My first Christmas tree!!!

When December comes ...it comes with lots of things ....., SNOW,  SALES and most of all holiday SPIRITS . Before I relocated to US i never felt that ways , as there was no snow(winters were never that chilly) , the shopping spirit was kind of over after Diwali and there was only a day off for christmas at office. But here very day of  December seems to be full of energy. Every place is lit up with Christmas lights , from streets to malls to office foyers. Every one seems to be enjoying and even in the busy life of NYC, people seem to be much relaxed and happy .

Christmas Decoration at Town square 

This year my 4 year old was also very excited about the whole thing. She wanted a Christmas tree, wrote a letter to Santa and wanted a gift too . Initially this christmas tree was just for her. But then when i bought one, I was more excited about the entire idea than anyone else. I bought the christmas tree, the decorations and the light and putting everything together made me feel like a child myself as it was actually my first christmas tree which i decorated.

My first Christmas Tree

Close- up of my christmas tree

I am enjoying my christmas tree and hope you are enjoying yours.....wishing all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Knee-High Boots

Knee - high boots from sixties walks firmly back into our lives for autumn- winter 2011-12. Trendy and easier to wear, OTK boots (over- the - knee ) are chic with a midi skirt, great over jeans and ideal with oversized cashmere and knitted dresses.

Besides the classic black and tan this season also offers different textures and colors.  Prada's multi-tone snakeskin boots, Emilio Pucci's plum velvet designs and Valentino's lace boots are good for inspiration.

Ideal for transitional styling - wear with bare legs in the autumn months, then add tights and leg warmers to ease into your winter wardrobe. Heels, wedges or flats , Knee-high is the length to know when it comes to boots this season.

Jaeger's knee - high Boots

Janmashthami 2011

This Janmashthami I prepared the regular mithais the way i do it every year. I prepared the coconut burfi, makhana dipped in sugar, makhana kheer, and bheej ki burfi . But all this was not enough to make my 4y old daughter realize how important this festival was for her as it use to be for me when i was a kid. So to make it a really special birthday party for our little Krishna we decided to make something special. Poorva came up with ideas like balloons and streamers , which i would say every birthday party always has, but then a special swing would be the best idea. As soon as it clicked our minds,we were ready with our scissors and glue . I used my old carton from ikea to make the base and one of our gift wraps (also from ikea) to make it look festive. And here we were ready with our beautiful "Jhula"(swing) for our little Krishna.

My Love for puzzle!

 This is my first ever 1000 pcs puzzle . I always wanted to make one since i saw a Harley Davidson's puzzle at a friends place in Gurgaon. Thanks Ranjana and Bhupi....i really loved it and see after so many years i finally did one.... And then there were another set of friends in Charlotte who were pioneers in puzzles....they had all different kinds of puzzles and legos in their house....quite an inspiration for me...... so after a much wait ....i finally bought myself this one . But  i would also give  credit to my daughter , who was so patient with me.
Though i started this puzzle few weeks ago but the last three days on the long weekend were when i got into it ..... quite a satisfaction after completing it and all geared up to do another one:)

One-Of-A-Kind-Chairs

This is my blog after a really long time, almost a month.....all this while i missed blogging and my "me time" a lot.... So as i get back i would like to share something i came across at Anthropologie . Anthropologie has always been my favorite shop in terms of Clothes , furniture , beddings and other small little home decors. This time it is the collection called " Le Versha Chairs ", a collection of garden chairs of colourful flourishes, inspired by the designs of traditional wrought iron fencing. These are designed by a British designer and artist David Le Versha . Hope it freshens your creative instinct as much as it did to me.

Illustration Friday- Stay

"Stay" this week's topic of illustration friday reminds me of a man with an apple on his head ready to be the target and too scared to move.....so "STAY"

Macy's 4th july fireworks

"One of the most amazing experiences of my life"...this is how i would describe this beautiful evening. We along with our friends, who were visiting from india went down to the Newport waterfront to view this spectacular event. Every one was ready for the show with their cameras and camcorders trying to get the best spot . Though there were many who wanted to get the best picture , there were few who wanted to relax and just enjoy the view. People could be seen sitting on the grass with their picnic baskets , a drink or some snack to munch . Parents , grandparents and kids , all seemed to be equally excited about it.

The show started at 9:23pm and lasted for almost 25 mins. There was a shower of golden sparks along with sparkling red and blue stretching across the sky. As our friend and piyush took the pics, i took the camcorder and to my surprise in the entire video i had people saying awesome, beautiful ,mind blowing, and kids shouting "best fireworks ever", "fireworks for the rescue"....and many more:)

It was one of its kind experience which i loved and would remember for rest of my life.

Illustration Friday - Remedy

"Lend me your ears".... as it is wisely said "Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow".....i believe everybody faces problems in their life, but the remedy for all sorrows is to share it with a friend....sharing helps you get rid of that burden and gives you the strength to fight back.....

Illustration friday - Midsummer Night

Illustration Friday - Launch

The illustration talks about a woman who takes flight in her city of dreams. My inspiration is the song "Empire state of mind" by Alicia Keys...and my favorite lines are.....

I’m going to make it by any means
I got a pocketful of dreams
Baby, I’m from

Chorus
New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There’s nothing you can’t do
Now you’re in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Hear it for New York, New York, New York

"Cinema Ghar"

As i read this blog on M F Hussain, on http://sensitivecreations.blogspot.com/2011/06/tribute-to-mr-m-f-hussain.html i could not resist myself but write about his "Cinema Ghar" , an unconventional museum cum residence of M F Hussain located in the posh Banjara Hills in Hyderabad. I as a student got the opportunity to visit this creative den .

