A dollop of humour

Humour in decor? Why not? After all we spend a fair bit of our lives at home. Often it is after a hard day's work. Tableaus like the one below never fail to bring a smile to my face...

Well, go on, take a good look at all the stuff you have and put together a tableau that appeals to you.Place it on your favourite side table and de stress!

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Magnetic clips...

This is really easy and done in a snap! Wooden clothes clips are quite common in our departmental stores. They are not very effective in keeping clothes on the line especially when it is windy. But they are very effective in holding lists, takeaway menus and the like. What is left to do is to magnetise it.

Instead of button magnets which in India tend to be thick and unwieldy, use magnetic sheets - sold in most craft/stationery shops. Cut it to size and stick on one side of the clip. Decorate the other side - you can just paint it, decorate with stickers, buttons or beads. Viola! The magnetic clip is ready! The sheet magnet helps keep it in place much better than its button counterparts.

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My post has been chosen...

Thank you guys at blogadda, for choosing my post Junk art to Objet d'art to be featured on Tnagy tuesday picks...Here's the link!

http://blog.blogadda.com/2010/05/25/indian-blog-writers-top-posts-weekend-read

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Bells on my furniture

Bells have a special place in the Indian culture and each state has its own version. I bought a string of cow bells long ago and then happened upon this beautiful piece of kutch embroidery on a visit to Ahmedabad. I adorned my South Indian oonjal (swing) bench with a piece in which I fused both...

Here to prevent the delicate embroidery from tearing, I stuck bakram behind the length of the embroidered panel. Then using an eyelet kit, I made holes, punched in the eyelets and threaded rings in them. Little tag nails at the bottom of the oonjal help hang this panel. The bells are also hung on rings, which are run through eyelets made using an eyelet kit.

This is another view of the panel, wrapped around a chair. You can make out the ring on which the bell is hanging. All eyelet holes are in the bakram, to prevent fraying of the embroidered fabric. These kinds of embroidered panels are available in all exhibitions. Use bells on them and attach to different pieces of furniture for a unique look...

Bells strung on a pretty thread look so pretty next to an antique kashmiri embroidered curtain....Go on then, bell your furniture!

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Junk to wall hanging in minutes...

The kitchen towel roll is one of the most versatile things I've come across. With a little modification it becomes a tunnel, a rainmaker,  a vase... the possibilities are endless. Today I'll show you how to make the cutest object of joy in minutes! Here's what you'll need. As always, substitute all accessories with whatever you have. That's the challenge and the fun of it!

Here, I have cut the roll in half. You can use it whole if you like. First cut the paper (or cloth) to cover the roll and stick on. Then ,look into your craft box and gather things you think you can use. Draw or stick things as you like and trim with lace/raffia/sequins. This is what I did....

I did some warli art and tried on some sequins and beads. I liked the effect and so I hung it up with some jute thread...  I                 

                                    

Here's another view...funky, cute decor and so easy to make. You can hang rustic bells, little baskets, earrings or even semi precious beads. Let your imagination run away with you!

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Thorans - How to make an Indian bunting

I could never resist the lure of beads and baubles available at craft shops. This time I ended up with a lot of red and gold. So I threaded up a few thorans. Here's a look at a festive one...

Simple, yet festive! Same tanjore stone piece that was used in the napkin ring, different use...

Making thorans is really simple and what's more, you can suit it to your decor, mood or theme. Use lace or wire with a dull gold finish. They have a class about them that simply cannot be matched by the brighter variety.

Before you start, it's a good idea to put together a few "looks"  and then choose the best one or ones.
Below are  pics of some looks I have created. Just lay the lace or rope and arrange the beads and baubles on it. Then choose the one/ones you like and create it. While attaching beads or other accessories, you can use rings which are available in the market, but most of these are silver in colour, so for the gold based pieces, use gold wire, twist to hold in place and hot glue to the lace/rope/accessory. Attach the rings at the end to hook thorans to nails. (See first pic in this blog post).

