Jay Kanhaiya Lal Ki.....

At the knock of festivals, thoughts creep in and my mind starts racing and eyeing for ways to lend an added sparkle in the home. Almost every Hindu family celebrate this day to welcome Lord Krishna in the world, mine is not an exception. I have tried to sizzle up the temple room with some classy and tasteful arrangements for tomorrow’s festivities. Few ornamental brass and blinking lights will create the festive magic in minutes. Here are the visual pleasures I have added in our temple room to boost the festive cheer in the home as we get ready to celebrate birthday of Lord Krishna.

 
As I always chew on creating something new and wonderful in something you already have. You may have noticed few of the pieces already on my facebook Page, my brass wares proudly evolve around my home décor. Here also, I pulled out my brass (you know, I don’t need any festive reason) and layered them in grouping.  Few diyas with extra flickering lights and flowers highly influence the look of a festive décor.

 

Instead of any wall hangings in the room, I opted for an old antique copper Krishna statue we have had with us as our wedding gift, which is placed on a “bajoth” to enhance the piousness in the temple room.  My Brass plate is adorned with few colourful roses to give an extra splash of colours on the vignette.

 

To add more ethnic touch, I have covered the table with the brocade wall hanging I had for use in the temple.  You can opt for your fancy dupattas or sarees for the base of any table to bring the traditional dash and wonders to your overall adornment.

My Bal Gopalji to whom I serve and please every morning is also ready with a beaming pleasure to cast a spell with his flute and morpinch (peacock feather). Fancy diyas and stored away accessories are the elements that extols the joy of the festive season. Smarten the room with what you have to create the fancy.

Peanut Sukhadi for "Prasad"

I also managed to squeeze in rangoli in one corner of the temple. Few droplets of food coloring and rice will lead your way to any desired design you have in your mind.

Bring some cheer this festive season by stealing these bite size ideas for your home. Outlining your space with your own unique signature will lead you to the rightness of the décor. You don’t have to spend inordinate amount of time to get ready. Just tap into your inner decorista, and you will be ready to rest a spell in your home for “Janmashtmi”. Hope you all have a wonderful celebration. Few cheerful posts are lined up next, so make sure you are connected on facebook until we meet again, toodles!

Summing up the solitude

Here I am, leisurely hitting the ground running after the roller coaster of a sweltering hot weekend. Toronto is sizzling under the heat wave for the rest of the week but might as well enjoy before I enter in my fall nesting mode ;)

Our home, for now, is empty as kids are shipped off for an interesting venture of a whole week camping, leaving just two of us around in the home. Unleashing all the bottled up wishes of being “alone” and enjoying every bit of it. Savouring our freedom by treating ourselves more than often dinner dates with that chilled (all mine) Piña colada ;), long breezy walks and late night movies. Though, it had made us sense how lonely we will be when we get the label of ‘new empty nesters’ with our first child leaving us in couple of days to start new journey of her life. Comforting thought of having the younger one, the recipient of all well needed attention, is still with us and it's enough to restore our souls.

We both have hard time clutching the fact that kids are old enough to face the world on their own. Though, this detachment will expose new ways of thinking and learning for them along with new opportunities waiting to be tackled from the reality of their comfort zone. Quite positive that everything instilled in them until now, will have them ready to face the new world challenges.

 Though, I get much time without having to worry about cooking, feeding, cleaning, this solitude mode of life is now serving us an opportunity to build and find ourselves. Along with the pleasure, much needed task at home front also got taken care for. And as you know, that led me to spend some inordinate amount of time in doing what I love the most. Our Guest Room is shaping up and I can hardly wait to share it with you all.

Extra shopping hours could have led the budget to break its own boundaries, but I tried to stay contained with what I have. Few long forgotten pieces were brought back in to the life by resting on the coffee table. 'Swastika Ganesh' came home as a gift more than a decade ago, which is presently adding the aesthetic beauty and charm. Tried to boost up the appeal by adding few more brass after exploring many different ways. The flickering light contributes stunningly impactful appeal on the vignette. Few pieces of my collection have sentimental attachments and others like the ’Swastik Diya’ was added to the collection from a recent puja ceremony at my friend’s.

 

My collection is growing and going but I don’t ever want it to complete. I cluster my finds in clever ways that allow each item with even great decorative value that it might otherwise have. I hunt for something new and wonderful in something I already have. Eco-friendly decorating is to be able to see the prospective in existing pieces. Of course, the pieces have to be styled and edited instead of covered and cluttered taking up space in your closets or basements.  

Empty moments and mummy thoughts led me to loosen up the emotional apron strings here. For now, this free bird 'mom' is getting back to dreaming of those frequent, tighter, and loving hugs from kids until we bring them home.

 
Until we meet again, stay connected on Facebook, instagram or Pinterest pages of my passion, toodles.

 

Spring is in the air

Happy Sunday folks, finally Spring is in the air. Toronto was soaked up in wet and muggy shower kind of weather but honestly, the weather has whisked me away, I feel I have rediscover myself after a long hiatus. The first trace of dawn in bed is surprised with whistling and chirping of bird songs outside, a hot cup of my ginger tea is enjoyed with occasional visitors in the pond of my backyard and evening is indulged by trailing off for a long briskly walk breathing in the pleasant air.

 Mr. Sun is perking up in little corners of the home and enveloping us in a bear hug. My spring blooms adopt a perfect look in the sunshine adding bonus of enjoying spring.  

This little transition has rekindled my love affair with Mother Nature.  Surveying these scenes create a new surge of assurance that warm days are just around the corner after big hangover of wintery days.  I am determined not to mess up with this chance of warm spring weather ahead and enjoy it with my happy-to-be attitude!  Wish you all a very happy week ahead, I know I will have a good one as my weather bug has all double digits Celsius lined up for me :)

Until we meet again, toodles!