Inspiring Virtual World - "Design Decor & Disha"

Through out life we come across so many persons who inspire us with their thoughts and make us follow their foot steps. I also have such an experience. I am an art and craft enthusiast and once I stumbled across her blog when I was searching something on Google. She is Disha Mishra Dubey and she blogs at "Design Decor & Disha". She is a very talented and creative person. I think she is an artist from heart.  She is a DIY queen according to me. One can get lots of ideas about Art, Craft, Decor, Interior, Creativity, Gardening from her blog Design Decor & Disha.

Disha inspires me to a great extent. Two years before when I gave her two pictures of two items that I had made by following the tutorials given by her in her blog she was very very happy and encouraged me a lot. Not only that she wholeheartedly even published my garden and Diwali pictures in her blog.  

I believe that if we learn something from someone then the first credit should be always given to that person who first made it. So today I am sharing some items at my place that are truly inspired from her DIY work. 

Sunburst Mirror, it's adorning the main wall in my bedroom. 

Cold drink bottles converted into planters...They add more colours to my small balcony garden. 

Bird house made of plastic food container and straw...

She had used handmade straws made out of newspaper and I have used original straw. 

Coconut shell planters...They are the eye catcher in my garden...

These are few things that I have made, are just glimpse of her work. For more information and ideas you can visit her blog Design Decor & Disha  or Facebook page 3D Design Decor & Disha. 

Spring is here...

“The day the Lord created hope 

was probably the same day he created Spring.” 

- Bern Williams

It's Spring time. A beautiful time of the year is here again when nature wakes up from its long sleep of winter and welcomes life back again with so many colorful flowers. Just in love with these days…pleasant morning, soothing noon, calm and cold evening and very comfortable night. It’s the most pleasant season. After the fall of leaves and withered look of winter, spring welcomes life, joy and freshness. Everywhere beautiful flowers and new fresh green leaves. Each garden looks so lively and joyous with the dazzling colors of flowers. They add an alluring beauty with their lovely colors and fragrance. This season is known as Basant Ritu in India. The place where I live, this season is celebrated with a flower exhibition each year and is named as Basant Mahotsav (Festival). Lets celebrate this season with few pictures of Basant Mahotsav. 

Chrysanthemum at its best. Just love their shades...

Some glorious flowers of winter and spring...

Each flower speaks if you have the eyes to read...

Aren't they very very beautiful...

The main attraction of this year festival...

These animals and birds are all made of flowers. The base used for these is the green sponge that florists use to tag flowers or also known as floral foams.

Some Bonsai trees. All these are more than thirty year old trees and less than one feet height. Someday I'll must try to make one :).

These flowers and plants were breathtaking beautiful. They all just took my heart and filled new life, new joy and new hope :) :).

DIY Chalkboard

Hello everyone…

Do anyone of you have any childhood memories attached with blackboard in the school days. I have so many memories that if I’ll share here you all will get bored. Always had a wish to have a small black board at home that can be used as notice board or to note down things. 

Yes you all are guessing it right. I have made a small chalk board and not only that, have some more items with chalk board paint on it. Here I am going to share how you can make your own chalk board painted items. 

It's a very easy DIY project. Mainly two items are required to make a chalk board painted item acrylic colour and white Portland cement. Some white Portland cement was left with me after making the mosaic bottle and coasters. How to make mosaic art you can find the tutorial here. I did the chalk board paint on a hit and trial basis first on a bottle and the result was good, then I followed the same steps for making a notice board. Now this board is adorning a corner wall of my kitchen. Here is the tutorial for you all. 

Items required

1- A base that you want to paint 
2- Fevicryl Acrylic Paint (Any colour you want)
3- White Portland Cement
4- Paint Brush
5- Sand Paper
6- Oil (I used mustard oil)
7- Cotton
8- Water
9- A spoon for measurement
10- A pot to make the mixture

Step-1
Mix equal quantity of cement, acrylic colour and few drops of water.

Step-2
Apply first coat of the paint. It will take 5 to 10 minutes to dry. 

Step-3

Apply the second coat. Let it dry completely. It will take more time to dry in comparison to the first coat. Try to apply the colour as smoothly as possible.

Step-4
Once it dries completely and you feel that it is not smooth, then rub it with fine sand paper.

Step-5
Then rub the whole surface with mustard oil and cotton. And then it's ready.

Some more items at my place with chalk board paint. A melamine plate converted into a serving plate by applying red chalk board paint. 

My first try was on a bottle. Though Chalk board paint on bottle is a borrowed idea. Just love the outcome. Happy me :) ..

I found that the smoother the surface on which we are going to apply the paint the better the outcome is. So try it and I am looking for you feed backs.

My Abode in the Colours of Holi

Every festival has its own characteristics and charm. HOLI is one of them. I am basically from Odisha, where Holi is famous for Dola Purnima and Dola Yatra. On this occasion the idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra are worshiped. The idols are placed in a palanquin locally known as Bimana and is taken out in a procession around the main streets of the city. Then they are worshiped by devotees in most of the house from where they pass by. 

Holi used to be such a Vibrant, Wild, Messy and Adventurous festival. Every one of us has some childhood memories of Holi. Just love playing colours with family, friends and neighbours. As kids we (me and my elder brother) after all the repeated warnings of parents still used to play with all the synthetic colours. Now it is limited to only a formal Holika Dahan in the society where we stay and some family get together. 

Holi was just full of fun and I have clear images of
Holika Dahan a day before Holi,
so many delicious food and thandai,
preparing water balloons and potato stamp by writing Gadha (Donkey) on it,
not able to identify even your known one after playing with colours,
wasting extra gallons of water and time to remove the colours,
a day after Holi showing the after wash still colour full hands to friends in school and discussing who played more with colours this time,
colour coming out of hair still after 7 days of holi,
and many more...

Few pics of this Holi from my home...

Green Gram Fritters - Moong Ke Pakode

Hi there...
I am back with a popular Indian snack for your winter and rainy evenings. Green gram fritters...yes the popular Moong Ke Pakode. It can also be made using Yellow gram but Green gram is preferred at my place, as with skin it's healthier than the former one :) .

Ingredients :
1- Soaked Green Gram 1 & 1/2 cup
2- Gram Flour 1/2 cup
3- Chopped Onion 1 cup
4- Ginger 1 inch piece (Finely Chopped)
5- Green Chilies (According to your taste buds)
6- Salt (According to taste buds)
7- Carom Seeds (Ajwain) 1/2 teaspoon
8- Oil for Frying

Method

Step-1

Soak the green gram for 3 to 4 hours then wash it properly and coarsely grind it. After this mix all the ingredients except oil and make a dough. 

Step-2

Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Then fry the fritters in medium flame till golden brown. 

Step-3

Now it's ready, if you want sprinkle some chat masala on it and serve it with sauce or chutney of your choice. 

So enjoy this easy Indian snack :) . 

What's more required when it's raining outside... feeling chilled inside...loved one by your side...this in one hand and a cup of tea in the other :) .