Inspiring Eminent Blogger: Ritu Dua

Today on 3D I am featuring a multi talented artist Ritu Dua who blogs over at 'Beneath My Heart Art'. Ritu is a wonderful artist and a very humble human being who has a dream of helping society and underprivileged children. Read on her interview and let her know what do you think about her dreams and passion.

Welcome Ritu, It feels so good that you are sharing something about you and your passion here on Design Decor & Disha. Please let us know little more about you.

Disha, thanks for giving me this chance to be here . I am humbled.

I have been a banker and a teacher but art and colors have been my all-time passion. I have loved to draw and paint since I was a kid. Right now, I have allowed myself to be drifted away with the flow of paints and my imagination and thoughts. It’s not only art that fascinates me but anything that is related to being creative makes my little heart smile.

Ritu's Krishna Painting

When and how you realized your passion about Painting.

As I said earlier, it has always been there! I engaged myself in other jobs but the urge to create has always been a part of my routine. I have been blessed with a wonderful husband and am a proud mum of two amazing sons…touch wood…and they have been a constant source of inspiration to me. I have realized that it is when I immerse myself in my art that I discover the real ME within me and this certainly lifts my spirits up.

Budhha Painting

How you stepped into a blogging world. In what ways has blogging affected your passion.

If art is my first love, writing is second. Actually they run parallel to each other. Writing had always been in my heart like a candle ready to be kindled. So, it was last year in April that my elder son asked me to step into this wonderful world of blogging and I am extremely happy that I did.

My blog…Beneath my heart…Art…has not only enabled me to satisfy my lust for art but has also allowed me to pour my heart out in the form of my writings. I am at awe after entering this amazing world of blogging…such creativity…so much talent…I fall short of words.

And I would love to mention that in this journey of less than a year, I have met so many wonderful people here. Though we are all physically distant but I think this bond that art and creativity has created, is strong enough to hold us together for years to come and you Disha are one such beautiful friend I have.

Tangle Art done by Ritu

Thanks Ritu I am touched. Even I feel the same . Ok now I'll come to my next question how many mediums and techniques of painting you have worked on.

I have tried my hands on various mediums, I find water colors quite magical, the acrylics charm me with their brightness and the oil paints with their richness. But I feel mixed media is my forte and my fingers are my favorite tool. I have also worked with nib and pen, especially while doing zentangles.

A few months back I attended some sculpture classes and had the chance to work with clay. Oh, I must tell you that it is such an amazing feeling when your fingers play with that creamy cold clay. I found it quite an unforgettable experience.

Ritu's wonderful experience with clay

When I was in Tanzania, I worked with an interior designer and created some large murals for a penthouse. I would cherish those creative moments forever.

I also love creating art from trash. While in Delhi I associated myself with an NGO and held a workshop for under privileged children teaching them to create artistic things from waste.

So basically it is anything artistic, colorful and creative that makes my world go round.

Beautifuly done Kettle by Ritu

Which one is your favorite medium and why.

I love doing artwork in mixed media. It not only gives me freedom to play with so many mediums in one go but also satisfies my urge to create differently. It helps me to translate all my ideas into reality. In the process I achieve a result which is enhanced by the properties of various mediums and is much beyond what I could have achieved using only one medium.

In short I find mixed media quite adventurous as it allows me to paint my own rainbows.

What inspires you to paint. Is it nature, human, everyday life or something else.

I get quite intrigued by faces...faces that evoke beauty, love and tranquility.

Chirping birds (peacocks being my favorite), bright flowers, tranquil sea, white fluffy clouds …oh the list is non-exhaustive.

I also get fascinated by all things Indian …various forms of folk art in bright and cheerful colors.

Peacock painting: Ritu's fascination for birds

What other than Painting excites you.

I love cooking too. We are pure vegetarians and I love trying out different dishes.

Cooking wholesome, colorful and healthy meals for my family and friends gives my pleasure abound.

The sight of bright colorful vegetables in the market enchants me.

I don’t refrain myself from giving my cooking a touch of my art.

After all cooking is a form of art too.

Besides this,I like to decorate my house and try to create an ambiance that makes me and my family delighted after a tiresome day.