   

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DIY : Easy ethnic napkin rings

Indian craft shops stock an abundance of bead and sequin based accents for use in traditional Indian clothes. Use these and craft wite to adorn your  napkins......      

Here, I have stuck a sequin and tanjore style bead
accent  to craft wire - which I wound around a kitchen towel holder (to keep its shape)          

                                     

Here's another view                            






 



If you would prefer to make a simpler accent, you can do it yourself. Simply stick the tanjore or other beads i  the desired shape on tissue cloth or ribbon, and stick the ribbon on bakram, like so.
                            

Then cut the desired shape. Stick to wire or stiff ribbon and the napkin ring is ready!

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A splash of red

Red is a vibrant, rich and warm colour. I leave you with this beautiful red napkin, edged with a simple white hem. And that raffia covered napkin tie... it's to die for.  So simple and inspired!

Image  : Furniture and Furnishing by Melanie Paine
Have a great weekend!!

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Beautiful Bastar art

These metal marvels can give any home a facelift. Here, the rescue switch panels from boredom.

Here is a bastar panel which is fixed on a TV receiver inlet.Looks so pretty and rustic..













 

Here are two ladies chatting and indulging in a bit of shringar atop an outdoor fan regulator.










 This tribal chieftan complete with peacock feathers rules his fiefdom from atop an old fan regulator..

 

Truly, rustic Indian art is unparalleled in its striking simplicity. What say!

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DIY : Easy evening bags

I call these bangle bags, though I sometimes use bracelets as well. They are easy to make and can be customised to your evening wear...

Here, I have made a pouch using kadi print fabric. I then attached a couple of bracelets which had suitable colours as handles.Take a look...

You will have to sew loops to attach the bracelets in place. There is an easy way to do this - nylon ribbons. The advantages of using nylon ribbons are that the edges are already stitched and the rib bons are strong. Just fold the ends and run a few stitches to hold the handle in place. You have the option of using ribbons of contrasting colours, like in the picture below.                                                                           

                                                                                
   

Nylon ribbons have other uses such as tabs for tab top curtains. Here, I have sewed the edges of a sari pallu, cut equal lengths of nylon ribbon and attached them as tabs and trimmed the top with the same ribbon.

 Here is another pouch to which I have attached an antique looking bangle.

I'd love to know what you think of these. Do drop a comment....

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A lingering calm...

Here's a tableau to start your week off on a serene and positive note.

This is actually a gurgling fountain... makes the most beautiful tinkling noise. Close your eyes and smell the fragrant frangipani, the vanilla scented tea light and listen to the fountain... all of a sudden, the week ahead is filled with new exciting possibilities!

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wind chimes and mobiles

Take a look at these mobiles of a different kind !

I made the first one here with cocktail umbrellas, nylon wire, buttons and beads, the second, I found at a friend's place. It's from Paris.. gorgeous, yes?

 

The first one was made by a local potter, and has terracotta leaves... makes the most beautiful sound...The second is again from a friend's place. Look at the shape of these bells. Awesome! Do you have any different chimes/mobiles to share with me?

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Beads and baubles...

 
 Love the beads! I collect all kinds and string it up any which way I like. What do I do with them? Hang them on either side of curtains, add them to cushions. Give me some ideas... what else can I do with them? I've added the shot below because I loved the pic; See I'm not very good with the camera, so when the picture comes out right, it can be overwhelming!!

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Repurposing an oven mitt into a garden accessory holder

For the longest time, I have been racking my brains for a pretty idea to hold my few garden tools when I came upon this little glove which was lying unused. I have a lot of cross stitch patches lying at home since the days when I was addicted to cross stitch.  So I sowed on a patch of the right colour, sewed on a curtain hook behind the glove and stuck a couple of garden implements and accents into the glove.

Then I stuck in a couple of travel souvenirs into my patchwork pocket and suddenly my mitt has a new use and new avatar!

