ARFÉ

Every morning a freshly brewed cup of coffee and some latest news is what makes our mornings perfect. Other than just drinking coffee in various ways we can use it creatively as a medium to paint. Paintings which are made with coffee are called Arfé, which is an amalgamation of two words "art" and "cafe". But more often termed as Coffee Painting.

I have painted a portrait of princess Diana. This medium works like watercolor and likely to be used on watercolor paper. You can choose any technique either wet brush or dry. It's texture is sticky and gets thicker if gets in contact with air. 

Steps to create your own coffeelicious masterpiece :

Take a white watercolor sheet, some brushes, palette, waste cloth piece, instant coffee powder water and some good music ;)

Now draw your sketch on the paper. Start with some easy one like a leaf, door or tree. Once it's done dissolve your coffee in various shades of brown. You can do that by adding more water to dilute the concentrated coffee.

Depending upon the drawing, choose your brushes. I chose round tip brushes for detailed work. Coffee has a very unique quality, it can be lifted from the paper even after drying up. So beginners don't loose your heart if you make mistakes. Another thing to be kept in mind is how to use your graphite. Pencil marks can't be erased if once they are coated with coffee. Finish your sketch, hang it in your hall and enjoy while having a delicious cup of coffee looking at your masterpiece. Let the aroma of coffee fill your heart and soul!!

Happy reading :)

I OFTEN THINK ABOUT IT

(for those who don't know what is in the image : it is called Dream Catcher. It is an ancient art and craft of Native Americans. In earlier times older people used to make these web-structured Dream Catchers especially on the birth of a baby. They used to hang it closer to the cradle. According to their belief Dream Catcher works as a filter to our dreams. It protects us by eliminating bad dreams and only lets good dreams pass through it's web.

Image Courtesy : Artsyshana )

Everyone has a dream in life. Luckier ones get a chance to fulfill it and rest keep dreaming. Like many I also had a dream. I often used to think about it. In fact I quite often used to think about it. Probably 100 times in a day. That was really quite a lot. But just thinking about it day and night and 24/7 was not helping me in any whichever way. I realized, I had to do something to make it happen. Something more meaningful and quantum to fulfill my dream. Just thinking ain't taking me anywhere. 

So how can we chase our dream? What do we need to fulfill our dream or dreams (if you have many)?

Just start. Yes, you read it right. Whatever has been there in your mind or thoughts or whatever you have been dreaming of till now it's time to make a start. To begin something isn't easy. I know that, but without a start how would you get to know what the journey is all about. How amazing it feels to feel that I have at least taken a plunge. Once you are airborne, flying comes automatically. There are severe chances of failure also but if your dream is more important for you than the fear of getting failed, you'll definitely give it a shot.

As humans are the most intelligent creature of God, we have this tendency of over calculating things. It simply leads us to a paradox of our own thoughts. As they say too much of anything is bad. Some preparation is necessary and it helps you to sail through the difficulties. But developing a fear inside your mind isn't a good sign. 

Mark a day in your calendar and make a rocking start of anything which you have been dreaming of. Each baby step of yours towards your goal is important. As when you'll sum them up, you'll realize half of your journey is already completed. Nothing is difficult once you have embarked on your journey. So just make a start. Get onto the list of those luckier ones who have fulfilled their dreams and still dreaming for more to achieve. I'm sure if right now you are reading this post your dream is going to come true very soon.

If you felt encouraged after reading this post, please post your comments and show your support. 

Happy reading :)

Indian Merry-Go-Round In Full Swing

Long queues, hustle-bustle, loudspeakers, colorful blinking lights, carnival rides, blaring music, balloon shooting, candy floss, vanilla softy, aroma of typically cooked Indian food from the streets of Chandni Chowk. Yes, you got it absolutely right I'm talking about our very famous Dussehra Mela. It is always so fascinating to watch hundreds of people from urban and rural India coming together with their families to these places. Melas are so rustic and have an essence of our soil and culture. Though the hygiene standards are still disappointing but the charm of such massive set ups with lots of vibrancy is still intact. The most amazing thing which I find at these fairs are the "carnival rides". If you observe the structure closely, it's not very hi-tech and is not even designed by any qualified engineer. These rides are basically built on old days ethics of jhoolawallas of rural India. Some new editions are definitely there every year but still design and structure is very basic. These joyrides are mostly portable so they are reassembled every time. I seriously wonder about the accountability of these joyrides. Statistics also tell about the weak and poor laws in India for the safety and inspection of rides at amusement parks. Despite of so many death incidents at many renowned amusement parks all across India, government has not made any particular authority to look into these matters. It is high time now to reinforce stricter regulations for all the amusement parks and carnivals/fairs/fests/melas. So whenever you are going to take your family for such adventure rides, keep in my mind, this fun is at your own risk.

If You're Happy And You Know It...

Long long ago when I was a kid I learnt this in my kindergarten. Ever since I have been tapping to this tune. I still know the words and tune by heart and I'm trying to not let this feeling fade away.

I was always a very happy-go-lucky kind of a child. My parents were unconventional and I can say they were quite ahead of their times. According to them there was never a dull moment in the house until I was there. My father never stopped us from trying new things. He always used to tell me and my sister " I will not be there with you both in all situations so you have to decide your wrong and right. Be confident and never be afraid of facing challenges". His words still sometimes echo into my ears. Although he was never a very typical over possessive or extra caring kinds but his unusual thinking and way of living has given many lessons to learn. 

