Crochet Flowers

My mother, grandmothers, and aunts are talented ladies. Just by seeing a design, they can weave, knit, crochet, or embroidery. I have seen absolutely stunning designs that they have made. When my aunt showed me a crochet piece that belonged to my great grandmother, I was astonished. The work is neat and beautiful. Makes me imagine that my great grandmother was not only creative but also a lovely lady.

 

Most of the younger generation hasn't been involved in these crafts. That's only because of lack of time. In an attempt to learn from the talented ladies, I bought crochet hook and wool. My aunt and mom taught me a design or two along with the basic crochet stitches. I'm still learning and experimenting. It's totally fun especially to spend time with them. :-)

 

Presenting my humble attempt to crochet flowers...

 

 

* Updated on 21-11-2013. Linked this article to Thursday Challenge - "ATTRACTIVE" (Cloths, Hair Styles, Flowers,...)

Regards,

Asha

Terracotta Lanterns - Gifts to Family and Friends

The last set of hand-painted items to come out my workshop/workbench is the gifts for family and friends. The gifts are the beautifully painted mini-lanterns, which are made of terracotta. The painting of these items for Diwali has been a labour-intensive task but a fulfilling one.

 

I will be packing these gifts and delivering to them soon. I hope they like their little gifts. Also thanks to everyone who wrote to me appreciating the artwork, and for also considering the work as an inspiration.

 Wishing all of you a lovely festival!

Because these designs were inspired by the plants on our terrace garden, I am sharing this post on Fertilizer Friday!

 

 

Regards,

Asha

Terracotta Tulsi Lamps - Painted for Diwali Festival

We are getting ready for Diwali. I bought and hand-made a few terracotta/clay lamps for the festival. Oh, the markets are flaunting amazing collection of lamps! Please bargain; some vendors quote crazy rates for the lamps.

 

I bought the terracotta tulsi lamps from the market, and decided to paint it. You can engage the entire family in the task of painting the lamps. Will be fun especially for the kids and the elderly, and such task/activity will bind the family together. Lots of ideas will flow too. Plus the sense of satisfaction may be high. :-)

 

For the base layer, I have used Yellow enamel paint, and then used acrylic paints. Sharing a sample painting-in-progress photo.

 

 

Updated after a few hours of posting the photo:

 

I completed the painting of both the tulsi lamps and a few small lamps. Also managed to assemble them. Here are photos of the finished products.

 

 



Regards,

Asha



Handmade clay figurines - Lamps and Lord Ganapathi

After a long day, I enjoy going back home and spending some time at my workshop. What I made today were lamps and an idol of Lord Ganapathi (Elephant God) from natural clay. Total stress-buster hobby, I tell you!

 

The base is circular; the four lamps face the four directions. The Lord sits in the middle on an elevated platform. Separating the lamps are tiny balls. I am mighty pleased with this set. Hopefully they dry well, and I am able to paint them all on time for Diwali festival. :-)

 

 

Regards,

Asha

Hand Embroidery on Saree

I bought a cotton silk saree with single-color thread weaved as borders; top border being Red, and bottom one being Purple. The Purple border didn't stand out, and therefore, I decided to outline the border motifs with hand embroidery.

 

Currently, I am using Chain Stitch for the flowers as shown in the photo. Chain Stitch is an easy stitch and versatile too. For other motifs, I plan to use Running Stitch and other suitable stitches. I shall update this post with photos of the different stages of embroidery.

 

Updated on Nov 6, 2013: Learn stitches from Sarah's website!

Regards,

Asha

Handmade clay figurines - A girl and her garden

As kids, we all dream. I tried to make one such dream of mine. A little girl sitting on a bench made of wood, surrounded by a friendly ladybug and tiny mushrooms. I made these figurines using natural clay, and then colored them with acrylic paints.

 

Instead of buying new dolls, for the Dasara festival this year, I kept the handmade dolls. Nice sense of satisfaction! :-)

 

 

 

Regards,

Asha

Handmade clay figurines - A winter story

I went crazy with the natural clay that I bought. Made tiny figurines and tried to weave a story around them.

 

I love to listen to stories and also cook up some. This one is called A Winter Story; a family of penguins have made a snowman and are admiring it. Christmas trees stand watching the fun. :)

 

 

Regards,

Asha