is on....

....for two pallets...ideas anyone???

I'm eyeing this gorgeous table that I saw on pinterest and it looks simple enough to make, plus I have been wanting to CREATE a piece of furniture myself since the longest time...

I plan to use it in my newly paved patio....on those lovely sunny afternoons of cool winter days...... when I bask in my swing with some snack and a glass of fresh OJ.

How does that sound to you...? Tempting....:)

Won't you join me?

Will keep you posted on my progress.

Warm glow of Winter

I'm so sorry that I have been missing from this space for all this while...and for the lack of posts. I think the cool weather paired with tons of sunshine has kept me busy and out of the picture-:)

I'm loving the warmth of glowing candles at home on the cooler days here in Florida.

Plus, I'm enjoying the holiday 3Ps (Parties, Potlucks and Picnics) :)

Isn't this ...... the most wonderful time of the year......?

So, what have you been upto? Are you enjoying the winter in your part of the world?


Images: My home

Happy Birthday ATB!

It came and went and I can't believe that I did not post on the day......

Yes, All things beautiful... turned one this Saturday.

Happy Birthday Dear Blog!

I wish you and I have many more wonderful years together...:)

Via

It's been an awesome journey all along. I started this blog almost on a whim....without much of a plan of what I wanted it to be. All I wanted was a space for me to bookmark my creative ramblings and all things beautiful to me.

Little did I know, that it would become such an important part of my life....a place that I always look forward to, a place that I always turn to when I have something nice to share, ....and more that anything else, a place that has given me many wonderful friends all over the world. 

I want to Thank all of you for being here and and making this blog so special for me. A virtual hug to each one of you:)

While I celebrate the birthday of my dear blog, join me in wishing a very happy birthday to one of my favorite blogs Purplehomes as it celebrates it 4th.

Fridays are fun

Happy Friday people!

 I'm excited....! I love the excitement of the weekend and for me the fun starts early Friday morning. The thought of not having to wake up by the sound of an alarm tomorrow (Saturday), of not cooking for the evening, of meeting up friends, of doing some aimless browsing and of indulging in some long awaited creative work....all these are more than enough to get me excited for the weekend.

What about you....? What gets you excited about the weekend?

Home tour: Richa's home in LA

Ever since I saw glimpses of Richa's home on my favorite blog An Indian summer, I knew I had to seek more. I reached out to Richa and asked her to share more corners of her home with me and the readers of my blog.....and she gladly agreed:)

Her home is one that I can truly imagine myself living in....warm and welcoming,  decorated with love..... and with things handmade and collected.

In Richa's own words......

"My home is a totally indulgent affair. Here, I indulge my love for all things handmade, vintage, repurposed, kitschy, fanciful or found.  I also like saturated hues, unusual juxtapositions, bright flourishes, big, bold statements and small details, whimsy, and a surprise element. And my aesthetic is strictly mix ‘n’ match (clearly, I don’t have the stamp of approval of enthusiasts of the 5-piece bedroom set ;-).  As a result of these (many) quirks, my home follows my very personal style instinct, rather than any rules or trends. Also, since I never stop trolling art fairs and flea markets, my home is fluid and evolving, which is how I prefer it anyway since ‘finished’ and ‘flawless’ are always boring to me."

Richa's passion for her home is all so evident in her words and then these pictures.... 

Do you see her bottle collection- So colourful and intriging!

Richa's mask collection.... "I have been collecting masks for very long now. Though now that I have these many, I add only when I am totally seduced by one!"

The golden pattern on the ceiling was there when Richa's family moved into their house and she left it there "because it went so well with the kitschy elements in that room."

Are you thinking what I wondered when I saw the above picture for the first time....? Are those bangles on the curtain rod? "Yup, I don't wear bangles but couldn't help buying them at Hanuman Mandir in Connaught Place one summer."
What an interesting idea, Richa!

I fell in love with all the beautiful fabrics across her home.....her gorgeous bedspread...

...the kantha table cloth....

....the bedding in her guest bedroom....isn't it all so pretty?

The prints on the wall are simple block prints which have been framed and put together as a series.

Beautiful fabrics neatly piled up on a stool....and then some books.

Hope you enjoyed glimpses of Richa's home as much as I did.

THANK YOU Richa, for sharing these with us!