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Thorans....Indian buntings

I dedicate this piece to two of my fellow bloggers in the design domain who have shifted homes. Patricia and Sharon, this one's for you two... What better way to welcome guests than with a pretty thoran!!

Here's another view...

I cut out the leaf shapes on bakram and green kadi printed material and stuck it together. I simply love primitive decor, so I used little gold pins to attach the ghungroos to the leaves, as is done in prim decor. For the veins, I stuck gold wire (available in most craft shops).  Between leaves, I strung up green tanjore style beads, attached to ghungroos. The gold rope seemed just the right to string it all up.

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Some of my favourite things....

There is something about little pots that makes me go weak in the knees...Over the years I have collected many different types. Some broke in transit, some I couldn't carry with me, but I still treasure my little collection which has survived the rough and tumble of life...Here's a look at my collection...

I bought these at an exhibition. They were created by the daughter of a national award winning potter. She was studying in 12th then... Great talent!

A friend who knows my craze for pots, gifted me this pretty set, crafted by village artists... Stunning!

These were collected over the years. They are all from Contemporary Arts and Craft in various cities...

My brass pot collection, from Chennai and Kerala... Well, how do you like them? I am always on the lookout for more... lookout for a collection of chimes and mobiles..., coming soon!

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Abstract craft!

You've heard of abstract art, but abstract craft? It's fun; I'd even say a cathartic experience. Professionally, it's sometimes called "Found Media"; because, well, we use what we can find, and put something together... This is what I put together...

I 've used some craft wire, earrings, a fancy spoon, pendant, a bobbin...I guess I went with silver, grey and the like. Take a look at my inspiration. These were created by professional jewellers...

Courtesy :  The art and craft of jewellery  by Janet Fitch.

How do you like abstract craft? What inspires you? Did I prompt you to let your imagination fly?

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DIY : No-sew patchwork napkin rings

This one's really easy and really no-sew, but all-stick! You will need to get some things together before you begin, though. Here's what you will need

Scraps of cloth, some plain (solid colour) and some with prints you can cut out.
A pair of nice sharp scissors
Fabric glue
Bakram or stiff cloth

That's it, let's get started....

Now cut out a rectangle of solid colour cloth, like I have at left. Cut out flowers or other motif as per your choice , like I have from the printed cloth as shown.

Now, using fabric glue, stick the flowers randomly on the solid coloured cloth.
Patchwork done!

Next, cut out a narrower strip of bakram and stick the patchworked strip on it.

Wrap the edges around the bakram and stick using fabric glue. Let the flower patches be really random and some should even wrap over the edge for a really nice effect. Now, make a ring and glue edges again...

 Ready for the napkin...

 Here are two more that I have made using the same technique. You can use rectangular strips of cloth and stick ricrac at the meeting point between two patches like I have done with the green one - shown left.

Well, what do you think? Let's hear from you all...

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Just adorable....

I found this in the latest Inside Outside (April 2010)... Decor of the quirkiest kind is what I'd say. I'd love to have this on my walls!

Oops! I think my scan is a bit blurred at the edge...sorry about that, but do grab a copy of the issue and if you haven't seen the Better Interiors issue of February 2010, grab that as well - beautiful spaces-. What's your idea of quirky? Drop me a note...

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Green decor

It's back to Nature, with this absolutely funky nameplate...

I picked up some of these tree bark - plates, at a store at very throwaway prices(only because we don't have too many trees left in the neighbourhood...), wrote the name, added a few ant  stickers and a few food crumbs and voila - a nameplate that is unique and green! Here's another one which we use as a  handy note holder...

Stick on a pretty flower.....

Use a clothes clip to hold those little papers and throw in a pen...How do you like these?  Leave a comment....

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Tie it up in style

Here is  another thing to do with all those earrings lying around in your cupboard. The other thing you will need to make up this curtain tie-up is ribbon.

Funky or traditional... your choice. Just poke the earrings right through the ribbon. After all you never know what other use you may put it to.... maybe even wear it sometime? I'd love to hear your ideas on what you'd do with your earrings. Leave a comment...do!

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