1,2,3

Three uses for a quirky object. Picked up a pair of iron stirrups from a flea market in Lhasa a few years back. Although I had no idea about how I will use them, their texture and shape caught my fancy.

After lying around unused for some time, the stirrups have been hung on a mango-wood hook by a bay window. Posting pictures of three different ways I use them.

To hold pots of miniature plants or creepers some times.

To hold flowers every now and then.

even tea lights some evenings.

Which use do you like the most? What else can one do with these?

Eco Wraps

For those who love to wrap their gifts, but are wary of wasting paper, here is my year of gift wrapping in pictures.

Have avoided buying gift wrapping paper for a whole year now, using alternate materials like newspaper, used paper, magazines and recycled packaging material and fabric.

Sample these
A child's birthday gift is packed in paper made from News paper, recycled gift wrapping paper ( which was too creased to reuse as is) curling ribbon from balloon ties and paint. The paper was made by my eight year old during the course of an afternoon activity.

Tissue paper salvaged from a shopping bag was used to pack a baby shower gift. The cutesy accent on the gift in turn salvaged from the bottom of my child's toy chest.

For a fashionista buddy, an attractive center-spread from Financial Time's Weekend Supplement made the perfect wrap alternative!

There was no reason to dispose off an A4 sized paper that had served its purpose. Used it to wrap a bottle of perfume.

To wrap my Diwali gifts, we hand block printed peacock motifs on old newspaper with gold and red acrylic paints.

Apart from those that I could document in images, there were wraps fashioned out of scrap fabric, plastic and spray painted newspaper.

Have been trying to recycle every scrap of paper that we use around the house, in whatever way possible. More later.

Green blooms

Among the various new year resolutions made at the start of 2010, is one to go as green as I possibly can. The other one is to update this space more frequently. Tying both of these together so that neither gets broken , I am going to post a few initiatives around the house.

Starting with dumping my florist. Sorry Mr Lee on Lyndhurst terrace, but I am going to have to stop my regular trips to your sweet little flowery haven.

As much as one loves cut flowers, the cost of these beauties has increasingly become clear. Commercial, large scale flower farming comes with a host of problems- pesticide overuse, carbon emissions that transporting these beauties entails, human cost in the form of bad working conditions for the farm workers- pesticide exposure, water source pollution- to think of a few.

For some time now, I have been trying to sustain my love for fresh flowers in ways that are less damaging to the environment. Uploading a few pictures and ideas- most of which are pretty obvious, but I am putting them together anyway.

The first of course is to grow your own blooms, if you are lucky enough to have a garden.

I have been growing Hibiscus, Bogun Villa, Gerbera, Orchids and Anthurium on my small balcony for some time now. The plants are able to provide small single stemmed arrangements if not huge centerpieces on a daily basis.

Less is more ! A single stem is enough to give you enough flower power sometimes. It helps to work with various textures and materials in the form of pots containers and platters to complete the arrangement.

The next time you are out walking, try to notice flowers and foilage that grow in your own neighbourhood or city. A few wild flowers, originating from trees or shrub - Bauhinia, Gulmohur, Frangipani, the stunning Amaltas- very evocatively called `Sona Jhuri' in Bangla - there is a limitless bounty available with the changing seasons around. But do be kind with how much you pick..!

Last but not the the least, potted plants are a wonderful alternative to cut flowers. Combine plants with different colours shapes and textures for fun results.

Would love to hear of similar stuff you might have done at your home or are able to think of. Coming up more ideas, big and small to save, conserve, recycle and reuse.. Watch this space.

Diwali wishes..

I have been away long. Caught up with this and that. After months of being unorganized and not liking it too much, I am going to use the festival of lights as an excuse to get the blogging mojo back.

So here wishing you all a very very happy Diwali..!!

We did the lights, the diyas, a poor excuse for the rangoli, mithai and plenty of fun....

The rangoli my eight-year-old helped me make. Hardly traditional and far from pretty, but that's about how skillful we are with floor art. A friend suggested a name for the thing, `Kali the killer butterfly', I thought it fitting and the boy, dazzled..!

