The story behind shopAraish- Part 1

Hello peeps!!! How have you been?

I'm back!!! .....and a lot has been going on, all this time while I was AWOL. Researching, curating, creating, photographing and marketing my products for my etsy shop is almost a full time job. And doing all this with another full time job plus managing a household with two kids...ahhhhh...can you imagine????

But it has been an exciting experience, so I'm not complaining. 

Today seems like a good day to share the story behind shopAraish with you, my readers- on how it all started, and what's going on now. Because it was exactly a year ago when the idea for this shop was born. As I'm sitting down to write, I'm going to share with you all the details. It's going to be a rather long post.....So....please sit down, with a cuppa coffee (or tea), relax....and read along.....

Born and brought up in India, I've been in the US for more than 11 years now. In all this time, my fascination for India- its culture, the history, the textiles and crafts from different states- has only grown. Each visit there, and I come back more enriched. I bring back more....A month or so later, I'm craving to go back and shop again:) Yes, that's me!

It all started while I was visiting India last spring. Delhi is my usual stop, but this time I had the fortune to stay in Jaipur for a month. A city I truly love for its culture, beautiful architecture and a multitude of crafts. 

A glimpse of Jaipur- carved arches at the City Palace!

Being an avid fan of block printing and wood blocks, I made a few trips to Sanganer- the mecca for hand block printing (details coming up in part 2). Jaipur is also well known for the finest jewelry makers in the country. And so, exploring the jewelry market was on the top of my list. I scouted the narrow 'galis' of Jaipur's Johri bazaar in search of the most unique finds. 

One April afternoon, I stumbled upon this tiny little shop tucked away in a narrow alley. As I entered, under the glass counter, I saw neatly lined steel bowls heaped with a variety of the most eye catching beads. These bright colored beads were made using traditional jewelry making techniques such as Meenakari, Jadau and Pachhi work. As I admired these beauties in the palm of my hand, I knew I had to bring them home with me. That's when the idea for an etsy store popped up in my head. 

The more I thought about it, the more exciting it was. What better reason to shop for these gorgeous finds than to create jewelry out of these and sell them in my own shop. If it was only for myself, how much could I shop. 

First step was to pick out the best beads and make my designs with them. Next steps.....deciding a name for the shop, lining of products, understanding how etsy works- in short, a lot of work. It all happened, but slowly. 

I started the shop in August last year, and since then we (me and the shop) have come a long way (I think!). To begin with, I started with jewelry (earrings!). I have recently added a home decor section to the shop. More details coming soon....stay tuned for part 2!

Images: Mine and subject to copyright. 

Happy New Year!

Wishing all of you a very happy, healthy, successful, cheerful and joyous 2014!!!

Image: Mine. Please do not copy.

Saying goodbye to 2013

Is it really the last day of 2013? Its so hard to believe that the year has come to an end. Where did this year go...? 

Reflecting back at the year..... it has been an eventful year for me for many reasons....but most importantly for one- for a new beginning- My Etsy shop 'shopAraish'. This venture had been in the making for years....only in my mind. With a great load of effort behind the scenes, it finally came to life in the second half of 2013. I'm immensely grateful to God for making this happen...and to all of my family- here at home and also back in India-for their huge support. 

My daughter was born in 2012, but as she grew up, 2013 saw my family transition from a family of three to a family of four in the true sense....and that, to me, has been a real joy.

As I was taking a break from my work this year, I took a long vacation in India and spent some quality time with my family there. I'm so glad I was able to do it. 

I have a lot to be grateful for in 2013....and I hope that 2014 is even better...for me and for all of you! 

Here's to a fabulous 2014!

My musings and an etsy find

Hello everyone! How have you been?

Are you busy gearing up for the holidays? I know... I am. My to do list has a ton of things....a bit more than I can handle.

As one moves from one stage of life to the next, chores and to dos just keep adding to your daily routine....kids activities and school, personal  as well as professional commitments, household responsibilities.....an ever growing task list. My son is 4 and my daughter is just a little over one year old. Life was super busy when I had just one kid....and now there are two. I think we are capable of more than what we give ourselves credit for.......
With two kids, my life is whirlwind of activities. I try to squeeze in so many things in a day, and it makes me stress out. At such times, I tell myself to take a deep breath, and only focus on one thing a few things at a time. 
As my friends (already on to the next stage;)) tell me, it only gets busier.....aaahhhh.....how will I do it all? Well, we will see....I think I'll be more capable by then:) What say??

