Liven Things Up....

Dec 11, 2010

Dastkari Haat - the festival of arts and crafts.

The much eagerly awaited Dastkari Haat, a festival organized by Dastkari Haat Samiti and the Kalakshetra Foundation is back in Chennai this year with its promise of ethnic arts and wide range of handcrafted products. There is also a special event named Akshara (meaning "the word") , unique exposition of regional calligraphy on crafts, textiles and arts.

The pathway was filled with paper Lanterns
decorated with dry leaves and seeds..

The history of word explained...

There are around 100s of stalls, all packed with India's rich heritage of handicrafts and handlooms and what you see in each and every stall is really breathtaking - It clearly out beats any other craft festival that is conducted in the city. Guess I will stop with this and let the pictures do all the talking.... !!

Beautifully -painted terracotta products from Delhi...

Their colorful piggy banks were fast selling... !!

I got one of these for myself ;-)

Terracotta chimes decorated with colorful beads..

Black Longpi pottery from Manipur..

Pipes - in bull horn shape...

The Hookah with a human face was an interesting

feature in the shop...

Quilt patchwork in vibrant colors... !!

Wide range of terracotta tea pots & cups..

Glass bottles with colorfully painted figures ....

Bangles made of palm leaves from KanyaKumari.

Baskets made of palm leaves and other natural products.

Bells with Christmas themes.. !

Colorful paper lanterns... will make great festive decor.. !!

The raja-rani puppets from Rajasthan .

Kites in various shapes with animal figures,
and geometric patterns on them .

Pottery from Uttar Pradesh... I spend more time and money
in this shop... !!

The way the exhibition is organized by Kalakshetra in a well-organized manner, adds to the charm. Along with the art and craft exhibition, there are also various daytime and evening dance performances. The exhibition is open till Dec 13 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Kalakshetra Foundation, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai.

A beautifully set stage for the performances...

Performers singing a rajasthani folk song...,

which I enjoyed though I never understood a word... ;-)

Special thanks to Divya of Sound Horn Please for letting me know about the wonderful Dastkari Haat. Divya - This post is dedicated to you & your lovely blog..;-) ;-) !!

Dec 5, 2010

The Enchanting Evergreen Christmas Centre!

The festival season would be rather incomplete if I do not write a post about my favorite Christmas decor shop - Evergreen Christmas Centre, Chennai. This shop is a Xmas-loving person's dream; walking into this store makes one feel as if you are in an an enchanted world of fairy lights, decorations,artificial snowflakes and coniferous trees...Most importantly, I like the way each item is presented in this store, it really evokes the festive spirit in yourself, right from the moment you step into the store.

I have been visiting this shop for the past four years for getting Xmas decor for my friends , parents, for buying gifts - And I can never recall a situation where I have returned empty-handed; Somehow or the other I have been tempted to buy something for myself... !! The shop has the biggest selection of Xmas decor that can be found at one place in Chennai. Be it be artificial trees, wreaths, glass ornaments, candy sticks or santa claus ... name the item you want, you will find it here...

A shelf stacked with ceramic cribs and nativity scenes..

Santa aboard on a train...

This is one piece that I fell in love with -

Listed as must buy for next year's Xmas .... ;-)

Lovely christmas broom on a tree...

Miniature trees , wreaths, handmade ornaments -

the possibilities here are endless.... !

White Christmas.... ;-) ... The angel in red is

another of my favorites...

The shop is located at Ethiraj Salai, Egmore, Chennai and operates during the christmas season - they start sales from 1st week of November and last till January.In short Evergreen Christmas centre is all about the best and irresistible Christmas ornaments and decorative items.

Dec 3, 2010

Christmas Centerpieces - 2

A simple table centerpiece of handmade flowers brightens up your day...

Glass bowls with the flowers arranged on top ...

Xmas decor in traditional red and greens...

If you would like to know how to make these flowers by

yourself, see the tutorial here

Have a great weekend everyone...!!!

I am linking this to December Carnival at the Key Bunch, and to the blog party at my blog .

DIY : Poinsettia flowers

Last Christmas, I remember looking for some artificial poinsettia flowers but couldn't find one... So I ended up in making my own ... I know that they don't look exactly look like the natural poinsettia flowers. but I couldn't be without having the bright poinsettia flowers as a part of my Xmas decor..... So here are the step by step instructions in case you are interested in making one...

Supplies Needed :

Red Floral Foam (Available in all craft stores)
Pollen Grains (Available in all craft stores)
Scissors
Fabric Glue

Cut a petal like pattern from the red foam as shown above. Emboss vein like patterns on the foam petal, with the tip of the scissors. Make 6 petals in the similar manner.

Cut a small triangle portion from the foam, and glue the petals to it one by one.

After pasting 3-4 petals, glue the pollen grains at the center. If pollen grains are not available, then small beads or other embellishments can also be used. Rub off any excess glue with the help of a cotton ear bud.

The original poinsettia has star-shaped flowers in a layered pattern. Here, I have made a single layer in the flower, you can add to it if needed.

Dec 2, 2010

Christmas Centerpieces - 1

Show off your favorite ornaments this festival season, by arranging them randomly in a tray to create beautiful centerpieces... !!

The Xmas tree ornament is made of felt... - Itz' one of my favorites; I got it from Daiso during my short-but-memorable stay in Japan...

I have arranged the ornaments in an ordinary glass tray filled with pebbles...

Red and green - the color of the season....

A few baubles too...

I also added a few snowflakes to brighten up the arrangement ....;-) ;-)

I am linking this to December Carnival at the Key Bunch, Show and Tell Party and to the blog party at my blog .

Dec 1, 2010

Spreading the festive cheer .... ;-)

With the holiday mood and festive spirit everywhere,, I had to share these beautiful DIY ideas with you all from Better Homes and Gardens, which is one of my favorite websites with loads and loads of lovely ideas.. !! They are also conducting a photo contest of Handmade Christmas ornaments, for which they are offering a grand prize of 1000$. So do rush in, join the contest and also share your gorgeous ideas and half of the cash prize with me ... ;-) ;-) ....!!