Time for a Small Change ...

Greetings, friends.  

So, tell me ... when you're ready to create a new vignette, where do you go for inspiration?  Do you go visit your favorite blogs ... logon to Pinterest ... pick up your favorite magazine and thumb through the pages ... or, just play, play, play until you get it semi-right?  If you're like me, you'll probably say "all of the above!"  

Such is the case with the new, simple vignette I created on the counter in our kitchen.  If you've logged on to Pinterest even just *one* time, you've probably seen this absolutely amazing image from Heather Bullard's fabulous kitchen (source: http://heatherbullard.com/2012/03/kitchen-corner-shelf/):

I love everything about it ... the brightness ... pops of color AND the fact that there are already a few common elements between hers and mine, such as the bead board backsplash and white, wooden shelves.  I love the vignette she created in her beautiful woven basket ... I knew I wanted to do something similar:

I started with a pretty woven basket I had on hand (from Home Goods):

And, while I wish I had Heather's awesome collection of bread and cutting boards to layer in the back, um, I don't.  So, the ones I had on hand will have to do ... for now, anyway:  

I then added a couple of coffee cups with a pretty beaded detail ...

along with a few matching dishes, including these pretty bowls (all from Tuesday Morning).  And, like in my inspiration picture, I just *had* to add a few  lemons and limes for the perfect pop of color (although, mine are fake ... surprise, surprise, right?):

I also moved the pitcher filled with utensils on over from beside the stove:

And, here's what it all looks like:

And, as a side note ... once I finished my little vignette, I decided to bring out three extra glass canisters I wasn't using ... love how it all complements each other:

Until the "next" vignette starts to unfold ...

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by,

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DIY: Mineral Water Can Planter

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How was your weekend friends. Mine was very busy and creative one. Here I am with this month's DIY project. I had this mineral water can lying unused since ages and if you know me well then you must be aware that I love hoarding junk. 

This water can had grown algae inside it and was in very bad shape. I would have thrown it in trash but then an idea sparked and I turned it into a pretty planter. Wanna see how....lets check out...

Here is an ugly almost gone water can.

Then I cut open it's upper part and thought I should have thrown it but then I washed it thoroughly and I felt like I can do something of it.

I drew some pattern on it with marker and then traced the pattern with hot glue.

Pattern on the water can looks like it is embossed. 

Here is a different view of the can. Then I painted it in green and Voila!!!!

Here it is.............. sitting  beautifully in my garden.

Then bringing it inside the home was a better idea. So here is it's new place. Next to my dresser.

Giving it company is my Madhubani pot.  Pretty isn't it. I like it. I am glad how it turned out.

Closer look at pattern. I could have hot glued more patterns but then I became desperate to finish the project.

What do you think. Will you try this. If yes then do share your images.

Stay tuned to know about some unusual uses of things. Have a fabulous week!!
Keep creating! Keep recycling!

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Feed Sack Chair

Through this past year, I have collected several old feed sacks. I have made pillows with some of them...




Covered a chair seat with them with one of them...


Even recovered a child's rocker with one of them...


 Actually there are so many things you can do with them including making a lining out of them for a rolling cart...See it down in the larger picture with the pillow sticking out

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Creative NEST Picture

In the winter, Hubby and I get a bit of cabin fever and we go antiquing and junkin'.

We can usually just do a day trip and hit places that are not in our town that we don't visit all that often.





As luck would have it, and on the very first stop, we got most of our purchases.

Hubby found an aluminum ladle and I knew I could do something fun with it.






Next I found (all bundled

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Online Magazine Feature

It's a pleasure when I am asked to be featured!


 Not me really, but the CUPOLA that I have in my yard made from old windows. How about you go and see where I am! Just click on the picture!

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Inspiring Eminent Blogger: Deepti Mittal

Any guesses who is going to join us today. Well well well.....let me introduce you all enthusiastic readers out there. Joining us today is Deepti Mittal an Indian Folk Fusion artist who is painting Madhubani for more than 20 years now and is currently residing in USA.

Welcome Deepti, it feels so proud to have you here on Design Decor & Disha. Please let us know little more about you.
Thank you Disha for having me here.
I am an MBA Finance Gold Medalist from Christ College, Bangalore. I started as an analyst with CB
Richard Ellis in Bangalore in the year 2008 where I worked for 2 years. After getting married in Nov
2010, I moved to USA where I am residing currently.

Meet the artist Deepti Mittal

That's very impressive Deepti. You are an amazing Madhubani artist I have ever come across. When and how you realized your passion about Madhubani .
I was born and raised in Bihar where this art finds its origins. My mom played pivotal role in
introducing me to Madhubani Painting when I was just seven years old. Ever since then, practicing
this form of art has been a parallel routine. I started with making greeting cards for Birthdays and
Anniversaries as my mom insisted that we give hand-made cards to family on occasions. From there
on, I slowly moved on to even painting sarees, kurtas, etc. The vibrant, rustic patterns of this style
have always thrilled me and I take creative liberty in tweaking its innate styles to create new ones.

Artwork by Deepti Mittal

Great you started painting Madhubani at the tender age of seven. You have come long way.
You have a Google site also. Can you talk about what prompted you to start the
site. In what ways has it affected your passion for art.
Actually I fortuitously happened to create a Google site which now I am quite glad about. When I
started painting after coming to USA, I wasn’t sure I wanted to take it up professionally. My husband
helped me create this Google site which was meant for sharing my art work with our families. Later,
when someone asked for my site at exhibitions, this is what I referred them to and it consequently
became my official art site. Although I am planning to register a domain pretty soon.