Well, well.... For now, I wanted to share with you these gorgeous Moroccan lanterns available on etsy in all possible colors and designs. The beautifully done henna like patterns are very attractive and I can't stop browsing through the entire collection. These would be wonderful as part of your holiday decor. Available at LIT decor on Etsy

All Images: LIT decor on Etsy

My surprise....introducing ShopAraish

Hello everyone and wish you all a very Happy Dussehra!

On this auspicious day, I am so excited to introduce you all to my very own etsy store shopAraish.

It has taken me a very long time to make this a reality and I'm seeking a lot of encouragement and good wishes from all of you here. 

'Araish' denotes beauty and decoration; and that is what shopAraish is all about- all things to beautify yourself, and to decorate your home. 

To begin with, shopAraish brings to you a few exclusive pieces of hand made jewelry, mainly earrings.  All products at shopAraish are India-inspired. They are either handmade or designed by me or both. 

This is my first step towards bringing to you a whole range of India-inspired products for you and your home. I am working on a lot of them and they will soon be in stock at the store:)

Please take a few minutes to visit the store here 

Here are a few items from shopAraish.

Have a good week!

My Living Room

A few weeks back I had promised you a peek into my living room. It took me a while to get this post together, but finally, here I am. Some more exciting new things have kept me really busy (more on that soon...)

Without any more delay, here you go.....

I love warm tones, and that's why the orange wall in my living room is my most favorite. It was also the first thing that I did in my living room- painted the wall and added the motifs (read more about it here). 

The ethnic influence and my love for all things Indian are more that evident in my living room and all over my home. 

The vintage tapestry on the wall was bought from Rajasthan, India; and hung on a bamboo.   

The coffee table always has a few of my favorite things on display....along with some books.  

Over the years, I have grown my mask collection enough to display it on one of the walls. The masks are mostly from my travels. 

The Kantha poufs, the Suzani pillows, the block printed floor pillows, custom made coffee table, the Moroccan hanging lamp, the rug....all of these are my prized possessions. 

  Looking at this room come together makes me very happy. 

I hope you liked it too!

Coming soon....a surprise to share:) 

Watch this space!!!

All images: My Home. Taken by me and subject to copyright. Please do not use without permission. 

My Dear Blog.....I missed you!

A comment on my last post made me really think.......

Most often, there are two reasons why people stop blogging, one that they go through a phase where they don't know what to write about; and second, they are too busy with their lives to find the time to give to their blog. For me it was both, in the beginning, the first one and then the second.

Now....I feel like I have all the reasons to rediscover my blog.

An update from my personal life- which I'd like to share- because I consider my blog as also my journal. Last year I had a baby girl. My bundle of joy is now 8 months old :)....and keeping me really really busy;)

My coffee table

I have truly missed being here all this time, and I hope to back soon....real soon this time:). Stay tuned!

Picture: taken by me at home

Helloooo......

Helllooooo there........how have you been....?

I know I've been MIA for a long long time....not just from my own blog, but I've been bad about visiting fellow bloggers too.... It seems like ages since I had any blogger connection.....

....and I don't feel good about it at all.

I do realize though.....the longer you go without blogging, more difficult it is to get back. I've had a few posts in my drafts folder for a while now...I meant to finish writing them and post them and everything......but God knows what went wrong........

Today seems different, just the right day to blog......

I woke up this morning and felt like talking to you all....about what my days have been like, what I have been doing during my weekends....and what I have in store.

The weather in my neck of the woods has been just perfect, .....although unusually warm for winters......highs ranging in the upper 70s (all my friends, living in the north, I don't mean to make you jealous, I do miss the winter chill sometimes).

We have been spending a lot of time outdoors, weekends are mostly made up of a trip to the park- my son plays with dad, while mum is busy clicking away, trying out her new camera (wink). The afternoons are spent lazing in part sun/ part shade out in the backyard. I do manage to sneak some time to finish some of my projects (more on that in my upcoming posts, I promise).

In other news, we finally finished painting our home office (any guesses on the color I picked...?). And now, the walls are all set for the artwork to be hung. Me...I've been conjuring up ideas for a cluster wall....let's see how that turns out.

So what's keeping you busy these days? Any thing interesting....talk to me!

Image: One of my many clicks

PS: Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Musing about the year gone by...

The whole of December went in a flurry, with work load almost at its peak during the weekdays(phew!) and holiday parties every weekend. I was off from work between Christmas and New years and it was a lovely end to a wonderful year. I wanted to do a wrap up post for 2011 before the start of the new year....but all through out the holidays, I could not grab a few calm moments to put my thoughts together and express all that I has to say. But, it's not too late I guess....So...here goes....