The building of "Cinema Ghar" is quite magical in itself with M F Husain's trade mark sketches cut out on the building. Its not like an ordinary museum , with dead facts instead it has live paintings on the walls and the moving images of song and dance on celluloid. There is a big library dedicated to arts and films and a 40 seater cinema theater for preview . There is a special section too devoted to making films without sound and colour, like in the early history of indian cinema . Overall i would say Cinema Ghar was his way to celebrate life on canvas and silver screen. After visiting this place my respect for him was beyond words.

During our visit i also saw some special things Hussain has done beyond paintings, his furniture. He designed some unique furniture made out of wooden logs . They were unfinished and unpolished but very modern . The hangers in his wardrobe which no one has even written about....were as creative as his paintings.

Even though i never took any pics when i visited Cinema Ghar as a student...i still have its image in my mind....his life size paintings of Gaja Gamini, horses, Ganesh and many more....while we were leaving the "Cinema Ghar"...we were told we could leave a note for Mr. M F Hussain in the visitor's diary. We all took our own time writing praises about the painter , one of our classmates even drew his caricature .....But whatever we could have written or people can ever write about him ,he was undoubtedly the" Picasso of India" and has influenced the whole generation of artist in our country. May his soul rest in peace.

Illustration Friday - Swept

No matter how many times and how many people walk through that sand leaving their footprints behind.......the water will sweep them away

Best gift ever...on a mother's day

I am almost a month late to write this ...but as it is said "better late then never", so here i am writing about "the best gift ever", this is how my daughter describes most of her best moments now a days ;).

There was an Art competition organised by the Newport mommies on the mother's day celebration here in Newport . There were four different age groups ,four different topics and almost 70 -75 kids participated . The topics were- My Mommy, Landscape, Spring and Animal. Poorva choose to make on "My mommy" and to my delight she won the third prize in the 3-4 y age group.

The winners were announced on the mother's day itself and that was THE BEST GIFT EVER:).

All the winner's drawings were displayed on the wall of Duane Reade. What more could i have, asked for.....:)

More than just a t-shirt

Here is one more t-shirt which i would like to share . Its more than just a t-shirt b'cos it was made for a cause. "Manavi"- a South Asian Women's Organization, organised this event at Town square, Newport to create awareness among women about their right , the fundamental right to live a life of dignity that is safe and free from violence.

Many women participated and supported the cause by writing and painting the t-shirts. I also did one.....and my explaination goes like this-------

The t-shirt has two perceptive- first you look at it as a new face of today's woman. A woman with a moustache. Don't take me otherwise as i am not asking women to actual grow one .....but on a serious note , moustache which the man in our society believes as a symbol of authority , command and dominance is the only thing missing in the vulnerable woman. Once she has that right ,she is no less than today's man. In our society (especially the south asian ), its the man who has the right / power / authority to take the final decision . If our woman is given that power ....she is sure to change the world.

Second perspective is the liberated woman with her arms raced up in the sky ...a sense of freedom . Freedom to live a life of dignity that is safe and free from violence.

In the end the small symbol on the right hand side corner is the imprint of the two fingers and a thumb print in the center in red representing the liberated women...

Hope all this effort from "Manavi" and all the participants , helps to create awareness among people.

Unfinished Dreams

A dream I saw sitting next to the window of my living room,
Still waiting for the night with that full moon.
I hope for something nice every day,
With no clue what god has in store for me today.
Just like this beautiful painting my dreams will have a happy ending
If not today then some other day , some other day...but definitely one day........:)

Wet memories...

Let the picture speak louder than the words......

whee!! tee

As you could have guessed from the title of the blog it's about a tee, a t-shirt design contest in my daughter's school. This was something i was looking forward to as much as my 3 1/2 y old daughter. She was told in the school whom so ever 's t-shirt will be the best, will get a prize. She was very excited and had one thing clear that "Mamma i want my t-shirt to be the best". But as a mother i also had my side of the words ready too "No Poorva its not about winning or loosing, its about participating and enjoying making it"...anyways deep inside all of us want to win and who hate to get a prize, even if its small or big.

So coming back to my tee. We finally made our whee- tee, using our head , heart and hands. And to our delight our tee got the prize too. There were 3 students in the school who got a prize and my daughter was one of them. Whee did it!!

This is my first blog and it seems as if i had been just waiting to write one for years. . I am a simple soul who loves to design her dreams ...dream to fly in the sky or a dream to make my own portrait . As a kid i remember telling people that i want to be an artist when i grow up , never ever did i say a doctor or an engineeer, but as i grew my parent's dream was my ambition. Ambition to be a doctor. Soon it got shattered when i did not qualify after trying for 2 years. I gave my NIFT entrance ...the only exam and went to hyderabad to complete my 3 years of Fashion Design.

My college days were one of my best days of my life, and i still say that after 9 years . It changed me as an individual and as a professional. Graduating from NIFT with those awards and recognisions...gave me lot of confidence . My first job was as a designer for a Boys company . This company gave me lots of freedom to Design and explore. I did everything from Design silhouttes to graphics. After 1 1/2 y in this comapany i got a chance to work with "Omega Designs" . The place where i got my wings. I travelled to different destinations including London, Paris, Barcelona, Hongkong, US almost twice in a year.I grew as a professional too, started as a designer and soon i was the head designer with a team .

Then my career took a break. My Daughter and our relocation to Charlotte, USA. I guess there must be millions like me but at that point of time it seemed as if i was the only one. After three years of being a full time home maker i relocated to NJ. Here i am today trying to get back to my design and my career. Hoping i am going to find something soon.