One year old baby tested her boundaries yet again, but I'd like to think she was trying to be helpful :)

Hope you guys had a lovely Diwali...

Do get back to this space in a day or two because more festive stuff follows..

Bali Random

Just an upload of random pictures from Bali before I can go on to other things........

Balinese Villa

Ancient Indonesian legend has it that the Gods created the realm of the heavens-sky- for themselves, the earth for animals and the ocean for fishes. For men they chose an earthly paradise. Pulling a fish out of the bowels of the sea, they held it to the light, its tail forming a peninsula, gills- water of lakes and the backbone a string of mountains stretching across the length an the breadth of the island.

Shadow art

Thus created ~Bali- which also means offering was given to man.  The island has won an unearthly reputation as `heaven’ and `Eden’ ever since.

Bali resonates with stunning natural beauty that permeates the very fabric of life and aesthetic on the island. Reflecting variously in the islander’s expression of beauty in art architecture, dance music and even the everyday rituals of life.

The Villa

It has long captured the imaginations of travelers from all over the world.  Overcome by the fecund landscape and all pervasive expression of beauty, Playwright and composer Noel Coward in his witty style complained to friend Charlie Chaplin in verse:

As I was saying this morning to Charlie,

There's far too much music in Bali. 

And though as a place it is entrancing

There's also, I thought too much dancing.

It seems that each Balinese native

From the womb to tomb is creative.

And though the results are quite clever,

There's too much creative endeavor!

Private plunge pool facing the Indian Ocean in our villa

River facing  plunge pool of  a neighbouring villa.

The island's famous beauty has attracted hordes of settlers, designers, artists and people from all fabric of life further enriching the cultural tapestry .  Moreover it attracts tourist by the droves from all over the globe.

The room *

Dining Area of the Villa

Posting a few images of charming stone villas we stayed in during a recent trip to the island haven. 

Built in the local Balinese style, the thatched Villas are  open-sided pavilions, each with its  own stunning view.  The villas are furnished with traditional bamboo and colonial furniture. 

Cheerful Indonesian fabrics and artifacts are an important part of the decor.

Despite their  deceptively  simple indigenous  appearance  the villas come kitted with all conceivable creature comforts, offering visitors  an idealized experience in tropical living albeit in open pavilions and  under thatched  roofs.  The outdoor stone and bamboo shower areas and quaint private plunge pools only  complete the very pretty  picture.

Outdoor seating in the open pavilion.

In the 1960s vacation houses first started being built on the island. In the late 1980’s the Amandari hotel opened near Ubud, setting a new standard for boutique hotels. By now the island is transformed. While the Balinese struggle to retain their traditional values, the island is increasingly colonized by tourism.  

Dinner table

Staying in the pristine carefully beautified and structured environment of the island today it is hard not to ponder over the real impact tourism has had on the island.

As vehement critics of how tourism has invaded the local culture and ecology write Bali off as a paradise lost already, it will do well for us as tourists anywhere to be mindful of the footprints we leave in the process of visiting and enjoying new places.

Tips for green travel:

At your Hotel

•   Reuse bed linen and towels etc
  
•   Keep showers, short
  
•   Use reusable dishes and cutlery only
  
•   Pack wisely and reuse plastic bags if you’ve carried any
•   Do not litter. Carry a small bag for your garbage.
•  Find out about your hotel’s recycling program and dispose your waste accordingly. If the  Hotel does not have a recycling program, consider carrying all recyclable waste such as  empty plastic and glass bottles back home with you.
•  Minimize use of Air-conditioning and other electrical amenities in your room.

* The room picture courtesy, https://baliwww.com

Design

Spotted  these at a local store recently.  The day-beds by  designer duo Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levine  rethink the traditional Indian Charpoy with fabulous results.

Exploring the concept of `unity of opposites', the range combines handcrafted and industrially produced work.

The day beds use cotton and silk mattresses embellished  by embroidery applique and mirror work. The patterns evoke the ancient Indian game of `chauras' or `Chaupad'.

In an endearing detail, all crafts women who have worked on the mattresses have embroidered their names and the date on the edge of the mattresses.

Check out the designers website at -

http://www.doshilevien.com/

Images from  here