Please share the links where we can find your Art work and where my blog readers can get connected with you.

My Blog : Beneath my heart…Art

You can also connect with me on my Facebook page Beneath My Heart Art

Which blogs inspire you and you love to visit them regularly.

This is a very difficult question because there are so many bloggers out there and each one of them has their own style of writing and doing things. They all touch my heart in some way or the other. I derive so much pleasure visiting them and having a glance at their beautiful creative world.

Last but not the least, as everyone dreams of being something in life, what you have dreamed of.

Oh Disha this is the loveliest question you have asked. Each day I want to wake up with a smile and go after life…live it, paint it in my own way, feel it and celebrate it and that’s it.

I would like to open an Art café where people like me can come and live some unforgettable moments filled with cheerful colors. I also wish to pay back to society by helping children who are not so blessed by sharing a part of my resources with them, educating them and helping them live a happy life.

Thanks Disha for having me here.

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Wow that was so inspiring and nice interview with a lovely lady Ritu. Thanks once again Ritu for taking out sometime for answering all my questions.

Well like Ritu sometimes I also allow myself to be drifted away with the flow of paints and result is always soul satisfying. Here is artwork that I had done years ago and then one fine day decided to dip my fingers in color and gave facelift to it.

Art done by me

See y'all untill next time. Enjoy your week and in case you have missed earlier interviews here the links are:

1. Interview with Tangle Artist Himadri Pachori

2. Interview with Quilling artist Suganthi

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Tin Ceiling Shelf

 If you have a good memory and have been following me for a while, you might remember when we returned from a Kansas visit. (My son lives in Kansas)




We always go antiquing along the way and picked a whole SUV load of goodies that we brought back.





Can you spy what is on top of the pile? Above all the cool pillar parts that is.







Yep, it's a cool piece of antique tin ceiling cove

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Our Master Bath's New Look!

I *say* new, even though this was done quite awhile ago ... my absent-minded self just forgot to share it with you!  Oops.

Anywaaaay ... *some* of you may remember when my husband and neighbor removed this "lone" cabinet in our kitchen so that I could replace it with shelves that I made (which, I'm happy to report still haven't come crashing down ... yet, lol):

Well, here we are ... almost two years later, and I can't believe I never showed you where we placed the cabinet after removing it from the kitchen!  

Here it is!  It's now in our master bath, being used as our linen cabinet!

Do you recognize the cabinet below it?  It *used* to look like this in our sitting room:

That was ... until my paint brush soaked with Annie Sloane's Old White, along with Duck Egg (followed by dark wax) attacked it!

It's the perfect little chest to go under the cabinets and serves as a great spot to display my perfumes:

And, before I show you the other changes in this space, let's have a gander at what this room looked like after we first moved in 6 years ago, shall we?  Well, *hellerrr* reds, golds and greens!

I loved that color combo for years!  THEN, as my tastes were starting to migrate towards blues and browns, I changed it to THIS (by adding two mirrors in place of the large one ... and adding a fun vinyl art, along with new lights and fun rug).  The blue chest is now in the sitting room:

Then, THIS latest change happened ... besides adding the kitchen cabinet, I also painted the mirrors to match the newly painted accent chest.  I also painted the vanity lights AND, I painted the cabinets Annie Sloane's Old White.  We also just recently had the room painted BM's White Sand to match our master bedroom:

It's so much lighter and brighter in here now that the cabinets are painted ... I love it (so do my faux hydrangeas ... just *look* at how they are blooming, wow)!

I kept the wall art in between the newly painted mirrors, which I made by simply wrapping leftover fabric (from the shower curtain and window valance) around inexpensive canvases I bought at Michael's:   

I added a cute, fun rug that I recently spotted at where else(??) ... Home Goods:

Our 2x2 shower area remains the same since its last makeover.  Although, I did recently find these great, striped towels from HomeGoods that seem to match the fabric really well! 

The garden tub has new art above it,

along with a cute shelf from Home Goods:

I have a couple more things that I'd like to do in here, which I hope to share soon!

Just for fun ... let's look one more time at what my taste was a few years ago:

And, what it is now:

Wow, what a difference a few years can make!  LOL

Thanks so much for stopping by ... have a fabulous weekend!