PS: In addition to this amazing eye for design, Richa also has a penchant for cooking. Check out her food blog Eat Drink Man Woman 

Sweet November

Well, well, well....how are y'all? I finally got over my Diwali hangover.....it took a while for sure:)...but I'm here now.

After a long long time, the weekend felt like....well, a weekend. There wasn't much on the agenda, no long list of chores and plenty of time to not do anything.    

I got to relax and spend some time on Pinterest:).... one of my favorite pass times these days. My hands have been itching to do some artwork or a DIY project...and Pinterest is one place that provides inspiration galore. Maybe, I'll indulge in one soon.   
 

In other news, the weather has been beautiful these days.... bright, sunny and a little nip in the air....makes for a perfect day to be outdoors. It's such a nice time of the year too.....the countdown to the holidays has begun...there is festive spirit all around, .....and I'm loving all of it.

Enjoy the weather, stay warm and have a wonderful week!

PS: I have an amazing Home tour coming up soon.....so stay tuned:)

Glimpses of my Diwali

Diwali came...and went. 

In my world, the festivities went on up until this weekend...when I had the Diwali party at home. 

Here are a few glimpses of the last few days.....

our Diwali moments:)

Now I'll wait for next Diwali;)

Linking to Weekly story, Metamorphosis Monday

I Covet: Shopo.in

Well..., I've had my eyes on a number of items available at Shopo.in and this is the perfect opportunity to share a few that are on top of my list. One of my favorite blogs, Colours dekor is joining hands with Shopo.in and hosting a give away.....Exciting...isn't it!?

Shopo is the online store for a huge variety of handcrafted, handmade products from India....and it features a slew of very talented artists.  

 Have a look.....at my wish list 



Placemats from Anek Designs



Wall art from Artnlight



 

Terracotta Camel lamp base



Pretty Jhumkas

  I hope I win....(fingers crossed):)

Diwali wishes....

....from my home to yours!!!

Wishing you all a happy, prosperous, joyous, bright and safe Diwali!

All set for Diwali...?

The weekend was a very busy one....with prepping for Diwali day.... and the Diwali get together that I have planned for the coming weekend.

With Diwali falling on a Wednesday, I wanted everything to be all set over the weekend. We managed to do a lot....cleaned nooks and corners of the house, put up lights outdoors, prepared for the pooja, planned the menu for the party and then the most exciting part.....decorated the house.  

I tried out lots of different ideas....

Decorating with wine glass lamps...such a simple idea- using block printed paper to make little lamp shades for wine glasses.

Lining up a row of tea lights on a bright colored table runner...don't they look lovely....?

Using a mercury glass tea light holder...I'm seeing mercury glass everywhere these days in stores. It adds to the glamour and zing of the decor and I'm loving the look:)

I'm all set for Diwali... Are you...???

Wishing you and your family a very Happy, Prosperous and Joyous Diwali!!!

Linking to Weekly story, Metamorphosis Monday, Emreen's Itz Festival time, 
Show and tell Friday

Rangoli

Rangoli or Alpana has always been an significant part of diwali decorations for me, ever since my childhood.

My earliest memories of Diwali and its traditions, are of my mother making an alpana/rangoli in our puja area. The alpana pattern was made of a white paste of rice powder and then decorated with a hint of red. The pattern itself could be made of various forms- flowers, lotus, diyas, geometrical designs etc. The floor area covered with the alpana was considered sacred and worthy of placing all things to be worshiped. Traditionally, Diwali festivities last a few days starting with Dhanteras. The alpana once made, stayed intact for all the days till the festivities lasted.  

As I grew older, I remember my sister and I making a rangoli every Diwali, near our entrance back in our home in India. As kids, amongst other things that marked Diwali as a special occasion, such as getting new clothes, gifts, lighting candles and diyas, fireworks; the rangoli was always one of the most exciting part for us. It was a way for us to express our creativity and be appreciated by all the guests that visited our home to bring Diwali wishes:)

Diwali, for me, is a very special occasion to celebrate... and I wish to always continue the rangoli tradition.

Here are a few shots of the Rangoli that I have made in my home past few years.

I hope you are all gearing up for the festive times ahead......My weekend is going to be packed with preparing for Diwali...and then Halloween!

Have a great weekend!

I'm joining Of spooks and sparkles, A bit of India in my home