I am excited to see all your amazing stuff on your own website. Wish you good luck for that.
What are the tools and mediums you have used so far for your paintings.
Brush is the primary tool that I use for all my paintings. Even though line-work (kachani) dominates
in this art, purists don’t use pens/markers which is what creates its beautiful imperfections. Other
than brush, there is a special type of nib that is available in India (mostly in Bihar) which a lot of
artists use for painting on fabric.

A very beautiful creation by Deepti

I have practiced this art in every possible medium such as oil, enamel, water color, acrylic, etc and
have extensively painted on walls, floors, clay pots, fabrics, canvases and now on wood, cardboard,
etc. Owing to its versatility, acrylic remains my favorite medium.

My favorite one. Beautiful painting with some good message by Deepti

Though it's not easy to pick but of all your art pieces which one is your favorite and why.
That’s a tough one as I get obsessed with every piece I paint. I can sit and stare at them for hours
together. It’s funny I know but I do that.
I think, of the lot, the first stool that I painted in 2011 is so far my favorite work. It was a very
complicated project and painting its legs took a lot of effort and time but I was very pleased with the
final result.

Done by Deepti in her own unique style

You represented Madhubani art - an age old art in a very trendy fashion, how did
the idea spark.
I would say following the policy of “Normal is Boring” led to this trendy style as it wasn't a conscious
or deliberate effort.
I was very bored of painting the same styles over and over again. Since I have been doing this art
for 20 years now, you can imagine how mundane it gets to paint the same types of motifs in every
next project. Probably this is why, I started experimenting and have created my own genres which I
call ‘Modern Madhubani’ and ‘Folk Fusion’.

Modern Madhubani by Deepti Mittal

Although looking back, I remember when I was in school, I had painted a couple of earthen pots
which were the left overs from Diwali Pooja. It was appreciated as Madhubani Painting on three
dimensional objects wasn’t very popular then. Also, when I was in college, I had made clay earrings
and painted them in Madhubani style which the veteran artists loved and appreciated. So I guess I
always liked to paint different from the set and popular trends.

Wooden boxes, Photo frames and dresser....list goes on.

I really love your unique style of  'Folk Fusion'. 
What other then painting you love to do in your spare time.
I make videos for my online classes which are very useful in spreading the word about this art
breaking all geographical barriers. I read quite a bit, both related and unrelated to art. I also write,
although have been on a sabbatical for sometime now and I love watching movies.
Also, when not doing serious painting, I do small craft projects which include little DIY crafts, upcycle
art, quilling etc. Of them, upcycle art is what I like the best – its so cool to make beautiful things out
of garbage.

Clay earrings: Deepti's creation 

Please share the links where we can find your Art work and where my blog
readers can get connected with you.
The best place to connect is:
Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/DeeptiDesigns
Website : https://sites.google.com/site/deeptidesignsonline/
Email : deeptinirdesh@gmail.com

Which blogs inspire you and you love to visit them regularly.
I do a lot of reading about art online and keep stumbling over some exuberantly creative material
almost every day. Its overwhelming to see the amount of creative brilliance out there.
However, I have bookmarked the following for regular access
We Lived Happily Ever After
Art Instruction Blog
Darlene Design

Last but not the least, as everyone dreams of being something in life, what you
have dreamed of.
My aim at this point of time is to create art of substance and to keep this fire of insane passion for
art ignited all along…
Thank You Disha!

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Thanks a lot Deepti for joining us. We wish you good luck and successful life ahead.
Now as always I get inspired by all the artists I feature on my blog and can't resist to create my own art piece, this time also I tried to paint Madhubani for the first time. Here's my creation all thanks to Deepti for inspiring me.

My first Madhubani Painting on pot and envelope.

See y'all until the next time. Enjoy your weekend 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

3. Interview with Artist Ritu Dua

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Indian Textile: Part 1 (East & North Indian textile)

I am so happy to know that lot of my blog readers from different countries love to read and know about Indian Art and its culture on my blog. Some of them sent me mails to appreciate my efforts and they wanted to explore more about my country. So here I am with more about a country that is very rich in culture, traditions and heritage 'INDIA'.

Today I am sharing about exquisite Indian textile. Textiles from different parts of the India that is famous across the globe.

Cashmere From Kashmir: 
Cashmere is soft fabric made of wool that is obtained from Kashmir goats Capra Hircus. These goats have double fleece and Cashmere is obtained from the soft undercoat specially from the neck and belly region of the goat that is considered as best quality cashmere. Cashmere fabric is very strong, soft and light weight and is used to make different kind of clothing. This fabric is also known as Pashmina (Pashm is Persian/Urdu word for wool). Due to painstaking process of collecting fibers and weaving yarns, cashmere garments are very expensive. Most popular are Jamavar Shawls with famous paisley pattern.

Image Source: Click Here

Banarasi Brocade:
Banaras or Varanasi is famous for its brocade. This city is one of the rich weaving center in India. Brocade is a shuttle woven fabric. Banarasi brocade is completely distinct where patterns are created in weaving by transfixing the patterned thread (specially gold and silver thread) between warp that is mainly colored silk. If gold and silver thread is weaved so densely that the ground is almost invisible then this kind of fabric is called kinkhab and it becomes very heavy is only suitable for furnishing and upholstery.  Thus brocade pattern that is scattered all over the silk is suitable for clothing and is called true brocade.

Image Source: Click Here

Muslin Of Bengal:
Muslin is fine cotton textile of Bengal. Bengal handloom industry is renowned for its cotton textile. Muslin is loosely woven cotton fabric and known as 'woven-air' due to its finer quality. It is an unbleached white cotton cloth. Hand woven muslin of Dacca was the most famous one but weavers migrated from Dacca to India practiced and mastered the technique in Bengal. Because muslin is very light and airy it is suitable for hot and dry climate.

Image Source: Click Here

This post is a short introduction of few famous Indian textiles. I will elaborate on each one later.
I love all of them do you?

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