I'm partying with fun friends here:

Savvy Southern Style/WUW

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Living Room Decor

Few days ago I updated on my Facebook Page 3D Design Decor & Disha that I have rearranged and gave a completely new look to my living room. Here is a post that I promised for.

Earlier seating arrangement in my living room was on the other side of the room where it partially blocked the way to terrace as you can see in the picture below. You can see more pictures here.

Sometimes rearranging furniture in any room can make it appear completely new and arranging furniture in a good way is the secret to make it spacious too. I shifted whole seating arrangement to the other side of the room and it worked. Room is now looking more spacious, pleasing and inviting.

Now I keep my terrace door always open and the result is room filled with natural light and fresh air that makes me even more happy.

Keeping some green and flowering plants in a tray with aromatherapy essential oil fill the room with soul refreshing aroma and work as a stress buster place in a room. Picture gallery wall brings lot of memories back and make me smile every time I look at them. 

Here entrance wall has got a new mirror that my sweet little sister got me from her trip to marvelous Bhedaghat in M.P. This is the view of room from entrance.

Entrance sets a tone for the rest of the home. This mirror made of shells and conch is perfect for summers and look stunning against my mango yellow wall. Separate post on this mirror will be a good idea.

Next posts will be on my weekend project and of course about this shell mirror. So stay tuned!!
Wish you a very happy and creative weekend!!

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Shabby is Better!

I am overjoyed




with the outcome





 
of this chair and slipcover!


Wait till you see it!


Initially, this chair looked like this...


Fairly new upholstery and very comfortable plus sturdy, this chair however, was not the look I was thinking of.



I painted the arms and legs with Annie Sloan Old White Chalk Paint then sealed it with Minwax Polycrylic. I love both of these products

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Winter Be Gone!

That's right, friends ... even though it's cold and still feeling like winter OUTside ... according to our mantel ... the warmer temps have arrived ... the bunnies are hopping ... the *faux* florals are blooming ... annnnnd, the fake eggs are out in full force!  

I'm hoping maybe ... just MAYbe ... that these Spring touches I've added will grab Mother Nature's attention and encourage her to move the season along!

I mean, after all ... our pretty, faux plants from IKEA should help scare the cold temps away, right?!

And, this sweet "bunny in a basket" ornament and faux flowers from Michael's should make old man winter go into hiding! 

And, naturally, these seasonal pastel malted milk balls will entice Spring to come closer, right?!

Look ... even our little bunnies have had enough by showing that they "shalt" not "hear, see or speak" of winter ANY more!

If that still doesn't send winter away, hopefully, our egg wreath (from Home Goods) will help to do the trick!

If not, our banner (from Target) announcing SPRING will certainly let Mother Nature know that enough is enough!

I say that we all join forces by pulling out our eggs, bunnies, florals and anything SPRING to help make winter disappear(!)... whaddaya think?  No way will it want to stick around if we all ban together!  I'll be eagerly waiting to see all that you do!

Until then, I'll just stare at our mantel a bit longer and see what happens!  LOL

As always, thanks so much for stopping by!

I'm off to play here:

Savvy Southern Style/WUW
Eclectically Vintage/Spring Link Party

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Monthly Round Up!!

Here is a round up of what I talked and shared about on my blog this month.

1. Earlier this month I shared how sometimes my son and I spend quality time together doing something creative  and that is 'Moment of Creativity & Togetherness'.

2. Then there was an interview with talented quilling artist Suganthi. Who shared something about herself and her artwork. Check out 'Inspiring Emonent Blogger: Suganthi'.

3. As it was month of Love so I shared some on my blog. See my quilled heart love tree here

4. On Valentine's day I set table for two. See how my Valentine's Day tablescape was spreading love and was creating romantic ambiance.

5. Do you love rearranging your home quite often. Want to do contemporary decor this time, then you will surely love this post on 'Contemporary Interiors'.

6. Then I shared some useful tips and of course bit unusual ones. Go through the post 'Unusual Uses Of Toothpaste'.

See you all next month with some inspiring, creative and interesting posts. Stay tuned!!!

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