As I welcome the year 2012, I can't help but look back at the year that went by. It was a year full of activity....doing things that I enjoy thoroughly....travelling, crafting, blogging and spending time with loved ones.

The year started off with a long trip to India for my sister's wedding. And what a memorable trip it was......Then there were vacations to Mexico and California in the summer, and a weekend getaway to the mountains up in Georgia. To top it all, a much awaited week long trip to Europe. WOW....what a year it has been!!!!

It has been a very fulfilling year and I owe it all to you, my readers. You are the one who gives me encouragement and inspiration to be creative. I indulged in quite a few creative projects and it was all because of the encouraging words that you write on my blog. Through this blog, I have found so many amazing friends, and I'm thankful to each one of you for being there.

I hope that the year 2012, will be even better, and full of inspiration, for you and for me!

Wishing you a very happy, prosperous and cheerful 2012!

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.

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:)

I'm still here....

Hello there....how have you been?

 I know.....I have been completely missing from here...and for no real reason...

other than the lack of time. Last week just flew....it went by in a flurry of activity. I have been absolutely buried in work....., but more than that, what has kept me totally consumed is the planning and prepping for an upcoming trip. The three of us are going away for a vacation (fingers crossed)....not just A vacation, but one that I have always dreamt of......and one that I have planned and cancelled (at different stages) multiple times. Finally...., its happening! Yayyyy! .......more details on that later;)

I have tonnes of things to share with you all.....I have made lots of promises and haven't kept them. Yes, I haven't been good about it. Only if there were a few more hours in a day.

(Patty, I totally hear you:)).

So today, I will not make any promises. I will be here as and when I can....

This month seems jam packed with activity. As if the festivities- Dussehra, Diwali, Halloween- were not enough to keep me on my toes, I added a long awaited trip to the mix....yes, I like to be be super SUPER busy. 

Hope you have a wonderful week...I'll see you around:)

Joining the Weekly Story at Patty's

I'm a happy person today....

I was gonna be here to do a different post....but then I saw this. I'm absolutely thrilled....All things beautiful... has been featured on Prismma....the online design and decor magazine from India....

Go check it out here and let me know what you think, won't ya.....????

Thank You Anjali and Prismma!

I've been a busy bee...

Well, you must have heard the phrase- biting off more than you can chew. That's exactly what has happened around here....

 About two weeks back, husband (K) and I decided that we can squeeze in some time for a home project that has been on our mind for quite a while now- the makeover and organization of our home office (remember this post from back in June:)). 

So let me tell you about all that I've been busy with:

On my home office front-

Designing my home office

Shopping for all the supplies for the makeover

Choosing the paint color

Working on an inspiration wall for the office

On blogging front-

A couple home tour posts...Yay!

Ideas on decorating with candles....I need to take some time out for taking pictures

On personal front-

Planning a family getaway (fingers crossed)- a huge task, I must say!

Planning my festival get-togethers

Isn't that too much on my plate.....Phewww!

I can't wait to blog about all the above.....but with all that is going on (work being crazy busy, my blogging headquarters/ home office totally upside down and then a hundred other things demanding my time), I'm left with no time to put together these posts...

Hopefully I'll get to it soon.

Hope you are having a great week!

In Love with the city...

...New York City!
While browsing old photos on my laptop, I came across some pictures,
that brought back memories of the time I spent in and around the city. 

I lived in the tri- state area for about a year, very close to the city...on the other side of river Hudson.
The view of the city by the night from my window was to die for.... 

I could just sit there....looking out... admiring the array of lights that lit up the sky scrapers and their shadow in the water....

....ahhh it was a beautiful sight.


Here are some pictures of the New York City skyline as seen from my window at different times of the day.

Having lived in Florida, the sunshine state, 

for most part of my life in the US, the city life was a different experience altogether. What amazed me more than anything else was the changing seasons along with the changing scenery. 

I'm far away now, but yes, the memory lingers.....!

Images: All mine.


Linking to Show and tell Friday, Weekly story, Good life Wednesday

It's Friday!

The weekend is here....who doesn't like the weekend...they are always fun! But you start to value them even more when you're out of the house all day five days of the week....and even more when you've spent the previous one being out on a vacation...:). Are you like that...? Well, I am. All of last weekend we were away for our road trip, so there was no time spent at home. I was so looking forward to this weekend. All I want is to just hang out at home and relax.....!

What are your plans this weekend?

Image: My Flowers collection

On a personal note.....