Life is long! And it's even longer if you are not HAPPY! If you  read quotes on "happiness" you must have read  "Happiness Is A State Of Mind". How to be in that state or how to sustain if you have already reached your destination of happiness, is not much written about. Life is never what we want it to be. You never get anything easily especially if you are longing something to happen. It has it's own course and time to deliver. Lower expectations bring higher contentment. Higher contentment makes  an equal equation with HAPPINESS. I know it's easier said than done but not that difficult also to practice. Once you start accepting things the way they are life becomes easier. Having said that doesn't mean one should stop dreaming or aspiring because that is the key to motivate oneself to move ahead. But don't also try to change everything which your destiny brings for you. Embrace it and empower yourself with happiness to face it fearlessly.

There will be times when people around you or in your life won't like you or love you the way you love them or you want them to love you back. Take it as a learning. I have learnt through my own experiences in life that I am not meant to please everyone. If someone does not like me I cannot dislike myself for that matter. They don't like me for their own reasons which are well known to them. What I do, belongs to me. Believing what others are saying and not your heart, will always make you unhappy. Learn to believe in yourself. The other day my daughter came back from school crying. When I got to know the reason of her sadness I couldn't stop laughing. One of her classmate said bad things about her and she was called names. As a kid of course it was difficult on her part to be indifferent to her classmate's comments. So I asked her a very simple question. I asked her "how do you see yourself as a person?" She looked at me and said "definitely not what she (her classmate) has said about me. I'm a very good girl who cares for everyone and doesn't hurt anybody in my class." I was happy to see that she is at least aware about who she is. She could explain it to me very well. Then I told her "when you know who you are, you should believe in yourself and should strongly ignore whatever your classmate has said." She is mere a seven year old kid so she will learn self sustenance with time. I have also learnt this very late in my life and I have really learnt it the hard way. This incident shows how things, people, circumstances affect the feeling of HAPPINESS in us. I also ask myself the same question if I get into such situations and believe me, no one can take away my happiness from me. 

We all keep moving in our lives. Sometimes slow, sometimes fast and a few times we take baby steps also. On this adventurous journey of life we smile, laugh, learn, fall, cry, stand, and that is how we go ahead. We meet many co-travellers, with some we stay longer and with some shorter. Rest we leave behind and keep moving on with our chosen ones. So it's all up to you whom you choose to be your voyagers on your voyage. If people around you, like you, love you, accept you the way you are and without judging you they respect your decisions, life will seem shorter to share and return their love. And on the other hand if you are critically judged for every small thing you say or do, told to give up everything you like doing, pretend to be someone else who you actually are not and if always you are made to feel belittled about yourself and your identity, life will definitely become a burden and unhappiness will get all around you. So elimination and selection is a very integral part of happy living. If you are good, many would want to pull you down. If you are still moving, many would try to reign your free spirit. But when the going gets tough the tough get going!!

I am living a happy life and dancing on the tune, not alone but with my children dancing along with me.

HAPPY READING :)

DIY ideas for this diwali

1. Card Making :                                                                                                                                                                                          Instead of just writing "happy Diwali" on your friend's or relative's social networking wall try your hands on making a Diwali card. You can choose from various  themes, for example - clay lamps, firecrackers, peacock or Ganesha etc.  This is what i have made  :

                    

 

   2.  Painting a canvas and creating your own masterpiece :

         Buy a small canvas. Paint it with poster / acrylic colors as they dry up quickly and create your own Deepawali wall masterpiece. Hang it in your house and your guests will love it.

      3. Paper Luminaries :

          Luminaries can also be a wonderful Diwali decoration for your driveways, staircase or lawns. Generally these are paper bags filled with sands and a tealight candle. Here is a link attached where you can see how to make it.

         http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Luminaries

      4. Hanging Lanterns :

          Colorful lanterns hanging in your balcony or your drawing room will illuminate your house beautifully. To make one use colored paper sheets and your imagination.

    5. Creative food ideas :

      No festival or party is complete without good food. And when you add your creativity to it, your   guests would be amazed and relish it more. These eye catching food ideas would turn your little picky eater into a food lover. Here I'm posting few pictures  of my creative food decor ideas for your dinner / Diwali party table. Take inspiration and create something yourself too. 

     

Hope my compilation of ideas would inspire you to bring out your creative side. Enjoy not just the festival but celebrate it in a way that it becomes a memory for you and your family. Do post your feedback in the comments box below and express your views about my posts. 

  Happy reading :)

PAPER FLOWERS

Yesterday I enjoyed doing this activity with my daughter. She got a school project to make paper flowers. And she was very excited to make one. Here I'm sharing what we finally made :

Take an A4 size colored paper sheet.

I have chosen pink color paper. Fold it half and cut.

Fold it again into half and cut.

Now collect all the sheets and draw a petal.

Cut the petals.

Here we have the petals.

Now make a cut in the centre of the petals with the help of scissors.

Now put the glue on one side and overlap it. Make all the petals in same way.

Assemble all the petals to make a flower.

Choose another color sheet and follow the same steps as mentioned above.

Make the stamen of the flowers by cutting a sheet in thin strips and then roll it.

Insert the stamen by making a hole in the center and put some glue. Your beautiful paper flower is ready.

Here are the pics of another flower made with same technique. But a different shape.

 Cut a small circle and paste it in the center.

 Here is a gorgeous paper flower.

And this is what my daughter created herself with waste paper shavings ;)

Happy reading :)