Friday, April 30, 2010

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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Wednesday, April 28, 2010

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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Monday, April 26, 2010

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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Sunday, April 25, 2010

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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Wednesday, April 21, 2010

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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Sunday, April 18, 2010

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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Friday, April 16, 2010

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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Thursday, April 15, 2010

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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Tuesday, April 13, 2010

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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Sunday, April 11, 2010

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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Wednesday, April 7, 2010

A pot of leaves... and a shop called Lotus....

Glamorous gold highlighted with copper sulphate blue... Delicious!

This composition is gloriously Indian...The mango leaves, which have been dried and dyed gold are from Lotus - more about that below- I've just added the blue tanjore beads to give it oomph... Looks beautiful doesn't it? Great festival decor.
Now, I'll tell you a little about the shop called LOTUS. Tucked intoa little nook in Manjari gardens in Kotturpuram is this little craft shop called Lotus. I just love browsing there for stuff, ideas, more stuff, more ideas...Here are some things you get there, which makes it a true treasure trove.


The gift wrapping papers are to die for. As for the earrings,  keyrings and stuff...  droolworthy.  Sometimes I just go there to be among the pretty things in life. They make things to order too...
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Junk art sent by a reader...

There are just so many people out there who are so creative, and I am delighted to display these pictures of a pen stand created by a reader. She has used a wedding invitation, some cardboard and a lid to create this piece of  "junk art" as she calls it..


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Tuesday, April 6, 2010

A leaf out of Nature's book

This piece of DIY is based quite literally on a leaf...


This was a temporary piece of decor, which I had for a while. I had stuck the decorative beads with Bostik (anabond), which is removable. Leaves, cleaned and dried well can be used as invites, menu cards at home parties or even nameplates. For a more permanent display, spray or paint 2 coats of clear varnish, drying the leaf between coats. The banner for this blog was done on the stem of a banana tree.
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Sunday, April 4, 2010

Styling with wood and a touch of metal

Wood and metal and a touch of colour... looks elegant; doesn't it? The colour palette is largely warm with a touch of cool blue. What is your colour palette? Post a comment...


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Thursday, April 1, 2010

Creative doorstops

Every balcony needs a doorstop to prevent doors slamming on the windy day. In the days gone by doorstops were actually made - stitched and filled with sand. I actually found the handmade doorstop much more effective than the metal ones attached to the door. Take a look at the one below; it's served me for more than two years, braving the whipping wind which whistles through the house, often upsetting objects in its way!

In keeping with the garden theme, I've left the pot as is, weather beaten and chipped; I think it looks lovely weather-worn. As you can see this is a simple piece of DIY decor.... just fill a little pot with coloured pebbles
(you'll find them in all stores selling aquarium supplies and it is cheap!) and sit it against the open door. DIY at its best! You can wrap a ribbon or raffia around its neck for extra oomph!!
 I also have a very roughly stitched doorstop which I use inside my house. This  one, featured below has stood guard at my bedroom door for about 3 years now.



I stitched a bag with some thick leftover cloth, attached an old cross stitch piece I had made, filled it with coloured pebbles (to which I added a few drops of essential oil ) and rougly hemmed it. For a handle, I stitched a panel of red felt. We rough use it and it still looks and smells good!
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