I have shared bits and pieces of my life with all of you here and I felt that I owe it to you, my readers, my friends; and to my blog, that I share this new phase of my life.

As many of you may know, I have been on a break from my career since the past two years- staying at home taking care of my son. This has given me a chance to explore my creative side, time to pursue some old (and some new....) hobbies, and most importantly, an opportunity to rediscover myself - through this blog. I have been truly, deeply enjoying this time. But.....its time for a change.........

...time to dive into something more.

I have recently started back on a full time job. It's a huge change.....

balancing work, home.... and most importantly -spending time with my son.  Last few days have been all about adjustment to the new routine........

but, it has not been as difficult as I expected  *fingers crossed*.

With everything else going on, I have managed to squeeze in some time

 to blog *smiles* and it feels wonderful. My blog is my 

happy place, a place where I come to pour my heart, get inspired.... 

and be with my virtual friends. 

I love being here.....hope you do too.....:)

Wish me luck.....and I'll see you soon!

Happy times in the bay area

It's my last day here in the SF bay area. ...the last few days were so much fun and I almost don' t feel like going back home. But then again....I'm starting to miss my home.

With my sister and so many of my cousins living here,  I visit bay area for a few days almost every summer. It's one of my favorite places in the US.  As I've been visiting every year, sight seeing is not really a priority. I like to spend most my time with family and doing activities together. We did some of my favorite things during my stay here .....like going for a trip to San Francisco city, a stroll and lunch at Santana row, shopping at Stanford mall, having bubble tea at Castro street....( more detailed posts to follow) and then..... unending chit chat sessions....absolutely enjoyable!

Here are a few snapshots from my sister, Shruti's home....

PS: I wrote this post yesterday, but could not post it. I'm back home now. Stay tuned as I have lots to share....see you soon!


Linking to Good life Wednesday, Weekend wrap up

Happy Friday & the rewards of blogging!

It's the first day of the second half of 2011...can you believe it, half of this year is already gone? But I do like the second half of the year more than the first, for a couple of reasons- first, there are so many long weekends and holidays here in the US in this half, and then all the wonderful festivals that I look forward to, fall in the second half of the year.

What plans do you have for this weekend? Its the peak of summer in my part of the world, hot & humid outside. I have a few things planned to keep us busy....a visit to a water park, some shopping and a pool party. I'm hoping for it to be fun.

I also wanted to share with you, about my day today. Many of you may agree, one of the most best part of blogging is finding new friends and like minded people in blog land. What can be better than to find a friend in your own city......

I got to know Kala a few months back through our blogs and we soon realized that we live in the same city...a few emails were exchanged and we planned to meet very soon....however, things kept coming up with both of us, the meeting kept getting pushed, finally we set a date and time to meet....I was so looking forward to it. It almost seemed like from the movies.....meeting someone who you know through the internet. 

Today, I finally met Kala of Kala Poul Studio. She is such an amazing person, so talented and full of enthusiasm. We talked for almost 2 hours about everything under the sun, about our families, interests, India, friends, food likes....everything.  It was like meeting a long lost friend. 

She was wearing this beautiful set of pendant and a bracelet....and when I asked her, she told me that it was made by her. Can you believe it? 

She also showed me some more pieces of her handmade jewelery. Isn't it gorgeous...???

To see more of her brilliant creations, visit her blog here. I had a wonderful time meeting a new friend...and I hope to find many more.

Have a great weekend!

Life in general...

Hello friends! How was your weekend? Mine was a mixed bag...with a little bit of everything- going to a birthday party, meeting friends, dining at one of my favorite restaurants, cooking a sumptuous meal....all of that and some much needed relaxation at home.

The birthday party that we went to, was at a petting farm. My son enjoyed it thoroughly; the pony ride, running after the bunnies, petting the lambs, looking at the hens and baby chicks, all of it.....I did too, as I realized it was my first time petting a rabbit......:)

It's the peak of summer with temperatures soaring beyond 90 degrees. The weekend brought some rain and it was a welcome relief. On Sunday, we relaxed at home and watched the drizzling rain....
I took some pictures of flowers at home....

PS: I was reading some of my recent posts and I realized that lately I've blogged a lot about crafts, projects and so on...It's true that I stalk blogs for DIY ideas and interesting things to make....but I have to admit that I always enjoy reading posts about people's life in general...Its a window into the life of people like me....and its interesting to get a glimpse of it. It's also a way to connect with someone, who is otherwise a stranger to you....Are you like me? Do you enjoy reading about life in general? Do let me know what kind of posts you like reading the most...

Linking in to the Weekend wrap up